Isabella’s POV
I was curled up on the couch in the lounge, a blanket over my legs, my phone in hand. The house felt heavier tonight after everything that happened in the garden. The knife. The blood. The way Leo’s face darkened with fury—it all replayed in my head like a nightmare.
Just as I was about to scroll aimlessly through my screen, my phone buzzed with a video call. Nico.
The corners of my lips lifted despite the tension in my chest. I quickly swiped to answer, and his familiar face appeared on the screen.
“Bella,” Nico said, a soft grin on his lips. “Mi sorellina, how are you holding up?”
The sound of his voice—smooth, teasing yet warm—immediately loosened something in me. “I’m fine,” I lied, brushing my hair back. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
Nico tilted his head, his smirk deepeni
