*VINCENZO*
The atmosphere felt electric as the bass reverberated through my body, each pulse melding with the frantic beat of my heart. I watched Adeline sway on the dance floor, her movements almost comical, but in that moment, they sent warmth through my chest. She was lost in the music, separated from the turmoil brewing above—the war I had declared on Orlando and his men. Her laughter, even amidst this chaos, was a sweet note I clung to, an anchor in the tumult of my thoughts.
I swirled my drink, drawing in a deep breath. The plan had been crafted meticulously, every move calculated like a chess game played in a dimly lit arena. I had lured Orlando here, away from the docks where we were supposed to meet, into the heart of a place where power and chaos danced in tandem. I'd decimated
