Chapter 50: Secrets Behind the Silence
The cold hospital room was filled with a quiet hum of machines and distant footsteps echoing in the corridor. Luca sat beside Janet's bed, his fingers gently curled around hers. He hadn't left her side, not even for a moment. His shirt was wrinkled, his eyes heavy with sleepless nights, but his grip on her hand never loosened.
Janet slowly opened her eyes, wincing from the pain in her ear. Her head throbbed, but she was alive — and Luca was right there.
"You're awake," he whispered, his voice shaky but filled with relief. He leaned closer, placing a kiss on her knuckles.
Janet smiled faintly. "Did we fool them?"
Luca nodded. "Dmitri thinks you're gone. The police believed it too. You were brave... too brave," his voice broke.
She closed her eyes briefly, remembering the horrifying moment — the feel of the cold gun in her hand, the ringing in her ears, the splash of blood... and Luca's scream. Her heart ached thinking about the trauma she had caused him, but she knew it was the only way to end Dmitri's madness.
The doctor entered with a clipboard and checked her vitals. "She'll be fine. Just a few more days of rest," he said with a kind smile before leaving them alone again.
Luca turned to her, eyes serious. "We need to keep this a secret, Janet. No one must know you're alive yet. At least until I've destroyed everything Dmitri left behind."
She nodded. "I trust you, Luca."
His heart leapt at those words. The girl he had once loved in silence now trusted him with her life. He bent down and kissed her forehead gently. "Rest now. I'll handle the rest."
As she drifted back to sleep, Luca walked to the window, watching the city lights flicker in the distance. His fists clenched at the thought of Dmitri. The war wasn't over yet.
But this time, he would win.