☆Chapter 5: Blood and Silence☆

Serafina's world was quiet when she woke.

Her eyelids felt heavy, her body sluggish, and the dull ache in her limbs reminded her that she was alive.

Barely.

The last thing she remembered was the burning poison tearing through her veins.

Her throat was dry, her lips cracked, but the sharpest pain was gone.

I survived.

Her eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the dim light of the room.

She was in her bed.

In the De Luca mansion.

The sheets smelled clean, laced faintly with lavender. The curtains were drawn, letting in only a sliver of moonlight. The air was cool, the quiet hum of the night filling the space around her.

But…

Lorenzo wasn't there.

Her heart clenched.

For a week, through the haze of her pain, she had felt his presence beside her.

Even in her unconscious state, she had sensed him.

Always there.

Watching.

Waiting.

Protecting.

But now?

Gone.

Her mind immediately searched for answers, her sharp instincts kicking in despite her weakened state.

Where is he?

Why wasn't he here?

Time moved sluggishly as Serafina lay still, her thoughts swirling.

Minutes.

Hours.

She didn't know.

But then…

The door opened.

And the smell hit her before she even saw him.

Blood.

Thick.

Pungent.

Overpowering.

Lorenzo stepped into the room, his movements controlled, but Serafina's sharp eyes noticed the tension in his posture.

His suit normally pristine was soaked in blood.

Crimson splattered across the white fabric of his shirt, dark streaks staining his sleeves, and his hands…

Dripping.

Serafina's breath caught in her throat.

But she didn't speak.

And neither did Lorenzo.

His face was unreadable—cold, detached.

But his eyes…

They were darker.

Darker than she had ever seen.

Without a word, Lorenzo crossed the room.

He didn't look at her.

Not at first.

His focus was singular—on her care.

Serafina watched as he moved with quiet efficiency, his actions meticulous despite the blood still clinging to him.

He knelt beside her, checking her pulse with steady fingers.

Gently, he adjusted the IV that had been keeping her hydrated.

His touch was careful, almost reverent, as he brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face.

Still…

Not a word.

Serafina didn't speak either.

There was no need.

She could feel the weight in the air... the heavy silence thick with unspoken emotions.

Lorenzo's jaw was clenched, his movements controlled, but Serafina knew.

He was barely holding it together.

☆☆☆

As Lorenzo tended to her, Serafina's mind wandered.

The blood.

It wasn't his.

Her eyes traced the stains, her mind piecing together what must have happened.

He's been gone for hours.

And now he was back…

Covered in the aftermath.

Serafina's gaze dropped to his hands scarred, steady, but now stained with fresh crimson.

Hands that had undoubtedly delivered pain.

What did you do, sir?

Her answer came soon enough.

☆☆☆

Whispers in the dark...

The first voices came softly.

Serafina wasn't fully awake when she heard them, her senses dulled by fatigue.

But the hushed whispers of the maids outside her door reached her ears like a distant echo.

"Did you hear what happened?"

"The waiter…"

"Dead."

"Tortured."

Serafina's eyes remained closed, her breathing even as she listened.

"They say it was brutal," one of the maids whispered, her tone barely above a breath. "Lorenzo didn't stop until he… until there was nothing left."

"Nothing left?"

"A warning."

"Did he find out who ordered it?"

A pause.

"Yes."

Silence.

"Which family?"

"The Rosettis."

Serafina's pulse slowed.

The Rosetti family.

One of the oldest mafia families.

A family that had been eyeing the De Luca empire for years.

"They tried to poison him."

"Poison?"

"The drink was for Don Lorenzo."

Serafina's breath caught in her throat.

It was meant for him.

A chill ran down her spine.

She had known, suspected, but hearing it confirmed was… different.

She had taken the poison.

For him.

And Lorenzo knew.

☆☆☆

Serafina's eyes opened slowly, her gaze landing on Lorenzo once more.

He was still by her side, his hands gently brushing her hair as if making sure she was real.

But his face…

Unforgiving.

His jaw was tight, his eyes darker than the night.

There was no emotion in his features.

But Serafina knew.

Beneath the cold exterior…

Lorenzo De Luca was burning.

The Rosettis had tried to take his life.

And they had almost succeeded in taking hers.

Lorenzo hadn't just killed the waiter.

He had gone after the family.

He didn't stop.

Not until they understood.

Touch what's mine, and I'll destroy you.

☆☆☆

Lorenzo finally looked at her.

His eyes met hers, dark, haunted, and filled with something Serafina had never seen before.

"Serafina," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

Not heiress.

Not daughter.

Just her name.

Serafina's lips parted, but no words came out.

Her throat was dry, her body weak.

But her eyes spoke for her.

I know what you did.

The blood on his hands…

It was for her.

Without a word, Lorenzo leaned down, his forehead brushing against hers for a brief moment.

A silent vow.

A promise.

No one would ever touch her again.

Even if he had to burn the entire world to ensure it.

Serafina closed her eyes, her heart pounding softly in her chest.

She was alive.

And Lorenzo?

He was no longer just her protector.

He was her shield.

Her weapon.

And the world would learn…

Serafina De Luca is untouchable.