Chapter 103: A Disturbing Premonition

Night envelops the villa in a deceptive calm. Everything is silent, save for the distant rustle of waves and the faint crackle of the dying fire in the hearth. 

I should be asleep. 

But something won't let me. 

I jolt awake, my heart pounding, a strange knot tightening in my stomach. My gaze sweeps the room, searching for reassurance that all is well—that this unease is merely a lingering shadow of a fading dream. 

Beside me, Alessandro sleeps deeply, his face serene, his breathing steady. His powerful arm rests over my waist, holding me close even in sleep, as if anchoring me to him. 

I should curl into him and let his warmth soothe me. But this persistent sense of invisible danger refuses to fade. 

Carefully, I lift his arm to avoid waking him and sit up slowly. 

My belly, rounded by seven months of pregnancy, feels heavier tonight.