The victory was short-lived. The sheer trauma of the memory overwhelmed her system instantly; her vision blurred, and her eyelids grew heavy as the medical team moved in rapidly, injecting a sedative into her IV line to stop the violent shaking.

Rosa's eyes closed tightly once more, plunging her back into absolute silence—leaving Giovanni and the doctors frozen in a state of utter shock.

GIOVANNI'S POV, ELEVEN YEARS AGO

The thick, suffocating stench of expensive cigars and cheap betrayal filled the private lounge. I stood in the corner, shadows clinging to my eighteen-year-old frame, watching my uncle Marco hold court. Men flocked around him like vultures to a fresh carcass,...