Chapter 116

• Allesio’s POV
• The moment I realized I was in too deep, it felt like the floor beneath me had given way. I’d spent years learning to control my emotions, perfecting the art of staying detached, of seeing people as pieces on a board rather than as individuals with lives I could ruin. But Rosa was starting to crack that armor, and I hated myself for it.
• We were sitting on the balcony of her room, watching the city lights flicker like stars against the darkness. She had a glass of wine in her hand and her legs tucked beneath her on the lounge chair, looking more at peace than I’d seen her in weeks. The glow from the outdoor heater softened the angles of her face, and for a moment, she looked so vulnerable it hurt.