Chapter 34: I've made a decision.

Ana
I was in my room, trying to process everything Martin had told me. My memories were still jumbled fragments, pieces of a puzzle I couldn't put together. Suddenly, my phone rang. It was Martin.
I was already prepared for anything when it came to a call from Martin. I could expect anything from the best news in the world to something that threatened to ruin my life. I constantly felt like I was part of a roulette wheel where you never know what you're going to get.
"Martin?" I answered, hoping for more news about Paolo.
Something inside me needed to hear good news. I had a feeling that everything would be better once I could be with Paolo.
"Ana, you need to come to the hospital. Paolo has woken up," Martin said urgently.
My heart skipped a beat. Paolo had woken up. I had to see him. I looked around, making sure no one was nearby. I knew I couldn't just walk out the front door without raising suspicion, so I decided to sneak out of my bedroom window.
I carefully climbed down to the ground and ran to the car. I drove as fast as I could to the hospital, my thoughts racing even faster. Paolo was awake. What would I tell him? How would he react to seeing me if he found out I didn't remember anything? This could be a problem.
Even so, I took a deep breath and prepared to face whatever it took to finally get answers. I arrived at the hospital and met Martin at the entrance. He looked at me with relief.
"Ana, I'm glad you're here. Paolo is in room 305," Martin said, leading me quickly through the hospital corridors.
Finally, we reached the room. Paolo was sitting on the bed, looking frailer than I remembered in my flashback, but his eyes were full of life. When he saw me, his expression transformed into a mix of relief and confusion.
"Ana..." he murmured, reaching out to me. When he touched my hand, I felt something familiar, for the first time I felt sure.
"Paolo, you're awake," I said, feeling a wave of relief and emotion. I took his hand and squeezed it, but my mind was still a jumble of fragmented memories. "I was really worried about you."
"There's something different about you, even in the sparkle of your eyes. Is something wrong?"
I exchanged glances with Martin, hoping he would say something to help, but I think this was something I had to do.
"Yes, something happened... something important."
Paolo looked at me intently, his eyes searching for answers in mine. Without a word, he knew what was really going on.
"I was afraid something like this would happen. This was the worst-case scenario I had imagined, but I didn't think we'd ever get this far. Tell me, Ana, do you remember who we are?" I shook my head. "Why don't you remember anything?" Paolo asked, looking at Martin.
Martin sighed and stepped closer.
"Paolo, Ana suffered trauma during the explosion. She lost her memory. It's been a difficult process, but we're doing everything we can to help her get it back," Martin explained.
"An explosion, is that right? What the hell happened?" Paolo demanded, his voice filled with frustration.
Martin took a deep breath before continuing.
"You were in a coma, Paolo. The explosion was a direct attack on our base of operations. Ana has been trying to deal with all of this alone while she recovers her memories," Martin said.
Paolo looked at me again, this time with a mix of sadness and determination.
"Ana, I promise I'll help you remember. I won't let you go through this alone," Paolo said, squeezing my hand tighter.
I felt a pang in my heart. Even though I couldn't remember everything, the connection I felt with Paolo was undeniable.
"I'm so sorry, Paolo. I want to remember, I want to get back everything I lost," I said, tears welling up in my eyes.
"You will, Ana. We will, together," Paolo said, his voice firm.
We sat there, holding hands, while Martin gave us more details of what had happened and what we needed to do next. Although my mind was still a sea of uncertainty, at that moment I knew I wasn't alone. With Paolo by my side, I felt like I had a chance to reclaim my life, my memory, and my place in this world.
Paolo looked stronger now, his presence filled with an authority and power that made me feel both safe and intimidated. Even though I still didn't remember much, the intensity of his gaze and the firmness of his voice made it clear to me that this man had been a central figure in my life.
"Ana, we're leaving as soon as I'm discharged," Paolo said, his deep voice echoing through the room. His tone was not up for debate.
I nodded, feeling a strange mix of excitement and determination. I wanted to be with him, to find out the truth, and I felt that with Paolo I had a better chance of doing it.
As he finished packing for his release, the door to the room burst open. My uncle Marco and Dante entered with stern expressions.
"Ana, you can't do this," Marco said, his voice filled with concern.
Dante, always protective, stepped towards me with a warning look.
"It's not safe for you to go with him, Ana. You should stay with us," he insisted.
I looked at Paolo, who rose from the bed with feline grace, his presence filling the room.
"Ana is free to make her own decisions. She's not a child you can manipulate anymore," Paolo said in a icy tone, his dark eyes fixed on Dante.
I turned to my uncle and Dante, feeling a surge of determination.
"I've made my decision. I'm not going back with you. I'm going with Paolo. He's shown that he cares about what I want, even while I was in the hospital," I declared, my voice firm though my heart was pounding.
Marco took a step forward, his face a mask of disbelief.
"Ana, think carefully. We are your family, we want to protect you," he said, trying to sound reasonable.
"Protect me?" I countered, my voice laced with irony. "All you've done is keep me in the dark. Paolo and Martin are the only ones who have really cared about me."
Dante's jaw clenched, his protective instincts flaring.
"Ana, you don't know what you're talking about. We've always been here for you," he argued, his voice strained.
I shook my head, my determination unwavering.
"No, Dante. You've been here for yourselves.”
Martin, who had been waiting outside, entered the room at that moment, his expression alert.
"Miss, we need to leave now," he said, nodding towards Paolo.
Dante approached, his eyes filled with a mix of anger and desperation.
"Ana, please. Don't do this," he pleaded.
I turned to him, feeling a pang of pain at the sight of his face.
"I'm sorry, Dante. I can't go on with you guys. Martin will be my new bodyguard. I don't need your protection anymore," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.
"You said you remembered us, that everything we've been through has come back to you."
"I lied. I had to push you away to get close to Paolo. I don't remember anything about you, and with everything I've seen, I don't know if I want to. You've done nothing but lie to me since we got here. You, Valeria, and Marco are liars. You don't want to protect me. You want my head to make it look like I'm still running the mafia when in reality you want all the power for yourselves. I'm sick of it."
"Ana" Dante stepped forward to take my hand. "I understand, and…" he hesitated for a moment, unsure of his words. "I wasn't lying when I said I loved you."
Everyone in the room seemed frozen in time. Paolo, however, moved decisively, approaching me and placing a firm hand on my shoulder.
"We're leaving," he ordered softly but with authority.
We headed towards the door, leaving my uncle and Dante silent. I felt a mixture of liberation and fear, but I knew this was the right decision. As we left the hospital, I realized that I was starting a new chapter in my life, one in which I would have to rely on my instincts and the few people who had proven to be loyal.
In the car, Paolo looked at me with an intensity that made me shiver.
"We're going to get everything back, Ana. I'll help you remember, and together we'll rebuild our empire."