The air felt wrong.
Sophia noticed it the moment she woke up.
Not loud.
Not obvious.
But something in her chest—
Tight.
Unsettled.
Luciano was already awake.
Sitting beside her.
Watching.
"You're staring again," she murmured sleepily.
"I do that," he replied.
She smiled faintly.
"Creepy."
"Only for you."
That made her laugh softly.
But it didn't shake the feeling.
Something wasn't right.
"Security doubled overnight," she said later.
Luciano didn't deny it.
"I had it increased."
"Why?"
A pause.
"Precaution."
Sophia frowned slightly.
"That's not an answer."
Luciano stepped closer.
"It's enough of one."
She studied him.
"You know something."
Silence.
Then—
"I know how people think," he said.
A pause.
"And right now… you're the most valuable target in this world."
Sophia's hand instinctively moved to her stomach.
Their child.
That changed everything.
The attack didn't come loudly.
It came quietly.
Too quietly.
Sophia had stepped into the garden.
Just for air.
Luciano wasn't far.
He never was anymore.
But even that—
Was enough.
A soft rustle.
Too deliberate.
Sophia turned.
Nothing.
Then—
Movement.
A figure stepped out from the hedges.
Her heart dropped instantly.
"Don't scream," the man said.
Sophia's pulse spiked—
But she didn't freeze.
Not anymore.
"What do you want?" she asked, steady.
The man's gaze flickered briefly to her stomach.
"That," he said.
Ice ran through her veins.
Her hand pressed protectively against herself.
"You're not getting near me."
He moved forward.
"You don't get a choice."
Wrong answer.
Sophia stepped back—
Her mind racing—
Looking for an opening.
He reached for her—
And she reacted instantly.
She shoved him back—
Hard—
Turning to run—
But he grabbed her arm.
"Stop!"
Her heart slammed violently—
Fear rising—
But she fought.
Twisting—
Pulling—
"Let go!"
A gunshot rang out.
Everything stopped.
The man froze—
Then dropped.
Luciano.
Standing a few feet away.
Gun still raised.
His expression—
Terrifying.
Pure rage.
"Sophia."
He was at her side in seconds.
"Are you hurt?"
She shook her head quickly.
"I'm okay—"
But her voice trembled.
Luciano's hands hovered—
Checking—
Not touching too much—
"Did he touch you?"
"No."
That was the only thing keeping him grounded.
Because if the answer had been different—
There would be nothing left of the man on the ground.
Luciano pulled her into him.
Careful.
Controlled.
But protective.
"He came for the baby," she whispered.
Luciano's jaw tightened.
"I know."
A pause.
"And that means this doesn't stop here."
Sophia looked up at him.
"Then we stop it."
Silence.
Luciano studied her.
"You're not afraid?"
A small pause.
"I am."
Honest.
"But I'm not weak."
That—
That was her.
Luciano nodded slowly.
"Good."
Because he wasn't going to hide her.
He was going to stand with her.
Inside—
The body was being taken away.
Luciano stood over it briefly.
"Who sent him?" he asked coldly.
His men shook their heads.
"No ID. No trace."
That made it worse.
This wasn't random.
This was organized.
Targeted.
And careful.
Luciano turned.
"Find out who's behind this."
His voice dropped.
"And end it."
Later that night—
Sophia lay beside him.
Quiet.
Thinking.
Luciano's arm rested protectively around her.
"I'm not staying inside forever," she said softly.
He didn't answer immediately.
"I know."
A pause.
"But you're not facing this alone."
She turned slightly toward him.
"I never was."
That softened something in him.
Luciano leaned down—
Pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.
"Anyone who comes near you again…"
His voice dropped.
"They won't leave."
Sophia didn't respond.
Because she believed him.
And this time—
So did the world.
So now the man who tried to drag her away shows up like a very dangerous, very well-dressed bodyguard. Pride is a flexible thing when bullets start flying. 😈🔥
🖤 Chapter 63: Blood Doesn't Ask Permission
The mansion didn't sleep anymore.
Not really.
Even when the lights were low—
Even when everything looked calm—
There was tension beneath it.
Waiting.
Watching.
Sophia felt it again.
That quiet warning in her chest.
It hadn't left since the attack.
Luciano noticed.
Of course he did.
"You're thinking," he said, watching her from across the room.
"I'm always thinking."
"Not like this."
She sighed, crossing her arms lightly.
"They came for the baby."
No softening it.
No pretending.
Luciano's jaw tightened.
"I know."
A pause.
"And we still don't know who sent them."
That was the problem.
Not enemies.
Unknown enemies.
Before Luciano could respond—
Footsteps.
Fast.
Urgent.
"Boss—"
The door opened.
"They're here."
Luciano didn't need clarification.
His expression hardened instantly.
Sophia's heart dropped.
"…My father."
The atmosphere shifted the moment he entered.
Not loud.
Not chaotic.
Controlled power.
The kind that didn't need to announce itself.
Sophia felt it again—
That strange pull.
That connection she still didn't fully understand.
"You didn't call," she said.
Her father's gaze softened—just slightly.
"I didn't need to."
Luciano stepped forward.
Positioning himself just slightly closer to Sophia.
Not blocking.
But not yielding either.
"You're not here for a visit," Luciano said coldly.
Her father's eyes flicked to him.
"No."
A pause.
"I'm here because someone is trying to kill my daughter."
Silence.
That landed.
Heavy.
Sophia blinked slightly.
"…You know who it is?"
Her father's expression darkened.
"I know enough."
Luciano crossed his arms.
"Then talk."
A beat of tension passed between them.
Two powerful men.
Used to control.
Used to command.
Neither used to sharing.
"Not here," her father said.
Luciano didn't move.
"You don't give orders in my house."
A pause.
Her father's voice dropped.
"And you don't understand the scale of what's coming."
That—
That shifted something.
Sophia stepped forward.
"Enough."
Both men looked at her.
"If you know something," she said firmly,
"you tell us."
Silence.
Then—
Her father nodded once.
"They're not after you just because of Luciano."
Sophia's heart tightened.
"They're after what you carry."
Her hand moved instinctively to her stomach.
"The child," he continued,
"isn't just an heir."
A pause.
"It's a symbol."
Luciano's eyes narrowed.
"Of what?"
Her father looked between them.
"Of two empires merging."
Silence.
"That child," he said quietly,
"will be the most powerful bloodline this world has ever seen."
Sophia's breath caught.
"And that makes it a target."
The room felt colder.
Heavier.
"So who's behind it?" Luciano asked.
Her father's expression hardened.
"Old enemies."
"A rival syndicate that has been waiting for weakness."
A pause.
"And now… they think they've found it."
Luciano let out a slow breath.
"They're wrong."
Her father almost smiled.
"They don't know you like I do."
That tension again.
But this time—
It shifted.
Not enemies.
Not allies either.
Something… in between.
A forced understanding.
"What's your plan?" Luciano asked.
Her father met his gaze.
"We work together."
Silence.
Luciano didn't respond immediately.
Of course he didn't.
Because this—
Wasn't just strategy.
It was pride.
Control.
Trust.
Sophia stepped closer.
"Luciano…"
He looked at her.
And just like that—
Everything else faded.
"We need this," she said softly.
A pause.
"For the baby."
That was the deciding factor.
Luciano exhaled slowly.
Then—
He turned back to her father.
"Temporary," he said.
A beat.
"Until this threat is gone."
Her father nodded.
"Agreed."
No handshake.
No formal alliance.
Just understanding.
Dangerous.
Real.
Later that night—
Sophia stood between them again.
But this time—
It felt different.
Not divided.
Protected.
Two of the most powerful men in the world—
Standing on either side of her.
Not fighting.
Guarding.
Luciano stepped closer to her.
"You okay?" he asked quietly.
She nodded.
"I think so."
A pause.
Then she glanced toward her father.
"This is weird."
Luciano let out a low breath.
"That's one word for it."
Her father didn't react—
But there was something there.
Something almost… human.
Sophia smiled faintly.
"Guess I get both of you now."
Luciano raised a brow.
"Don't get used to it."
But his hand found hers anyway.
Grounding.
Steady.
Because no matter what came next—
They weren't facing it alone.