Chapter 44

ARIA'S POV

My words seemed to cut through the silence. I saw Dante’s face tighten, his mouth opening as if to say something, but no words came out.

He looked… stunned. And it was not just him – everyone around us seemed momentarily speechless.

And then, before Dante could move, Arnold pushed his way through the crowd and rushed to my side. I felt his warm hands as he quickly wrapped a handkerchief around my hand, trying to stop the blood.

“Aria,” Arnold muttered, his voice urgent, filled with concern, “We need to get you to a hospital.”

Dante remained where he was, and I just stared at him, searching his face for any hint of the Dante I knew before all this… before Linda. But all I saw was a stranger.

Arnold’s hand was firm around mine. “Come on, Aria,” he insisted, “Let’s get you out of here.”

I barely heard him. I was too focused on Dante, on the way he looked torn between doing something and doing nothing at all.