I pull her close, inhaling the scent of jasmine in her hair. "You know I don't dance, cara mia."

She laughs, the sound melting my resolve. "For me, you do."

We sway together, her body fitting perfectly against mine. The memory is so vivid I can almost feel the heat of her skin, taste the sweetness of her lips.

"I miss you," I choke out, but water gushes into my lungs, burning me for daring to speak.

The vision shifts, and we're in my study, Genoveva perched on my desk. "You're working too hard," she scolds, her fingers tracing the lines on my face.

"The family needs me," I argue, but my hands are already reaching for her.

"I need you more," she breathes, pulling me in for a kiss that ignites every nerve in my body.

My strength is fading fast, each movement slower than the last. The weight of the silver obols in my pocket feels like an anchor, dragging me down. But I can't let them go - they're my key to finding Genoveva.

As my vision starts to blur, her voice echoes in my head. "Stay with me, amore mio. Don’t dare give up. Live. Live for me."

I cling to the memory of her smile, her touch, her unwavering faith in me. It's a beacon in the darkness, guiding me through the chaos of the raging river.

I'm coming for you, I think, lost in the torrent.No matter what it takes.

The world begins to fade at the edges, darkness creeping in like an unrelenting tide. My limbs grow heavy, refusing to obey my commands. The river's icy grip tightens around me, pulling me deeper into its murky depths. The current sweeps me away, tumbling end over end in a dizzying blur.

Time seems to slow as I sink deeper. The roar of the river fades, replaced by an eerie silence. In this moment of suspended reality, Genoveva's face appears before me, radiant and full of love.

"Don't give up, Gianni," her phantom whispers. "Remember your promise."

I reach out, trying to touch her, but my hand passes through empty water. The darkness closes in, relentless and absolute. My last conscious thought is of her smile, a flicker of warmth in the cold embrace of the river.

The chaos subsides, replaced by an unsettling stillness. My body drifts as the current carries me to an unknown fate. I never make it out.

Chapter 9

Gianni

I grip Genoveva's hips and flip her onto her stomach, yanking down her lace panties. She’s a vision in front of me, and everything about her glows like fireflies. When I see her naked, her back arched for me just so, I feel as though I’m in a dream-like trance.

My hand slides between her thighs, feeling a heat so strong that it almost feels cold. She gasps when I plunge my cock inside her instead.

"Gianni," she moans, arching her back.

The sight of her curves ignites a primal hunger. I bend down over her until my head hovers over hers and grab her breasts, kneading roughly as I drive into her. Her cries of pleasure echo through the room.

"I love you," she whimpers.

I choose to show her the same, pounding relentlessly. Sweat trickles down my chest. The bed creaks in protest.

"I'm cumming!" Genoveva screams.

Her body quivers beneath me. The sensation pushes me to the edge. My muscles tense as my climax builds. Just as I'm about to erupt--

The vision of Genoveva vanishes, and suddenly, I’m choking, lungs screaming, eyes wide. What the hell? Where am I?

I thrash wildly, my mind reeling. Cold liquid fills my mouth and my nose. I can't breathe. I can't think. My lungs scream for air as I claw desperately upward, fighting against an unseen force pulling me down.

Darkness swirls around me. I kick harder, my muscles burning with the effort. When I think I can't hold on any longer, my head breaks the surface.

I gasp, gulping in the air greedily—my heart pounds in my ears. The air tastes different. It’s no longer crisp and clear, not the way I’m used to. It’s ashen, metallic.