Sophia sprinted through the halls of the Romano estate, her heart pounding in her chest. The sounds of gunfire and explosions echoed outside, shaking the very foundation of her home. She knew they were in a desperate situation—Matteo's men had them surrounded, and they were quickly running out of options.
She followed Antonio through a narrow hallway leading to the main staircase. The plan was to retreat to the inner chambers, where they could regroup and prepare a counterattack. The Romano family had fortified this part of the estate for situations just like this, and it was their best chance to turn the tide.
As they reached the staircase, Antonio stopped abruptly and turned to Sophia, his face tense. "Sophia, you need to get to the safe room. It's too dangerous here."
"No way," Sophia shot back, shaking her head. "I'm not hiding while my family is fighting. We need every hand on deck."
Antonio's expression softened, but his eyes were still full of worry. "I know you want to help, but you're too important. If something happens to you—"
Sophia cut him off. "I'm not leaving you, Antonio. I'm not leaving anyone. We're in this together."
Before Antonio could argue further, a deafening explosion rocked the estate, shaking the walls and causing pieces of the ceiling to crumble down around them. They both ducked, covering their heads as debris fell to the floor.
Antonio looked at Sophia, his eyes wide with urgency. "Fine, but stay close to me. We need to find Papa and the others."
They moved quickly down the hallway, dodging falling debris and stepping over broken furniture. Sophia's mind raced with thoughts of her father and their men out on the battlefield. She prayed they were okay, that they were holding their ground.
Suddenly, they heard shouting from the far end of the hall. Sophia recognized one of the voices—it was Marco. She exchanged a glance with Antonio before they both took off running toward the sound.
They rounded the corner and skidded to a stop, finding Marco pinned against the wall by one of Matteo's men. The attacker was large and muscular, his face twisted with rage as he pressed a knife to Marco's throat.
Without hesitation, Sophia raised her gun and fired, the shot ringing out in the narrow corridor. The man grunted in pain as the bullet struck his shoulder, causing him to drop the knife and stagger back.
Marco seized the opportunity, delivering a swift punch to the man's jaw that sent him crashing to the floor. Breathing heavily, Marco turned to Sophia and Antonio, relief washing over his face.
"Thank God you're here," Marco panted, clutching his side. "They've breached the west wing. We're losing ground fast."
Antonio swore under his breath. "Damn it. We need to regroup, get everyone to the inner chambers."
Sophia nodded, her mind racing. "We'll head there now. Marco, can you make it?"
Marco nodded, though he was clearly in pain. "I'll be fine. Just need a moment."
They moved quickly, helping Marco along as they made their way toward the inner chambers. The sounds of battle grew louder as they approached, and Sophia's stomach churned with fear. They had to make it, had to hold out long enough for reinforcements to arrive.
As they reached the entrance to the inner chambers, they found a group of their men barricading the doors, preparing for the worst. Alessandro stood at the center, barking orders, his face grim but determined.
"Papa!" Sophia called out, rushing toward him.
Alessandro turned, relief flashing in his eyes as he saw her. "Sophia, thank God you're alright."
"We're holding on, but barely," Antonio added, helping Marco to a chair. "We need to fall back and fortify our position."
Alessandro nodded, his expression hardening. "Agreed. We'll hold them off as long as we can, but we need to be ready for anything."
Sophia's heart pounded as she looked around the room, seeing the fear and determination in the faces of her family and their men. They were outnumbered and outgunned, but they were Romani, and they would fight to the last breath.
"Everyone, listen up!" Alessandro shouted, his voice carrying over the noise of battle. "We're going to make our stand here. Protect each other, watch your corners, and don't let them through. We fight for our family, for our home. We fight until the end!"
A chorus of shouts and cheers erupted from the group, and Sophia felt a surge of pride. This was her family—strong, brave, and unyielding. They wouldn't go down without a fight.
As they took their positions, the tension in the air was palpable. The sounds of gunfire grew closer, and Sophia could hear the shouts of Matteo's men as they advanced through the halls.
Suddenly, the doors to the inner chambers burst open, and a group of Matteo's men stormed in, their guns blazing. The room erupted into chaos as the Romano men returned fire, the air thick with smoke and the deafening roar of gunfire.
Sophia ducked behind a large wooden table, her heart racing as bullets whizzed past her head. She aimed her gun, firing at the nearest attacker and hitting him square in the chest. He fell to the ground with a thud, and Sophia quickly turned her attention to the next target.
The battle raged on, each second feeling like an eternity. Sophia fought with everything she had, her mind focused solely on survival. She could feel the heat of the battle, the adrenaline coursing through her veins, but she knew they couldn't hold out forever.
Just as the tide seemed to be turning against them, a loud, booming voice cut through the chaos, echoing through the chamber.
"Enough!"
The fighting stopped abruptly, everyone turning toward the source of the voice. At the entrance to the room stood Luca, flanked by a group of heavily armed men. His expression was cold and commanding, his eyes locked on Matteo's men.
"Drop your weapons," Luca ordered, his voice brokering no argument. "Now."
Matteo's men hesitated, glancing nervously at each other. Luca took a step forward, his gaze unwavering. "I said, drop your weapons."
Slowly, one by one, Matteo's men complied, letting their guns fall to the floor. The room fell silent, everyone watching Luca with a mixture of shock and confusion.
Sophia's heart pounded as she stared at Luca, her mind racing. What was he doing here? Was this some kind of trick?
Luca turned to Alessandro, his expression serious. "We need to talk."
Alessandro's eyes narrowed, but he nodded. "Very well. Marco, Antonio, secure the room."
As Antonio and Marco moved to gather the fallen weapons, Luca approached Alessandro, his men following closely behind. Sophia watched them carefully, her heart still racing. She didn't trust Luca, not after everything that had happened, but she knew they needed to hear him out.
"What's going on, Luca?" Alessandro demanded, his voice low and tense.
Luca glanced around the room before meeting Alessandro's gaze. "I have information—about Matteo, about what he's planning. But we need to move, now. This place isn't safe."
Sophia's eyes widened in shock. "What do you mean? What's Matteo planning?"
Luca's expression darkened. "He's going to blow the estate. He's set charges around the perimeter. We have maybe ten minutes, tops."
A wave of panic washed over the room, and Alessandro's eyes widened in alarm. "Are you sure?"
Luca nodded. "Yes. We need to go, now."
Sophia's mind raced as she processed Luca's words. She knew they had no choice—if Luca was telling the truth, they had to move quickly. But she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this, that Luca had his own agenda.
"Alright," Alessandro said, his voice firm. "Everyone, evacuate immediately. Head to the safe house. Go, now!"
The room erupted into action as everyone scrambled to their feet, grabbing whatever they could and heading for the exits. Sophia followed her father and Luca, her heart pounding as she tried to make sense of what was happening.
As they reached the main entrance, she turned to Luca, her eyes filled with suspicion. "Why are you helping us, Luca? What's in it for you?"
Luca met her gaze, his expression unreadable. "I have my reasons, Sophia. But right now, we need to focus on getting out of here alive."
Sophia wanted to press him further, to demand answers, but she knew now wasn't the time. They had to get out, and they had to do it fast.
As they rushed out of the estate, Sophia glanced back one last time, her heart heavy with loss. This had been her home, the place where she had grown up, where she had felt safe. And now, it was being taken away from her.
But she knew she couldn't dwell on it. They had to survive, had to keep fighting. And if Luca had information that could help them, she would find out what it was.
As they reached the edge of the property, a deafening explosion rocked the ground, sending a shockwave through the air. Sophia stumbled, nearly falling as the blast knocked her off balance.
She turned just in time to see the estate go up in flames, the fire raging through the halls and tearing through the walls. The sound of the explosion echoed through the night, and Sophia felt a tear slip down her cheek as she watched her home burn.
But she couldn't