Sinless

Shadows of the Past Aria's POV I can still hear the echoes of my past—the faint whispers of promises, the haunted murmurs of betrayal, and the sharp crack of heartbreak. My life used to be framed in the shadowed world of Dante Moretti, but that world feels like a fever dream now. I don’t know what’s more haunting—the life I once lived, or the silence I’ve fought to preserve since I escaped. Five years have passed, but the scars remain, deep and hidden. The man I once loved, who claimed my heart, became the same man I feared most. And when I fled, I took only memories and the tiny heartbeat that grew within me. Sofia. My daughter, my light. The only thing I carried from that twisted world. I’ve fought to keep her safe, far from the mafia’s reach, far from him. But some shadows you can never fully outrun. The train rumbles beneath us, its steady rhythm the only sound in the quiet carriage. Sofia is asleep on my lap, her small hand curled around my thumb. She looks so peaceful, oblivious to the danger I’ve shielded her from. I brush a lock of her hair from her face, watching her innocent smile in her sleep, a pang of guilt striking me like a fist. “You’ll be safe, little one,” I whisper, even though I’m not sure I believe it. I haven’t allowed myself to think about Dante in years. I buried him with my memories. But now, on this train headed to yet another new place, a faint feeling stirs within me, a sense of being watched. I tell myself it’s paranoia, that I’ve always been on high alert. Yet this feels different—like something is closing in on me, something I can’t see. The memories creep in when I close my eyes: flashes of his dark eyes, the way they softened only when he looked at me. How he promised me the world before that same world became my prison. My heart aches, torn between love and the cold fear that drove me to run. But love isn’t always enough—not when fear twists it into something unrecognizable. The train’s rhythm fades, replaced by a soft, insistent buzz—a message on my phone. I freeze, fear prickling down my spine as I see the unknown number. A simple message appears: “You can’t hide forever, Aria.” My blood runs cold. It’s not signed, but I don’t need a name to know who sent it. Only one person would know the right words to unravel my carefully woven life. Only one person would send a threat disguised as a promise. I remind myself he believes I’m dead. That’s the story I built to escape him. But now, the certainty I once held begins to slip, the walls I’d put up feeling thinner, more fragile. With shaking hands, I delete the message, unwilling to let it live in my phone, my sanctuary. But my heart pounds in a way that tells me it’s already burned into my memory. I glance down at Sofia, her peaceful face undisturbed by the turmoil inside me. I wanted to give her a normal life, a life far from the one I escaped. But now I wonder if I can protect her from a shadow that stretches as far as Dante’s. He will find me if he hasn’t already. And if he finds me, he’ll find her. I tighten my hold on Sofia, my mind racing through the possibilities. Could he be here, on this very train, watching me? Or is he waiting in the next town, ready to shatter the peace I’ve fought so hard for? We pull into the station. The train hisses to a halt, and I clutch Sofia tightly as I peer out the window, scanning the faces in the crowd. No one stands out, yet I feel the weight of a gaze, the pull of a presence I can't pinpoint. My instincts tell me to run, to disappear again, but Sofia stirs, blinking up at me with sleepy eyes, and I know I can’t keep uprooting her. “Mommy?” she murmurs, rubbing her eyes. “Shh, we’re almost there,” I whisper, brushing her hair back. I force a smile, though my heart hammers in my chest. We step off the train, Sofia’s hand in mine. I keep my head down, scanning the platform for any sign of danger. Just as we make it to the exit, I catch sight of a familiar figure across the platform—a tall man in a dark suit, his gaze fixed on me with unyielding intensity. Dante. He hasn’t changed much—if anything, he’s become even more imposing. His sharp jaw, the intense darkness in his eyes, all make him unmistakable. And that stare…it cuts through me like a blade. My breath catches, my mind a flurry of panic and disbelief. How? How could he have found me? Before I can process, I pull Sofia behind me, my entire body taut with terror. Dante’s gaze narrows, and I see the flicker of recognition, the moment he realizes I’m not a ghost but flesh and blood. His expression shifts from shock to something far more dangerous—determination. I can’t move, frozen by the fear that he’ll take Sofia, that he’ll strip away the life I’ve built for her. But he doesn’t come any closer. He only watches me with that piercing intensity, as though he’s waiting, giving me a choice. But choice is a luxury I can’t afford. I grab Sofia’s hand and dart through the crowd, my heart pounding as I fight to disappear into the sea of people. I don’t look back, too afraid of what I’ll see if I do. As we finally reach the streets outside, the bustling noise of the city swallows us. I pull Sofia close, the realization sinking in: there’s no going back. Dante knows I’m alive, and he won’t stop until he finds me again. But this time, I’m not the same frightened girl who left. I’m a mother now, with a strength born from desperation and love. If Dante thinks he can pull me back into his world, he’s sorely mistaken. I’ll fight to keep Sofia safe, even if it means confronting the man who once ruled my heart. The taxi driver glances at me through the rearview mirror as I slide into the back seat with Sofia. “Where to?” I hesitate, but only for a second. “Anywhere but here.” As the car pulls away, I allow myself one last look back at the station, searching for Dante’s figure in the crowd. But he’s gone, swallowed by the same shadows that I thought I’d escaped. Yet I can feel his presence, lingering just beyond sight—a promise of danger and memories I can’t fully bury. My past has found me, and the walls I built are already crumbling. But he doesn’t know who I am now. I won’t let him pull me back without a fight. With Sofia asleep beside me, I finally exhale, knowing that the next time Dante and I meet, it won’t be as lovers, but as enemies.