Avery’s POV
I was still confined to a hospital bed owned by the famiglia, my body sluggish and unreliable, like it hadn’t yet realized how much had been taken from it. My arms ached constantly, deep and hollow pain from the blood loss, and sitting upright for more than a few minutes sent the room tilting. But none of that compared to the weight crushing my chest—a grief so heavy no sedative could dull it.
I was grieving my child.
While I lay there beneath stark white sheets, surrounded by the quiet beeping of machines that measured survival but not loss, the world seemed eager to remind me just how insignificant my suffering was.
News of Don Zachary Moretti and Nina reached me without warning or mercy.
A former social acquaintance forwarded a video first—a glittering charity gala attended by political allies and rival families alike. Zachary stood at the center of it all in a perfectly tailored tuxedo, relaxed, amused, one arm draped possessively around Nina’s waist. She leaned into him with practiced ease, radiant, victorious.
Another clip followed soon after.
A private dinner gathering. Low lighting. Crystal glasses. Zachary lifting a fork to Nina’s lips, bending close to murmur something only she could hear. She laughed freely, tipping her head back, utterly shameless.
He looked… light.
Unburdened.
Like a man who hadn’t lost a single thing.
When the doctors finally cleared me for discharge, I left alone.
No driver sent by the estate. No bodyguard. No assistant hovering with instructions. Not even a courtesy call. I walked out carrying a thin hospital bag, the realization settling in with brutal clarity—I had been erased completely.
The thought of returning to the Moretti estate twisted my stomach. Every corridor, every room, was soaked in memory. But my passports, legal documents, and personal files were still there. Everything I needed to disappear.
I had no choice.
And then—because cruelty apparently wasn’t finished with me—I saw them.
They stood just outside the maternity wing.
Nina looked luminous, already basking in attention like a woman stepping into her rightful place. Zachary hovered close, one hand resting at her lower back, guiding her with proprietary ease, as though she were already the Donna of the family.
A nurse passed by, smiling warmly. “Don Moretti, your wife looks radiant today.”
My throat tightened, but I didn’t correct her.
I didn’t have the strength.
I turned away, intent on slipping out unseen.
“Avery.”
Zachary’s voice cut through the corridor.
I stopped mid-step. My shoulders stiffened, but I didn’t turn right away. Of course he noticed me. Of course he couldn’t allow me to vanish quietly.
I finally faced him across the polished floor. “I wasn’t trailing you,” I said evenly. “I was discharged today. I didn’t know you’d be here.”
Before he could respond, Nina looped her arm through his, clinging to him as though she’d always belonged there.
“Love,” she said gently, false concern dripping from every syllable, “maybe she should ride with us. I feel a little guilty, you know. She gave blood for me. The least we could do is make sure she gets home.”
The audacity nearly made me laugh.
Zachary brushed his thumb along Nina’s cheek. “You’re too kind,” he murmured, then looked at me. “Fine.”
So I got into the car.
Not because I wanted to—but because I needed my documents before I disappeared for good.
I slid into the backseat and fixed my gaze forward.
That was when I saw it.
A pair of women’s underwear lay crumpled beside me, unmistakably stained white.
The sight knocked the air from my lungs.
Nina twisted around in her seat, lips curling into a smug smile. “Oh my God,” she giggled, “I can’t believe I forgot those. Remember, babe? After what we did back here last week?”
Zachary chuckled, eyes still on the road. “You almost ruined the leather.”
She hummed. “You didn’t seem bothered when I was on your lap outside the estate. Or when I kept you busy during that long drive.”
“Traffic’s easier with you,” he replied casually.
“And that time you had to pull over because I wouldn’t stop?” she added brightly. “You were shaking.”
My stomach twisted violently.
I turned toward the window, jaw clenched so tight it hurt. My hands curled into fists in my lap, nails biting into my skin.
While they carried on as if I didn’t exist, I quietly opened my phone and pulled up an email from my cousin, Sebastian.
My heart stuttered when I saw the flight confirmation.
Beneath it, he’d added a note:
I booked another option. It departs tonight at 9 PM. Please—make this one.
A faint smile touched my lips.
I typed back quickly:
Thank you. I’m sorry I missed the last flight.
His reply came almost instantly:
What really happened that day? You don’t have to protect me.
My fingers hovered.
Sebastian had always been my shield. If he knew the truth, he’d launch a legal war—and I didn’t want more blood on my conscience.
So I answered:
I’ll explain later. I just need to leave first.
Leaving was all that mattered now.
Up front, Zachary laughed softly, apologizing to Nina over something trivial, playing the attentive partner. Yet I felt his gaze flick toward me, waiting for a reaction.
I gave him nothing.
Irritation flashed in his eyes. He hated being ignored.
“You’ve been glued to your phone since we got in,” he snapped. “Who are you talking to?”
“Just catching up on the news,” I replied calmly, eyes on my boarding pass.
He didn’t believe me.
Without warning, he reached back and yanked the phone from my hands.
Anger surged—hot, clean, undeniable.
“What’s the passcode?” he demanded.
I smiled faintly. “The day we met. The day I made the worst mistake of my life. You were charming for about five minutes. After that? Pure arrogance.”
He scowled and tried.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Locked.
Nina leaned over, her voice syrupy with mock pity. “Let it go, babe. It’s not like she has anyone left to talk to. Or any pride. Who would even bother responding to her now?”
She winked at me.
I stared back, silent.
And in that moment, something settled into place with absolute clarity.
They thought I was broken.
They had no idea I was already planning my escape—and what would come after.
