Chapter 18 The Awakening Protocol

• Vittoria blinked, disoriented. Her breaths remained shallow beneath the mask as her eyes roamed the ceiling before locking onto his.
• For a moment, they stared at each other. No words, no sound—just the faint smile that curved his lips, subtle yet brimming with relief.
• Vittoria tried to move. Her trembling, unsteady hands groped for something to anchor her, some point of reference to make sense of where she was.