*VINCENZO*
I tore out of the mansion, a storm of emotions swirling within me. The façade I'd created—detached, disinterested—was a heavy cloak I wore like armor. The truth gnawed at me; leaving Adeline behind, pretending she meant nothing to me, hurt more than any knife could. Yet, the sinister visitors had made it necessary. They were creatures of greed, masters of manipulation, masked with plastic smiles but driven by a hunger for power. The last thing I needed was for them to see any vulnerability in me, especially regarding Adeline. She wasn't just a prize; she was a secret I couldn't afford to lose.
Orlando's influence was a dark shadow lurking at the periphery of my life. I had known he'd send people, had felt that gut-wrenching twist when I realized their arrival wasn't just a coi
