The silence after Sofia’s words didn’t break.
It settled.
Heavy.
Permanent.
Giulia didn’t look at her friends again.
Not because she didn’t care—
But because she understood now.
They had all been placed.
Watched.
Moved.
And somewhere along the way…
She had stopped being a player.
And become something real.
Matteo’s hand brushed lightly against hers.
Not possessive.
Not demanding.
Just there.
A quiet anchor.
“We’re leaving,” he said.
No one argued.
Not Chiara.
Not Lucia.
Not even Sofia.
Because whatever had just been revealed—
Changed the rules.
Giulia walked past them without another word.
Each step felt different now.
Heavier.
But clearer.
—
The city moved fast.
Too fast for everything that had just happened.
But Matteo didn’t slow down.
Didn’t hesitate.
