The evening had settled over Villa Number 001 with a peaceful quietness that felt almost unnatural given the violence and chaos of the past twenty-four hours. The dining room was elegantly lit, the table set with fine china and crystal glasses that caught the chandelier's light like captured stars.Darius sat at the head of the table, his expression thoughtful and distant as he cut into his steak. Beside him, Bill ate with the comfortable ease of someone who'd shared thousands of meals with his brother. Aria sat ramrod straight in her chair, her military posture never quite relaxing even during dinner. And Alessia picked at her food, pushing vegetables around her plate without actually eating them.The silence stretched on—not comfortable, but weighted. Tense. Like everyone had things they wanted to say but didn't know how to start.Finally, Darius set down his fork and looked directly at Alessia. "Alright, what's wrong?"Alessia's head snapped up, startled. "What? Nothing. I'm fine."

Alessia shot to her feet so quickly her chair scraped loudly against the floor. Her face had gone pale, her hands clutching her phone so tightly her knuckles turned white."Oh my God," she breathed. "Oh my God, we have to do something! We have to help her!""Alessia, what's wrong?" Darius and Bill asked simultaneously, both rising from their seats with alarm."Emma—she's—they're hurting her!" Alessia's voice trembled. "Josh's men have her at the old textile factory in the industrial district! She sounded terrified! She said they're going to kill her if—"A piercing scream suddenly erupted from the phone's speaker, cutting through Alessia's words. It was high-pitched, agonized, the kind of sound that spoke of genuine pain and terror."PLEASE! NO! STOP! IT HURTS! PLEASE—" Emma's voice shrieked through the phone before the call went dead.Alessia's face went even paler. "We have to go! Right now! They're torturing her! She's going to die if we don't—""I'll handle this," Aria said, alrea

She caught up to Emma within thirty yards, grabbing her by the jacket and yanking her backward. Emma stumbled and fell, Aria following her down and pinning her to the ground with a knee on her back."Let me go!" Emma screamed, struggling. "You have no right—""I have every right," Aria growled, applying just enough pressure to make Emma gasp. "You tried to lure my charge into a trap. You conspired with criminals. You're done playing games."She pulled out her phone with her free hand and pressed it against Emma's ear. "Now you're going to tell me everything. The whole truth. What's your plan? What does Josh have on you? And what were you really trying to accomplish tonight?""I won't tell you anything!" Emma spat. "You can't make me!""Can't I?" Aria's voice went cold. "You have a family, don't you, Emma? Mother, younger sister, living in the east side tenements? The ones you're trying so hard to support with your scholarship and part-time jobs?"Emma went rigid. "How—how do you know

Emma opened her mouth, but under the combined weight of all their stares—Darius's cold assessment, Aria's contemptuous certainty, Bill's angry suspicion, and worst of all, Alessia's desperate hope—she couldn't maintain the lie."I—" she whispered. "I'm sorry."Alessia stumbled backward like she'd been physically struck. "No. You're my friend. You wouldn't—you couldn't—""Let me explain what I found," Aria said, her voice cutting through Alessia's denial. "Emma called you claiming to be held captive by Josh Romano's men. When I arrived at the location, I found her surrounded by five low-level street thugs—not professional enforcers. The kind you hire for cheap when you need bodies but not quality."She gestured at Emma dismissively. "Her hands were 'tied' with ropes loose enough to slip free at any moment. She was crying and screaming, but her body language was all wrong. And when she saw me instead of you, her expression wasn't relief—it was disappointment and frustration.""From the

Emma stood trembling in the foyer of Villa Number 001, still processing what Darius had just said. Her family's debts would be cleared. Thirty-five thousand dollars—an impossible amount to her—was nothing to him. Just like that, her mother would get proper medical care. Her sister would stay in school. They wouldn't be evicted."Thank you," Emma whispered, tears streaming down her face. "Thank you so much. I don't—I don't deserve this kindness after what I did. After what I almost did to Alessia."The reality of her actions crashed over her like a wave. She'd been willing to sacrifice someone who'd been genuinely kind to her. Someone who'd befriended her without judgment, who'd shared meals with her, who'd treated her like an equal despite their vastly different circumstances.And for what? Money? Protection from Josh Romano's threats?"I'm so sorry," Emma said, her voice breaking. "If I could take it back—if I could go back and make different choices—I would. I was stupid. Selfish. D