Valentina POV
The silence left behind after the door locked was heavy and poisonous.
I stood paralyzed among the dress forms and fabric rolls, staring at the blank wood of the threshold. The memory of Marco in the anteroom with Bianca Moretti, his ruthless exposure of Renzo, his ice-cold warning before he walked out—it all pressed down on my lungs like a physical weight.
I didn't break. I couldn't afford to. I shoved every piece of grief and rage into a dark, locked box deep in my chest.
"Sofia," I said, my voice terrifyingly calm as I turned to her. "Get the bags."
Sofia lowered her weapon, stepping over to the window to peer through the blinds. "Valentina, Marco’s right about one thing—Carmela’s network is active tonight. Moving in the dark while we're compromised—"
"Renzo didn't g
