THE MAFIA KING’S RUNAWAY BRIDE

CHAPTER 6: The Letter to Jessica

Stephanie’s POV

I sat on the edge of my bed for a long time, staring at my phone like it was the only thing keeping me from falling apart. My hands wouldn’t stop shaking. My chest felt tight. My stomach twisted every time I thought about Matteo lying on the floor, cold and gone.

And every time I thought about James and Anna whispering about me like I was something they needed to control.

I needed help. I needed someone who wasn’t part of this house. I needed someone who wasn’t part of the De Luca family.

I needed Jessica.

She was the only person who ever made me feel like I wasn’t crazy. The only person who didn’t judge me when I cried. The only person who didn’t tell me to “be patient” with James. The only person who didn’t act like his anger was normal.

I opened my messages again.

Her last text was still there.

“Are you safe?”

I typed slowly:

“No. I need you.”

I stared at the message for a moment before pressing send. My heart raced. My breath shook. I didn’t know if she was awake. I didn’t know if she would come. I didn’t know if she would understand how bad things were.

I put the phone down and stood up. My legs felt weak, but I forced myself to walk to my desk. I pulled out a piece of paper and sat down. My hand hovered over the page for a moment before I started writing.

I didn’t know why I was writing a letter instead of just texting her. Maybe I needed something physical. Something real. Something that felt like a goodbye.

I wrote slowly, my handwriting messy from how much my hand was shaking.

Jessica, I don’t know what to do. Everything is falling apart. Matteo is gone. The police think I know something. James is angry. Anna is whispering things about me. I’m scared. I don’t feel safe here. I need to leave before something happens to me. Please help me. Please come. I don’t have anyone else.

I stopped writing and stared at the words. They looked desperate. They looked weak. They looked like they belonged to someone who had no control over her life.

But they were honest.

I folded the letter and slipped it into an envelope. My hands were still shaking. I pressed the envelope against my chest for a moment, closing my eyes.

I didn’t know if Jessica would help me. I didn’t know if she would judge me. I didn’t know if she would think I was overreacting.

But I knew I couldn’t stay here.

I walked to the window and looked outside. The street was quiet. The sky was dark. The world felt too big and too dangerous. I felt small. I felt scared. I felt trapped.

My phone buzzed.

I grabbed it quickly.

Jessica replied.

“I’m coming.”

My breath caught. I didn’t know if I felt relieved or terrified. I didn’t know if I should trust her. But I didn’t have a choice.

I grabbed my purse and slipped the letter inside. The pregnancy test was still there too. I held the purse close to my chest, feeling the weight of everything inside it.

I walked to the front door quietly, listening for any movement in the house. Nothing. No footsteps. No voices. No whispers.

I opened the door slowly and stepped outside.

The air was cold. The night was quiet. My heart was loud.

I walked down the driveway, holding my purse tightly. I didn’t know where Jessica was. I didn’t know how long it would take her to arrive. I didn’t know if James would wake up and notice I was gone.

I didn’t know anything.

But I kept walking.

I reached the end of the driveway and stood under the streetlight. The light made me feel exposed, like anyone could see me. I stepped back into the shadows, hugging myself.

My phone buzzed again.

“I’m close.”

I looked down the street, searching for headlights. My breath shook. My stomach twisted. My heart raced.

A car turned the corner slowly.

I stepped forward, thinking it was Jessica.

But the car didn’t stop.

It slowed down. It rolled past me. The driver looked at me. Then the car kept going.

My heart dropped.

I stepped back again, hugging myself tighter.

Another car turned the corner.

This one slowed too.

This one stopped.

The window rolled down.

Jessica’s face appeared.

She looked calm. Too calm.

“Get in,” she said softly.

I opened the door and sat inside. The car smelled like her perfume. Familiar. Safe. Or at least it used to feel safe.

She looked at me for a long moment. “You look terrible.”

I swallowed hard. “I’m scared.”

She nodded once, her expression unreadable. “I know.”

I held my purse close to my chest. “Thank you for coming.”

Jessica didn’t smile. She didn’t touch my hand. She didn’t say it was okay.

She just started driving.

And for the first time since Matteo died, I felt something new.

Not relief. Not safety. Not comfort.

Something colder.

Something I couldn’t name yet.

But I would soon.