**Stefano’s POV**
My pulse slammed against my throat the moment his words settled.
This was it.
The moment I had been dreading since the second I realized Elena was no longer a pawn, the second I realized I would burn the world down just to keep her breathing.
I kept my face calm, but inside, I was burning.
There was no way in hell I would let Raffaele see even a crack. If he sensed that my feelings had changed, if he sensed even a flicker of the love I felt for her, he wouldn't just take her. He’d enjoy breaking her in front of me.
Raffaele leaned back, his eyes sharp and hungry as he studied me. “Tell me something, Bernardo,” he said, his voice casual, as if we were discussing the weather. “Why did you rescue her when she was kidnapped? Why didn't you just let them finish her off?”
