Chapter 55

Azalea

“Who are you?” Chiara demanded, her voice shaking but trying to sound brave. “Show yourself right now!”

The way she was trying to act tough almost made me want to laugh, but nothing about this terrifying situation was funny.

“Answer me—” Before she could finish her demand, another gunshot exploded through the air.

“Ahh!” I screamed, curling myself into a tight ball on the cold floor. The room was completely dark, and we couldn’t see who was shooting at us.

“The devil,” a cold, familiar voice replied from somewhere in the shadows. “And I’m here to take your life.”

Another gunshot rang out, followed by the heavy sound of bodies hitting the floor. Then suddenly, bright lights flooded the room, and I could see him clearly.

My heart stopped.

Standing there like a nightmare come to life was the man who had haunted my dreams for an entire year. The man I had tried so desperately to escape from. The only man I knew who could kill without even blinking. The same man I had stolen from.

Adriano.

“Hello, wife,” he said, a cold sneer spreading across his handsome face. “Did you miss me?”

My whole body started trembling at the sight of him. But strangely, part of me felt relieved knowing he was here. Even though he terrified me, he was still the devil I knew.

“Are you here to save me?” The question slipped out of my mouth before I could stop myself.

“Guess,” he replied simply, taking slow, deliberate steps toward me.

I should guess? Then I remembered Leo’s words from earlier. Was Adriano truly in love with me? Had he really come here to rescue me from this nightmare?

“You...” Chiara’s shaky voice interrupted my thoughts. “What are you doing here? How did you find this place?”

“You’re still alive,” Adriano muttered, turning his cold gaze toward her. “I guess my aim wasn’t perfect. You should be dead by now.”

He raised his gun and pointed it directly at her head, his finger moving toward the trigger.

“Please don’t!” I screamed desperately. “Don’t kill her!”

Adriano paused, his dark eyes finding mine. “Oh,” he said with that same cold sneer. “You want me to spare someone who tried to destroy your life? Someone who tortured you?”

“Yes,” I said firmly. “Please don’t kill her.”

I knew deep down that Chiara wasn’t truly evil. She loved Leo too much and felt like I had betrayed her trust.

I should have told her the truth when she first showed me that photo of herself with him. Maybe then none of this would have happened.

Adriano stared at me intensely for a long moment, as if he was trying to read my soul. Then he moved closer to me, his movements surprisingly gentle.

I watched in amazement as he removed his expensive black coat and carefully placed it around my shoulders, covering my naked, bruised body.

“You want me to forgive her?” he asked, his voice much softer than I’d ever heard it before.

For a moment, I was completely taken back by the gentle way he spoke to me. Was Leo really right about Adriano’s feelings? Had this dangerous man actually changed?

“Yes, please don’t kill her. She was my friend once.”

“Alright then,” he stated, helping me stand on my shaky legs. “I won’t kill her. Will you come with me willingly?”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Adriano was actually asking me a question instead of just forcing me to obey him.

Was this really the same man I had once been involved with? The same man who ruled through fear and violence?

“Yes,” I replied, reaching out to take his offered hand. “I’ll go with you.”

“Good choice,” he said with a genuine smile as he gently touched my hair. “Let’s get you out of this place.”

Everything about him seemed different. Softer. Seeing him in this new light wasn’t something I had ever expected.

We walked past Chiara, who was still trembling on the floor. “Consider yourself very lucky, Chiara,” Adriano said with a smirk. “And remember that Azalea saved your worthless life today.”

“Thank you,” Chiara whispered, her voice shaking with fear and gratitude. “I owe you everything.”

Adriano wrapped his arm around me protectively as he led me toward the door. I was shocked when I saw at least twenty armed guards waiting outside. I had forgotten how Adriano never went anywhere without his small army.

“Madam,” they all said in unison, bowing their heads respectfully.

“Madam?” I repeated in confusion. “Who are they talking to?”

“You,” Adriano replied with a warm smile. “You are the one and only. My wife.”

I felt heat rise to my cheeks as he lifted my hand and gently kissed the back of it. “Let’s go home.”

We had almost reached the main entrance of the house when a familiar voice stopped us dead in our tracks.

“Where do you think you’re going with my property?”

I knew that voice all too well. It was Leo.

“Finally!” Adriano’s voice instantly turned cold and deadly. “There you are, Leo. I was wondering when you’d show your coward face.”

“I knew it!” Leo said, laughing like a madman. “I knew you would come running here like a lovesick puppy. All because you love her.”

I watched Adriano’s face carefully, studying his reaction to Leo’s words. But his expression remained completely blank and emotionless.

“You came here to save your precious little wife, didn’t you?” Leo continued, clearly enjoying this moment. “You love her so much that you walked right into my trap. Well, since you’re here, you can leave your life behind as payment.”

“You mean,” Adriano said quietly, “you want to kill me.”

“You should know better than anyone,” Leo stated, kissing the gun in his hand like it was a lover. “Since you dared to step onto my territory without an invitation, you know exactly what happens to uninvited guests.”

A sneer twisted on his lips. “Oh.”

“I want your life, Adriano. And I will have it before this night is over.”

“Just you?” Adriano smirked, completely unimpressed. “You think you can take me down all by yourself?”

The air around us became thick with tension and danger. I could feel violence building like a storm about to break.

“Then you better have what it takes to actually kill me,” Adriano said coldly.

I trembled beside Adriano as Leo’s eyes changed, becoming wild and dangerous. Suddenly, he turned his attention toward me.

“Come here, Azalea,” he commanded. “Come to me right now.”

“Why should I?” I snapped back.

“Because,” Leo said with a cruel smile, “I still have your dear sister with me. Amira’s life is still completely in my hands. One word from me, and she dies a very painful death.”

My blood turned to ice. Without thinking, I let go of Adriano’s hand.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered to him.

“You’re going to him?” Adriano asked, his voice filled with disbelief. “After everything you just went through?”

“He’ll kill my sister,” I explained desperately. “Amira is still his prisoner. I have to go to him.”

“Hahaha!” Leo’s crazy laughter filled the entire space. “Even if you love her, Adriano, she still chooses me in the end! Watch as I steal the woman you love right before I put a bullet in your head!”

“I’m sorry,” I whispered again as I started walking toward Leo. But before I could take more than a few steps, Adriano grabbed my arm and pulled me back.

“Don’t go to him.”

“You still don’t understand!” I snapped at him frantically. “He will murder my sister!”

“Your sister,” Adriano replied calmly. “Your sister is safe with me.”

I felt like the world had stopped spinning. “You mean Amira? My Amira?”

“Yes,” Adriano nodded. “She’s been with me this whole time.”

“Really? Are you being serious right now?”

“Yes. Look at this.”

He pulled his phone from his pocket and scrolled through something before showing me the screen.

I grabbed the phone from his hands, staring at the image in disbelief. There was my sister, sleeping peacefully in what looked like a beautiful, comfortable room.

“How?” I asked, studying her peaceful face. “How is this possible?”

“She’s been under my protection from the very beginning,” he explained. “But I’ll tell you the whole story after we get out of this dangerous hellhole.”

“Leave?” Leo mocked from behind us. “Not on my watch! Nobody leaves here alive!”

I heard the deadly click of his gun as he pointed it directly at us.

“Since you know your sister isn’t with me anymore,” he scoffed, “you’re no longer useful to me alive. Watch carefully, Adriano. Watch as I end the life of your beloved wife!”

Everything happened in slow motion.

I heard the gun fire.

I closed my eyes tight, expecting to feel the sharp, burning pain of the bullet tearing through my body. I waited for the darkness of death to take me.

But I felt nothing.

“Ahh!” I screamed when I opened my eyes and saw what had really happened.

Adriano was on the ground, blood spreading across his white shirt like spilled red wine.

He had thrown himself in front of me, taking the bullet that was meant for my heart.