Chapter 54: Threats

Dante
Night had fallen, but the chaos hadn't left us. Paolo lay unconscious and covered in blood on the hospital gurney.
The truth is, I had been waiting for this moment—for Paolo to finally be out of Ana's life and mine, to stop being an obstacle for us. But now that I'm here and it's actually happening, I don't know how to feel about it.
I watch Ana suffer. I never wanted this for her, and as much as it pains me to admit, Ana is truly in love with Paolo. Doctors and nurses were rushing around, trying to stabilize him. Ana stood beside him, her trembling hands clutching Paolo's. Her eyes, filled with tears and desperation, broke my heart.
I stood off to the side, observing, my mind racing. I knew we had to stay alert; the danger wasn't over. Then I felt a presence beside me. I turned, and there was Luisa, with an expression I couldn't read.
"We need to talk," she said, her tone calm but authoritative.
"Now isn't the time, Luisa. Paolo is—"
"That's exactly why we need to talk."
"I'll be right back, Ana."
She could barely hear me, her focus entirely on Paolo as if her life depended on it. I closed the room door and followed Luisa down the hallway to an empty waiting room. The tension was palpable, and I knew whatever she was about to tell me wasn't good. It seemed so strange to see her so calm, as if she was oblivious to the chaos around us.
"What do you want, Luisa?" I tried to stay calm, though my instincts screamed to get away from her.
"I want you to understand that everything I do is for Ana's sake. Everything."
"What are you talking about?"
Luisa stepped closer, her eyes shining with a mix of determination and madness, the way she looked at me concerned me for a moment.
"I was the one who ordered the hit on Paolo."
The world stopped. It felt as if the ground crumbled beneath my feet. I stared at her, incredulous, trying to process her words. She knew how important Paolo was to Ana, knew he was the father of the baby, and that he was partly the reason Ana and he were gaining reputation and power among the mafias. Luisa had always said that Ana and Paolo being together was part of an end goal
That's why it didn't make sense to me that suddenly, she decided to end her life without stopping to think about the consequences.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"I did it for Ana, for a greater purpose. Paolo is a distraction, an obstacle to her true destiny."
"You're crazy. Ana loves him! They need each other, her and the baby."
"You don't understand. Ana is destined for greater things. Paolo is just tying her down to a life that isn't hers. She needs to be strong, and sometimes, strength comes from pain."
My mind clouded with rage. I wanted to scream, to hit, to make her pay for what she had done, but I knew I had to stay calm, for Ana, for Paolo.
"You can't tell Ana. If you do, you'll destroy everything. Not just her trust in me, but her future too. And I assure you, Dante, if you speak, I'll make you both pay the price."
"You're a damn witch."
"Maybe, but a witch who understands what it takes to survive and thrive in this world."
Luisa turned to leave, but I couldn't let her go like that. Rage and despair consumed me.
"If Paolo dies, I'll never forgive you. And if you try to do anything to Ana, I swear..."
"Calm down, Dante. I have no intention of hurting Ana. All of this is to protect her, even if you don't understand."
Luisa left the room, leaving me with a mixture of anger and despair. I headed back to the room where Paolo was being treated. The doctors were still working frantically.
"How is he?" I asked one of the nurses.
"It's critical. We're doing everything we can."
Ana looked at me, her face a mask of pain and fear.
"Dante, what happened? Why did they shoot him?"
"I don't know, Ana. It all happened so fast."
I couldn't tell her the truth. Not now. Not when everything hung by such a fragile thread. I sat down beside her, taking her hand, trying to offer her some comfort.
Hours passed, each one heavier than the last. Paolo's condition remained critical, and uncertainty consumed us. Ana didn't move from his side, whispering words of love and hope, while I stood guard, alert to any sign of danger.
Finally, one of the doctors emerged from the emergency room, with a grave expression.
"We've done everything we can. His condition is very critical. The next 24 hours will be decisive."
Ana nodded, tears streaming down her face. I moved closer, hugging her tightly. I knew she needed to feel that she wasn't alone, that we were in this together.
"Paolo is strong. He'll pull through," I tried to reassure her, though doubt gnawed at me from within.
"He has to, Dante. I can't lose him."
"You won't lose him. We'll be here, together, no matter what."
We fell silent, clinging to each other, as the hospital continued its frantic pace around us. I knew the fight wasn't over, that more battles lay ahead. But for now, I could only focus on being there for Ana and finding a way to protect her from her own mother.
Night wore on, and with it, the shadow of Luisa's betrayal. I knew I had to stay strong, for Paolo, for Ana, and for the baby. I wouldn't let Luisa destroy what we had built, I wouldn't let her ambition tear us apart.
As the clock ticked off the hours, a promise took shape in my mind: I would do everything in my power to save Paolo, to protect Ana, and to confront Luisa. No matter the cost, no matter what I had to do. I was determined.