Chapter 188 Nightmares

Chapter 188 Nightmares
Serena’s POV

“No… no—NO!”

The scream tore out of me before I could stop it as the explosion took over everything.

The sound echoed loudly in my ears as a bit of the heat wave reached us where we stood.

The deafening sound had ripped through the night and its violent force swallowed everything in its path whole.

The ground beneath my feet trembled as bodies were thrown into the air like they weighed nothing.

And in the middle of it—the car.

The car she was in.

“AUNT MARIA!” I screamed with my voice breaking as everything spilled out.

I lunged forward as I stopped thinking at that moment, I stopped breathing. I didn’t care, I just ran towards the spot my heart was cracked open.

I didn't get to the edge of the small cliff before strong arms wrapped around me.

“No! Let me go!” I thrashed violently, struggling against the hold, digging into his skin with my nails as my legs kicked wildly. “Let me go! She’s in there! She’s—”

“Serena!” Nico called forcefully right against my ear as he locked his arms tighter around me. “She’s gone.”

“No!” I screamed back, shaking my head so hard it hurt. “No, she’s not! She’s not! Let me go—let me go!”

The flames burned higher and the smoke thickened over everything, swallowing the scene.

Bodies were littered all over the ground, some didn’t move again, while others screamed and struggled.

I could barely see anything clearly any longer. But I didn’t need to spot her.

I knew. I knew she was in there. She just has to be.

But my body gave out before I could struggle any further.

A broken sob tore through me as my knees buckled, but Nico didn’t let me fall.

He held me up, pulling me against his chest as my entire body shook violently.

“No,” I whispered against his chest now, my voice barely there. “No… no.”

My sight blurred and I forced my eyes shut, regretting it immediately as all I saw was the fire, the destruction. Everything she had taken with her.

Everything she had destroyed.

I turned against his body even as Nico kept his arms around me still.

I wasn't yet sure I could stand if I pulled back, so I stayed there.

I stared at the scene and could see everything even through the haze.

Bodies—so many bodies—scattered everywhere and not moving.

Men who had been rushing forward seconds ago were gone. Gone.

“Fuck…” someone muttered behind us as the dust began to settle fully now.

Just to reveal the devastation it covered.

If there had been a thousand men, many had fallen by that one move. Just a small portion, maybe 200 still attempted to run.

The rest? Gone. Burned. Broken. Erased.

“She… she did that,” I choked out with my voice hollow, disbelieving.

Nico didn’t respond. He just held me tighter.

Then, I felt him look beyond me before raising his hand to his lips.

“Go in and finish whatever is left,” he muttered into his communication device and our men moved immediately.

From every angle, they surged forward, keeping their guns in the air and closing in on the remaining enemies.

Gunshots erupted again, cutting through what little resistance remained.

But I didn’t move all along. I couldn’t.

I just stood there, trembling in Nico’s arms as more bodies dropped.

More screams. More death.

And all I could think about was hers.

“She’s gone,” I whispered and the words didn’t feel real. They didn’t sound real.

But they were.

And then something inside me snapped.

I shoved against Nico’s hold, forcing myself back to put space between us as I turned on him.

“This is your fault!” I yelled.

His expression didn’t change even the slightest.

“You did this!” I yelled and shoved him back with my hands hitting his chest again and again. “You brought us here! You planned this! You said we had them—!”

He didn’t move, didn’t stop me. And didn’t bother defending himself.

“And now she’s dead!” I screamed with my voice cracking at the end. “She’s gone because of this! Because of you!”

Nothing. No response, no excuse or apology. That made it worse.

“This is all your fault!” I hit him again, weaker this time as my strength began draining away. “All of it—!”

Then I staggered back, shaking my head as my thoughts went wild.

“No,” I muttered, pacing unevenly. “No, no, no, this is on Luca. This is Luca’s fault. He did this. He set this up. He knew, we walked right into it—”

My breathing turned ragged.

“This is on him!” I shouted into the night. “This is all on him!”

Still, I wasn't satisfied.

The only sound that filled the air was that of gun shots with our men finishing what was left.

My anger burned itself out as quickly as it came, leaving nothing. Nothing but emptiness.

My legs gave out completely this time and I dropped to the ground.

And just… sat there, watching as the last of them fell. As everything burned, as everything ended.

I don’t know how long it took. Minutes. Maybe more.

But by the time I stood again, I barely felt anything. Just… numb.

I didn’t say a word, didn’t look at anyone.

I just started walking. Step by step towards the wreckage, towards where the car had been.

The closer I got, the more I noticed how everything had been destroyed.

The car's metal twisted against itself with everything else from it scattered everywhere.

There was nothing left.

Nothing that looked like a car, nothing that looked like—

Her.

But I kept looking anyway. My eyes scanned everything, desperately searching for something—anything.

A sign. A piece. A miracle.

Then, I spotted something. A torn piece of fabric that had been soaked in blood.

My breath caught in my chest as I stepped closer with my hands trembling as I reached down and picked it up.

Blood. So much blood.

My fingers tightened around it as my knees hit the ground.

And this time, there was no scream. No anger.

Just quiet, broken sobs as I pulled it closer to my chest.

“She’s really gone,” I whispered.

I remained there for who knows how long till my arms wrapped around me again.

Different one this time.

I turned and spotted Marcus lifting me from the ground. He didn’t say anything, he just carried me away like I weighed nothing.

And into the car, leaving me alone.

The ride back was silent as I sat in the back seat alone while still holding onto the cloth and staring out at nothing in particular.

I didn’t take note of how long we drove, or when we finally arrived.

Only that suddenly, I looked around and spotted the familiar building. Only then did I push the door open.

“Serena!”

My mother’s voice broke through the mess as she rushed toward me, grabbing my face with her hands trembling as I got closer to the house.

“You’re alive—thank God—you’re—”

She stopped suddenly, looking beyond me and searching behind.

“Where’s your aunt?” She asked quickly. “Did you drop her somewhere? Is she—”

Valentina stepped forward too, pulling her brows down too. “Where is she?” Valentina asked.

I didn’t answer, I couldn’t.

“Where's my sister?!” Mom screamed and a sob broke out of my lips.

Then my hand slowly opened, and I showed them the blood-soaked piece of cloth that belongs to her.

Silence followed for a while. Then—

“NO!!!!!”.

My mother screamed, jumping back and collapsing instantly as her body gave out beneath her.

“No. No. No—” she cried with her voice breaking apart. “She left me… she left me again.”

Valentina dropped beside her, trying to hold her, trying to steady her as tears filled her own eyes.

“She was still my sister,” mom sobbed. “After everything… she was still my sister.”

I stood there, still feeling empty as the sound of their pain felt far off.

It wasn't long before my own legs gave out and I knelt beside my mother.

“She said,” I started but my voice felt foreign. “She said she kept her promise.”

Mom's sobs didn't get any lower.

“She said she protected me,” I continued and a fresh wave of tears hit her instantly.

“She said… she’s going home,” I added and that broke her again.

I swallowed hard, forcing the words out.

“She doesn’t want you to blame yourself,” I added quietly. “She chose this.”

It didn’t help. Nothing could. But I stayed there till her crying slowed, till exhaustion started to take over.

“You need to go inside,” I said softly, helping her up. “You can’t stay out here.”

She didn’t argue, didn't resist.

She just leaned on me as I led her in and straight to her room.

“I’m tired,” I muttered dryly before turning and dragging my feet to my room.

I lay down on the bed, staring at nothing before my phone buzzed.

I ignored it at first. Then picked it up.

Unknown Number: How did it go?

I stared at the message. Then typed slowly after a while.

Me: We won.

A pause.

Unknown number: Really?

Me: We wiped out all of them. But Luca and Dante weren’t there.

Unknown number: Damn. He's always a step ahead.

Me: Yeah.

About a minute passed before its response

Unknown number: Everything okay?

I almost didn’t answer. Then—

Me: No.

The reply came faster this time.

Unknown: What happened?

My fingers trembled.

Me: I lost my aunt.

A long pause. Then—

Me: It’s my fault. I dragged her into this. If I didn’t… she wouldn’t have

I stopped typing and stared at the screen before tossing the phone beside me, not sure if I sent it or not.

I just dropped on my back and let the tears flow till I didn't feel them any longer.

I saw it all over again, her being shot, her bleeding in my arms, choosing death.

I saw my pains, my screams, but also her sadness. The tired look in her eyes, the way she had given up before the drive.

I saw her getting into the car again, I watched the drive again, then…

“NO!!!” I screamed as my body jerked up immediately.

I struggled to catch a breath as sweat drenched my entire body and cloth.

“No—!” I cried with my hands gripping my head as tears poured down my face.

“Serena!”

My mother rushed in with Valentina right behind her.

“It’s okay—it’s okay,” she said quickly, holding me as I shook violently. “You’re safe—you’re here—”

I couldn’t stop crying, couldn't stop shaking.

They stayed with me, urging me to lay back after a while till I finally did and my eyes grew heavy again.

Morning came too soon as I opened my eyes slowly.

My mom was beside me, and Valentina on the other side.

Both asleep.

I stared at them for a moment. Then quietly slipped out of bed.

Careful not to wake them.

I walked over to the bathroom and poured water over my face through the tap. I kept at it till it soaked my hair and top as well.

Then I stepped out, finding both of them still asleep and tiptoed out to avoid waking them.

The house felt heavily silent as I walked into the kitchen and poured a glass of water.

I drank it in a gulp and took another. And another. And another.

But they didn’t help. Nothing did.

Everything still felt heavy, like I was moving through something I couldn’t get out of.

I leaned against the counter, lifting the last glass to my lips.

Then, something shifted in my pocket.

I frowned slightly and lowered the glass before reaching down for it.

My fingers came in contact with something cold. I pulled it out slowly and stared at it, at the ring.

The Ramirez ring.

My throat tightened as memories flooded back.

Memories of her voice, her words.

“You’re their head now.”

My fingers curled slightly around it as my chest rose and fell slowly now.

And one thought echoed louder than anything else.

What could this make me now?