**Elena’s POV**

The house felt like a tomb.

What was going on?

The question kept clawing at my mind, over and over, as I watched the minute hand on the wall clock crawl. It was almost 10 p.m. My chest was so tight it felt like my ribs were shrinking, crushing my heart.

Stefano had promised he wouldn’t be long, but almost ten hours had passed, and he still wasn't back yet.

I exhaled a jagged breath, trying to loosen the knot in my stomach that had tightened since noon. I had tried ...