Chapter 175 He's Talking To Us
Serena’s POV
We’re not alone… we are family…
The words echoed in my head, over and over again.
Biting, clawing, struggling, till it finally clicked.
It didn't just click as words, it dawned on me as the truth.
My fingers tightened slightly around the fork in my hand as my mind drifted back… far back.
All the way back to a memory, a fading voice a short while back.
“If you ever need help… you can always come to me.”
Those were the words of aunt Maria. The last thing she had said to me before she left me.
Before everything changed.
Before I came back here.
My chest rose slowly.
We’re not alone, I guess weren’t. I just… hadn’t been looking in the right place.
My gaze dropped to the plate in front of me, but I wasn’t seeing it anymore. My mind was already moving ahead, already piecing things together.
We need men. We need reinforcements. We need something Luca doesn’t already have.
And she could give us that. Easily.
My grip tightened around the spoon.
I need to get to her. But how? I couldn't call her as I never got her number, and the only person that could help is in Luca's custody.
My mom.
I didn't even think about her all along, she too needed our help.
My only other option was to get to her.
“Serena?”
Valentina’s voice pulled me back slightly and I blinked once, then twice, getting myself back.
“You’ve been quiet and haven't been eating,” she said softly. “What are you thinking about?”
For a moment, I said nothing. Cause the truth was—
I was thinking too much, trying to plan too fast. I was moving ahead before I even had a plan.
“It’s nothing,” I finally said, shaking my head lightly. “Just… trying to put things together.”
She studied me for a second, like she didn’t fully believe that, but she didn’t push.
Instead, her expression softened.
“You’ve already done more than anyone expected,” she said gently. “You don’t have to carry everything at once.”
I didn’t respond, cause I knew that wasn’t true.
I had to. There was no one else.
“You should rest,” she added. “You need a clear head.”
I let out a quiet breath, placing the fork down.
“Why are we here?”
The question came out suddenly, even to me.
Valentina paused. “What do you mean?”
“This place,” I said, glancing around. “This isn’t… his.”
“What happened?” I asked and she went quiet for a second.
Then looked at me before a small, almost pitying smile touched her lips as she shook her head slightly.
“You don’t know… do you?”
My stomach tightened. “Know what?”
“The penthouse,” she said softly. “It’s gone.”
I froze. “What?”
“Luca got there first,” she continued. “He burned it down. Everything.”
For a moment, I couldn’t breathe.
Images of what I had slowly begun to call my home flashed in my head.
The place. The room, my room.
Everything that had become… something to me. Gone.
Just like that.
My jaw tightened slowly. Luca, that monster, he has a lot to pay for.
I looked away as my chest moved slowly even as I tried to force the feeling down.
There was no time for that. Not now, not anymore.
“I'll leave you to it,” Valentina said and only then did I remember the food before me.
I smiled and nodded as she stepped out, leaving me with the more than half filled plate.
After I tried and pushed down as much as I could, I adjusted myself and laid down, willing myself to rest after everything.
Sleep didn’t come easy as my mind refused to stop going back to Dante, my mom, the fight. Our failure.
And then—
Her. Aunt Maria.
The thought of going there kept circling back even as I turned slightly on the bed, staring at nothing in the dark.
“I have to go…” I whispered to myself.
There was no other way.
No contact.
No number.
No time.
If I wanted her help, I had to reach her personally.
And by the time sleep finally took me… the decision had already been made.
Morning came faster than it should have and I was up before anyone called for me.
I cleaned up fast, dressed and picked up my plate as I headed out as there was too much to do.
I figured we didn't have the luxury of servants again as I hadn't seen any around.
And by the time I stepped outside, I felt an extra humph in my feet.
I quickly dropped the plate and made my way out of the building where I found Nico.
He was leaning against his car with his arms folded over his chest. Our eyes met as I approached.
“How was your night?” He asked.
“Short,” I replied simply. Then I stepped closer. “We need to get to work.”
He studied me for a second, then nodded.
“Alright,” he said, pushing off the car. “I did a quick survey this morning.”
I stayed silent, waiting.
“We don’t have up to ten thousand men ready to fight anymore,” he said. “The ones left are willing… but it’s not enough.”
I already knew that, yes. But hearing it out loud settled heavier.
“And compared to Luca,” he added, “we’re severely outnumbered.”
I exhaled slowly. “I’ve been thinking about that,” I said.
His gaze sharpened slightly. “And?”
I hesitated for just a second. “My aunt,” I said.
He frowned, looking up before turning back to me. “The one in Peru?”
“Yeah,” I replied. “She told me once… that if I ever needed help, I could come to her.”
A brief silence followed. Then—
“You’re thinking of going there,” he said.
“Yes.”
His brows pulled together. “How are you planning to reach her?”
“I’m not calling,” I replied. “I don’t have a number. No contact. Nothing.”
“Then?”
“I go there.”
Nico stared at me. “You want to fly out now?” he asked.
“If possible.”
He let out a slow breath, glancing away briefly.
“That’s risky,” he said. “Very risky. Air travel right now? If Luca catches even a hint of movement—”
“I know,” I cut in. “But we need men. And she can give us that.”
He didn’t argue immediately, cause I'm sure he knew I was right.
After a moment, he nodded slightly.
“I’ll see what we can arrange,” he said. “We’ll need to move carefully. No direct routes. No attention.”
“That’s fine.”
“If we’re lucky,” he added, “we can get you there by tonight.”
I nodded once, that was enough.
But just as we turned to get into the car, a call broke through and Nico answered on loud speaker.
“Sir—” the other person said quickly. “We got something.”
Nico turned immediately to me. “What?”
“Intel,” the man replied. “A possible location.”
My chest tightened slightly.
“Of who?” Nico asked.
The man hesitated. Then—
“Serena’s mother.”
Everything slowed down immediately as my heartbeat spiked instantly.
“What?” I stepped forward.
“We’re not fully certain,” he said quickly. “But there’s a lead. Strong one.”
I felt it immediately as Nico glanced at me.
“Don’t tell me you’re considering it,” he said.
“I have to,” I replied.
He frowned. “Serena—”
“If we find her,” I cut in, my voice firm now, “she can rally our family.”
That made him pause.
“You said it yourself,” I continued. “We need as many men as possible, and I can’t command them fully. Not yet. But she can.”
He didn’t deny it.
“She’s the key,” I added. “With her, we gain more men.”
“And going to get her,” he countered, “we risk losing the ones we already have.”
I nodded as he was absolutely right.
“We split,” I said finally.
And he narrowed his eyes slightly. “How?”
“Two thousand men,” I replied. “That’s enough to move without weakening us completely.”
“Okay? I think that sounds possible” he said.
“I’m going too,” I added.
“No way, Serena.”
I held his gaze. “Yes.”
“It’s too dangerous,” he countered.
“So is everything else we’re doing,” I shot back.
“This is different.”
“No,” I said, stepping closer. “This is necessary.”
A tense silence stretched between us. Then—
He exhaled sharply. “Fine,” he said. “We move fast. No delays.”
I nodded. “Good.”
We jumped into the car and headed straight for one of our Intel rooms where Nico set out instructions to gather the men.
It wasn't long before we had the 2000 men gathered.
“Any speech?” Nico leaned in and whispered.
That took me off guard, and for a second there, I actually considered it.
Then I shook my head. “Nah, save that till we go for Dante,” I replied and he nodded.
The vehicles shortly after that and we all got ready as everything fell into place.
And just as we were about to move—
“Wait!”
A voice called out from inside and I froze.
One of the tech guys came running toward us with a tablet clutched tightly in his hand.
“I found something,” he said quickly, slightly out of breath. “From the footage… from the fight.”
Nico frowned.“What about it?”
The guy swallowed, then looked at me in particular before responding quietly.
“It’s a message from Dante.”