CHAPTER 112: THE MYSTERIOUS AWAKENING

The deafening sound of a bullet echoed in the room, but it wasn’t the sharp report of Xavier’s gun that pierced the air...

No, this Bullet and shot — this one was different.

And It came from the side, from the door that was suddenly thrust open with a force that rattled the hinges.

Alessia’s heart froze in place, she watched in slow-motion as Xavier’s hand fell limp, the gun slipping from his grasp, landing on the floor with a metallic thud. He collapsed onto the cold tile, his body crumpling like a puppet with its strings cut.

A sharp gasp escaped Alessia’s lips as the sound of footsteps followed—heavy, deliberate, and unmistakable.

She turned her gaze to stare at who came into the room and her met with him...

Luca had strode into the room holding a gun after he shot xavier, his cold eyes sweeping over the scene with unnerving control.

He didn’t flinch at the chaos. He didn’t even blink as Xavier’s body was dragged away by Fredo his body guard and the others.

For a brief, maddening second, Alessia thought the shot had come from Xavier’s gun, and she was sure she was about to lose everything.

She nearly panicked, her breaths shallow and erratic as her mind raced through the possibilities.

Was she in danger too? Had she become a pawn in a twisted game of betrayal?

But Luca didn’t give her time to spiral.

He was beside her in an instant, his strong arms wrapping around her. "Are you hurt, my woman?" he asked, his voice low and soothing.

He pressed his lips to the top of her head, holding her like she was the most fragile thing in the world.

Alessia didn’t answer right away, her heart was still hammering in her chest, her mind foggy from the adrenaline, but the moment she felt Luca’s warmth, everything seemed to ground itself. "No... Luca, you’re always there for me. Always at the right time." Her voice trembled, but she smiled weakly as his fingers threaded through her hair, pulling her into a deeper embrace.

He kissed her forehead gently, a touch that spoke volumes. "Don’t panic, sweetheart," he murmured. "I may not always be there physically, but I’m your second shadow." His words were a promise, and Alessia, for the first time in days, felt the weight on her shoulders begin to lighten.

"I love you, Luca," she whispered, the words flowing from her heart. "My man, i love you without wax."

Luca chuckled softly, his lips brushing against her ear as he whispered back, "And I love you too, My woman, I love you without wax."

But the moment of tranquility didn’t last.

Luca pulled back, his expression serious once more as he spoke, his fingers slipping into his pocket to retrieve something. "I may have to assign you another personal guard. Just in case."

"No please, don’t " Alessia snapped, her voice edged with frustration.

She pulled back from him, her chest tightening with panic. "The last person you brought almost ruined everything. Why do you keep assigning people to guard me? The last one... he fell in love with me."

Luca’s eyes softened, and he placed a hand on her waist, steadying her. "Believe me, amore, you need a personal guard. But not a person anymore. "

He revealed an old, intricate necklace from his pocket... one that glowed with an eerie, almost magical light.

Alessia’s breath caught in her throat as she took in the necklace’s design.

It was made of an ancient metal that shimmered faintly in the dim light, the pendant a delicate yet ominous symbol that Alessia couldn’t place.

"An enchanted necklace?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Luca nodded, his gaze never leaving hers. "It’s not a human guard. But it will protect you."

Before Alessia could respond, Fredo and the men had already carried Xavier’s body out of the room.

The last thing Alessia saw was the note that slipped from Xavier’s pocket, fluttering to the ground like a leaf in the wind.

Luca quickly reached down and snatched it up, his fingers brushing the paper with care.

He unfolded it with practiced precision and tried to read it, but the words were in a coded language—a language Alessia didn’t recognize.

He frowned, frustrated. "I can’t make sense of this right now," he muttered. "I’ll have Fredo keep it safe."

As Luca tucked the note away, Alessia’s eyes lingered on him, her heart still pounding in her chest. "What does it say? Is it important?"

Luca didn’t answer immediately, his jaw clenched as he stared down at the note. "I will tell you when I know more," he said, his voice low and guarded.

********

Elsewhere, far from Luca and Alessia’s world,

In the world of Seraphina,

Seraphina lay on her bed, her body wracked with a strange and painful illness.

The maids who attended to her were visibly shaken, their faces pale as they wiped her fevered brow and changed the sheets that seemed to become soaked with a cold sweat every few hours.

Seraphina’s body trembled uncontrollably, her limbs convulsing as if some unseen force had taken hold of her.

Her skin was now dotted with thin, dark veins that ran like cobwebs beneath the surface.

The webbing spread like wildfire, curling around her arms and legs, a sickening sight that seemed to drain the life from her.

Her lips were cracked, the once-vibrant red now dull and dry. Her breathing was shallow, punctuated by short gasps, as if the very air itself had turned to poison.

The finest doctors in town had been summoned, but none of their treatments had worked. Medicines, potions, and remedies—all had been tried and all had failed.

No one could explain the illness that came with a mysteries and it had taken hold of her.

One of Seraphina’s guards, Sola mark, a man who had served her empire for years, stepped forward hesitantly. His eyes were filled with an old fear as he spoke, his voice trembling. "My lady... this is the same illness that once claimed my great-grandmother. It started when she visited an enchanted cafe... one that’s said to curse those who trespass. There is no cure for it, except one."

Seraphina’s eyes locked onto the guard’s, her pulse quickening. "What do you mean? Who can cure me?"

"The only one who can cure it," the guard continued, his voice growing softer, "is an old witch named Lapàtásodà Vàlká....

She lives in a remote village, hidden from the world. But no one has seen her in decades, and some believe she is only a myth."

Seraphina’s mind raced. "Find her," she commanded, her voice sharp with urgency. "I will give you everything I have—gold, jewels, power. Find this witch immediately."

It was the third day since the guard left on his mission, and there was still no word from him.

The silence was deafening.

The maids worked tirelessly, but Seraphina could feel herself slipping further into darkness.

Her skin felt like it was being pulled tight, and the cobwebs inside her seemed to writhe and move.

She began to recall the guard’s words one evening as she lay on her king-sized bed all alone. "The illness came from an enchanted cafe"..... But she hadn’t been to any cafe, enchanted or otherwise. Or Had she? She asked within herself.

Her thoughts turned to Lorenzo. He had worn that hoodie, had hidden himself beneath its shadows whenever she visited his hidden enchanted underground cafe to gain knowledge - to read more about Alessia blood moon connections. Was it possible... had he been the one to bring the curse upon her? Did he know something she didn’t?

Seraphina’s eyes widened as the pieces of the puzzle began to click into place.

Could Lorenzo’s underground house be the cause? Was that the reason for his strange behavior?

The questions lingered in her mind, unanswered... and the guard had not returned....

Seraphina’s thoughts

swirled in a storm of betrayal and fear.

If it’s true, she thought, then Lorenzo has already caught me in his web.

Her pulse quickened at the realization.... "How could she have been so blind? How could she have trusted him in the first place?".

The idea that he might have already outplayed her left a bitter taste in her mouth.

She never knew he always had a way of manipulating situations, of making her feel like she was the one in control, when in reality, he was always ten steps ahead. And now, he was on the verge of becoming the master of the game—their game. But how? What was his end goal?.....

Her mind raced through every detail of their interactions, every moment when she had allowed herself to become vulnerable, to believe in him, even when there were warning signs she chose to ignore.

It all seemed so obvious now, but it was too late.

She thought about Bianca—Bianca... was she also caught in the web? Seraphina couldn’t help but wonder if they were both being played. Was Bianca in on it? The thought made her stomach churn. Could it be that Lorenzo had made an alliance with Bianca to eliminate both of them? Or was it possible that he had planned it all on his own, strategically pushing them out of the way to ensure he was the last one standing?

Lorenzo was a master manipulator, no doubt about it.

His smooth words, his charming demeanor—everything he did was calculated.

The last time they spoke, his parting words had been so deceptively simple yet packed with meaning. "The smartest one always wins," he had said. At the time, it had seemed like a harmless, smug comment. Now, it felt like a prophecy, one that was beginning to come true in a way Seraphina hadn’t anticipated.

The meaning of those words reverberated in her mind, and she could almost hear them echoing with a sharp edge of realization. Wins. Lorenzo wasn’t talking about any victory; he was talking about his ultimate victory, the kind that meant he would stand over the wreckage of everyone else’s plans, leaving them powerless and forgotten.. And Seraphina had been foolish enough to believe she could outsmart him, to believe she could control the game just as easily as he did.

Her heart pounded as she realized that the entire time, he had been preparing for this moment. He’s been playing us both. Seraphina had always prided herself on her intelligence, her ability to read people, to see through their façade.

But Lorenzo had seen through her first, and now she was the one left exposed. If he really had set this trap for her and Bianca, it wouldn’t be long before he closed in for the kill. He would eliminate both of them, and take everything for himself.

Fear gnawed at her, but there was something else too—anger. How dare he think he could get away with this? How dare he think he could play her and Bianca as pawns in his twisted game?

She had to act, and fast. With a sense of urgency that only the stakes of betrayal could ignite, Seraphina grabbed her phone. Her fingers trembled as she dialed Bianca’s number. It rang twice before the line picked up.

"Bianca," Seraphina’s voice was tight, her tone sharp, "I need to know something. Has Lorenzo approached you with anything? Has he... planned anything with you? Or is he planning to eliminate you too?"

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and Seraphina felt the weight of it press down on her chest. She knew Bianca well enough to hear the hesitation in her silence. This wasn’t just a simple question—it was a test. A test to see if Bianca was as clueless as Seraphina had been, or if she was just as involved in the scheme.

If Lorenzo really had made a plan with Bianca, then they were both at risk. But if Bianca was as much of a pawn as Seraphina suspected, then she would need to be careful.

Seraphina waited for Bianca’s answer, her mind racing with possibilities. She didn’t know who was pulling the strings, but one thing was clear—she had to get ahead of Lorenzo’s game before it was too late. If she was going to survive, she would have to make her own play. And in this twisted game of betrayal and manipulation, only one person would be left standing in the end.

And it wouldn’t be Lorenzo......