**Lucia’s POV**

The phone clattered to the floor, its screen cracking against the tiles. My heart wasn’t just beating; it was thrashing against my ribs.

“No,” I whispered, the word dying in the back of my throat. “No, no, no...”

Stefano’s voice still echoed in my skull. 'I am coming for you. I will pluck your wings one by one.' He didn't just sound angry. He sounded like a god who had decided to destroy a world.

I stumbled to the sofa and collapsed, my legs turning to water, and ...