**Elena’s POV**

The sound of the lock turning felt like a physical sting. I didn't lift my head as the heavy door creaked open, admitting a sliver of light that felt far too bright for my tired eyes. Lucia’s heels clicked sharply against the concrete, a mocking sound that announced her arrival long before she spoke.

"Time to get up, princess," she said, her voice dripping with a fake, sugary sweetness. "Raffaele doesn't like to be kept waiting, and you look like something the cat dragged ...