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“Alright, guess it’s time for me to go in the trash, then.”
A peculiar exit strategy, but given the circumstances, it seemed fitting.
Although a little degrading, it would be the least suspicious way to leave this house without being seen. Three grown men were living here, so a couple of big trashcans wouldn’t be an unusual sight to see.
When I heard the truck driving away, it took a little bit of fumbling to open the lid from the inside, but I eventually managed to get myself out. I took the first step outside and breathed in the taste of my newfound freedom.
There was no time for me to waste, however, and I immediately pulled out my phone and dialed a number that was etched in my memory.
On the third ring, Damiano picked up.
“Hey, so I have a favor to ask.”
“What— who is this?”
I rolled my eyes. “Dahlia, who else?”
A silence followed, broken only by him sucking in a sharp breath.“What the fuck? You’re still alive?”I could hear the shock in his voice even over the phone.
And there it was. He was totally freaking out.
I smiled. God, I missed him.
“I’m not talking to you from the beyond, that’s for sure.”
“I thought that you were dead. Where the hell have you been?”
I let out a chuckle, even though I found very little amusement in this whole situation.
“Oh, you have no idea.”
Nineteen
Marcello
Life without Ludovica cast a quiet shadow over our home—a pale imitation of what had once been. It felt as though all the colors had faded away, leaving behind a muted silence.
I missed her.
The one reprieve I had was that I wasn’t the only one. Jack and Ace also grappled with the silence left in her wake.
But despite all that, a comforting thought still lingered — she was safe now, somewhere far away where not even we could find her.
It was better that way.
We had only ever brought death to the people around us. I didn’t see how she would be any different.
So as long as she was safe, I was happy.
I’d been afraid that our little trick involving the Don wouldn’t be successful. That we’d immediately see right through the farce.
I didn’t know what we would have done if that had been the case.
My brothers and I held great respect for the Don. He’d pretty much raised us from a young age, but if he had demanded Ludovica’s head for real this time, I wasn’t sure what would have happened.
I vividly remembered standing before the woman who resembled Ludovica in every aspect - from her height and age to her hair color and nose - everything but her eyes. They had been light green instead of sapphire blue.
As I observed her, I had to repeatedly remind myself every few minutes that the lifeless body in front of us wasn’t her.
