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Chapter 19

Laugh remained frozen, his hand rising slowly to touch his reddening cheek, stunned duele written across his unshaven face.

“You’re… real?” he whispered, staring at her as if she might evaporate

Ariana had reached her absolute limit with this absurd day. She laughed a sharp, brittle sound utterly

devoid of humor.

“Real? Sure. Apparently I’m trapped in a real–life horror movie where my supposed death wasn’t enough to get you out of my life.”

Without deigning to look at him again, she pivoted sharply toward the staircase.

“Ariana, wait–please!”

Luigi lunged after her, alcohol and desperation making his movements clumsy. As he grabbed for her wrist, the combination of his unsteady state and her quick evasion created disaster–her foot slipped on the polished marble step.

“Look out!”

Despite his impaired reflexes, Luigi managed to pull her against him as they fell, positioning his body to take the impact.

Their bodies hit the marble stairs with a sickening thud that echoed through the foyer.

Cushioned by Luigi’s intervention, Ariana escaped with minor disorientation. Luigi, however, wasn’t as fortunate–a crimson stain began spreading across the white marble beneath his head.

“Sir!” Davis’s horrified voice cut through the sudden stunned silence.

chaos as medical protocols were activated. Within fifteen minutes, both

decided

belongings and headed confidently for the main entrance, only to find her path. blocked

expression immediately hardened into glacial

exchanged uncomfortable glances. “Ms. Collins, we have strict instructions that you’re not

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Pirouette. The

premises without Mr.

escap

me prisoner? In 2025? That’s a bold

she attempted to push past them toward the

restraining a clearly unwilling woman, the security

Maggiore

pathetic pleas only accelerated Ariana’s determined

sedan with tinted windows glided to a stop directly in her path. The rear door swung open to reveal Laulgi–pale

emerged with an unsettling combination of relief and

contorting her features. “It makes

an eventual confrontation with Luigi. She’d recognized the

or influence.

strategy had been calculated avoidance–minimal contact, neutral responses if they did encounter. each other, nothing that might escalate the

Her silence read as invitation. Her

ignored. When blocked, he’d found

of boundaries–attempting to literally imprison her in his home.

you completely lost your fucking mind?” she demanded, years of suppressed fury finally breaking through.

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