Chapter 47
Chapter 47
Adrianna’s pov~
“Adrianna, stay with me!” Dante’s voice cuts through it, desperate and breaking.
I try to focus on it.. on him but the pain keeps pulling me under.
“I—I can’t—” My words dissolve into a scream as another wave hits, stronger than the last. My fingers claw at the sheets beneath me, my body arching despite how weak I feel.
“She’s progressing too fast,” Luca says somewhere above me. His voice is tight, controlled, but I hear the fear beneath it. “This isn’t normal.”
“Nothing about this is normal!” Armando snaps.
“Enough,” Angelo cuts in sharply. “We need focus, not panic.” I can’t see them clearly.
Everything is blurry.
Faces melt into shapes, their voices overlap and the room spins like it’s about to collapse in on itself but I feel everything.
Too much.
“Dante…” I whisper.
“I’m here.” His hand grips mine immediately. “I’m right here.” I cling to that.
“Listen to me,” Luca says, his voice suddenly right beside me. “You need to push when I tell you. Do you understand?”
Push? My brain struggles to process the word. Are these people trying to kill me?
“You can,” Dante says, his voice shaking but firm. “You can, Adrianna. You’re the strongest person I know.”
A broken laugh escapes me. “That’s not saying much right now…”
“It’s everything,” he whispers. Another wave crashes into me and this time, I scream.
“Now!” Luca commands. My body reacts before my mind does and I push. Blinding pain explodes all over my body.
I feel like I’m being torn apart from the inside out.
“I can’t!” I cry, shaking my head weakly. “I can’t do this...”
“Yes, you can!” Dante’s voice cracks. “I’ve got you. I’m not going anywhere.”
My grip on his hand tightens. I push again, again and again. I keep on pushing until a sound cuts through everything.
A cry. For a second, everything stops. My heart stutters.
“That’s it, ” Luca’s voice is distant but clear. “First baby’s out.” A sob escapes me.
“They’re... okay?” I manage to whisper. There’s a pause. “They’re breathing,” Angelo says carefully. That's not the answer I want but it’s enough for now.
“Adrianna,” Luca says urgently. “We’re not done. You need to keep going.” I’m so tired.. too tired.
“I can’t…” My voice is barely there anymore. Dante’s hand cups my face, forcing me to look at him.
“Look at me,” he says, his voice fierce despite the tears in his eyes. “You don’t get to give up now, not when we’re this close.”
“I’m tired…”
“I know.” His forehead presses against mine. “I know, baby but you have to fight. Just a little more. Please.”
Please Adri, let's get these kids out. You can do this..
I nod weakly as another contraction hits stronger.
I scream again, my body shaking violently as I push with everything I have left.
“Again!” Luca urges. I do.
“Again!” I push. Everything inside me feels like it’s tearing apart.
And then, another cry fills the room that's louder this time.
"The second baby’s out,” Luca says.
Two..They’re both here. Relief crashes into me so hard it almost knocks me unconscious but something’s wrong.
I can feel it deep in my bones because my body feels… empty and cold.
“Adrianna?” Dante’s voice sharpens. “Hey, look at me.” I try. I really do but my vision is fading.
The edges turning black.
“Stay with me,” he says, panic rising. “Adrianna, don’t do this. Don’t you dare do this.”
“I…” My lips tremble. “I can’t feel anything…”
“Luca!” Dante shouts.
“She’s losing too much blood,” Angelo says, his voice tight.
“We need to stabilize her-”
“I’m trying!” Everything that's to sound far away now like I’m underwater.
“Dante…” I whisper.
“I’m here,” he says immediately, his voice breaking. “I’m right here.”
“I’m sorry…” His expression shatters.
“Don’t,” he chokes out. “Don’t say that. You’re not going anywhere. Do you hear me? You’re not leaving me.”
I want to believe him. I really do but I know that my body is shutting down.
I can feel it.
“I love you,” I whisper.
“Adrianna-” Darkness creeps in slowly until nothing.
~~
There’s a sound that makes me open my eyes but I'm not lying on the bed. Or am I? I can see all of them but it seems they cannot see me.
Oh.. it's the flatline.
“No.” Dante’s voice sounds broken.. completely broken
“No, no, no! Adrianna!” Hands are on my body.
“Clear!” My body jerks.
Pain flashes briefly, then nothing again.
“She’s not responding!”
“Again!”
“Clear!”
Another jolt.
Nothing.
“Come on!” Dante’s voice cracks, raw and desperate. “You said you’d stay. You said--”
His words dissolve into something I can’t hear or maybe I just can’t process it anymore.
Everything is starting to fade.
~~
“No…” That came from my father. I’ve never heard him sound like that before.
“No,” he repeats, softer this time like he’s refusing to accept what’s right in front of him.
My brothers are silent and completely still. Hell, they look frozen. Armando’s fists are clenched, but he doesn’t move.
Elio’s face is streaked with tears, his body trembling.
Emiliano just stares looking empty like something inside him has shut off completely.
Dante... Dante is still holding my hand, talking and begging.
“Please,” he whispers. “Please don’t do this. I can’t-”
His voice breaks completely.
~~
“We’re not done.”
Luca’s voice sounds determined.
“There’s one more option.”
“What?” Angelo asks.
“The serum.”
“It could kill her,” Father says. You need to catch up dad.
“She’s already dead,” Luca replies bluntly.
The words hang in the air for a while. Dante’s head snaps up. “Do it.”
“Dante” Father starts.
“I said do it!” he roars, his voice echoing through the room. “I don’t care what it does. I don’t care about the risks. You bring her back!”
Silence.
“Hold her steady,” Luca says. There’s a sharp sting somewhere.
I watch the serum enters my system.For a moment… nothing. Well, that's before an intense burning sensation spreads around me.
My chest tightens violently as my body jerks. The flatline breaks.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
“She’s got a pulse,” Angelo says, disbelief lacing his voice.
Relief spreads through the room. Dante lets out a broken sound, gripping my hand tighter. “Adrianna-” But I still can't respond, move and open my eyes because even though my heart is beating again, I’m still gone.