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094

Author: Aya Starr
last update Last Updated: 2025-04-06 01:40:18

~Antonio Romano's POV~

—28 Years Ago—

"Calm down, Matilda. Calm down." My voice was steady, but inside, I could feel the weight of what she was saying crushing down on me.

"I found him dead, Antonio," she sobbed over the phone, her voice shaking with pure anguish. "He's dead."

My fingers tightened around the receiver as my jaw clenched. Vincent. Dead. My best friend. My brother in all but blood.

I could hear the distant wails of a baby in the background—Hayden.

"He's going to come for us, Antonio," Matilda's voice trembled, her breaths uneven. "Please help us."

I exhaled sharply, trying to stay calm for her. "It's okay, Matilda. Just tell me where you are, and I'll come get you."

"No, no!" she cried, panic creeping into her voice. "They could be listening in on our call. I can't say where I am."

Damn it. She was right. We had no idea how far her husband's killer would go or who might be watching. If they were willing to kill Vincent, they wouldn’t hesitate to go after her and the boy.
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