Chapter 104
KATYA’S POV
The first thing I heard was shouting.
The second was sothing crashing, glass, maybe — followed by a nurse’s panicked voice and the scuffle of shoes on the floor.
By the ti I reached the infirmary hall, the place was buzzing. People were moving up and down, guards posted near the door, dics rushing in and out like the building was on fire.
My heart jumped into my throat. This floor was literally in the sa house but the noise didn’t even reach second floor.
For a split second, I froze at the corner, clutching the edge of the wall. Instinct told to stay out of sight.
I shouldn’t be caught. I was just the girl who cleaned, the invisible one who got yelled at for touching the wrong plate.
But then I rembered. I wasn’t sneaking anywhere. I had every damn right to walk through these halls if I wanted to.
It was open for everyone. Straighten up, Katya.
I did and walked with steady steps even though my knees were trying to give out, head down just enough to not draw attention but not look scared either.
The closer I got to Roo’s hallway, the louder the voices beca. I just hope nothing happened to Nonna.
That this Chaos happening in this infirmary isn’t because of her but If Roo’s dying... good.
Maybe the world would finally balance itself a little. I rounded the corner and nearly collided with the doctor.
She stord past , her face tight with frustration, her lab coat flaring behind her like she couldn’t get away fast enough.
She didn’t even glance at , just muttered sothing under her breath and kept walking until she disappeared down the opposite hall.
I blinked after her, frowning. What the hell was that about?
For the doctor to leave with that kind of expression... sothing serious must’ve gone down.
But I didn’t have ti to figure out what. My chest tightened, and I forced myself to keep walking.
People were everywhere — guards shouting orders, nurses whispering nervously, papers clattering to the floor.
"What’s going on?" soone asked near the corner.
"Mr. Salvatore.... up," another voice hissed back.
My feet stumbled. up? I didn’t hear well, he went up? Like to the sky or had he woken up?
No. No, that couldn’t—
I clenched the rag in my hand, shaking my head hard. It didn’t matter. He could wake up, die, explode. None of it mattered. I was only here for Nonna.
That was it.
I pushed through the chaos, ignoring the racing in my chest, eyes scanning the hall for her familiar gray hair or her soft voice calling soone idiota for making a fuss.
But she wasn’t there. Two guards stood near the end of the hall, blocking the way. Both looked on edge, one of them rubbing the back of his neck, the other holding a radio that kept buzzing every few seconds.
When they saw , I froze again on instinct. Old habit. My hands automatically went behind my back, rag still clutched tight like so pathetic badge of service.
The taller guard squinted. "Hey, you," he said, jerking his chin toward . "You the maid from upstairs?"
"Y-yeah." My throat felt dry.
He nodded, distracted, already half-listening to the chaos down the hall. "Good. Go clean up the ss in there." He pointed toward a door at the far end of the corridor.
It was Roo’s assigned room. For a second, I thought I didn’t see which room he pointed.
Roo’s room? Was that how fated we were? I blinked. But the guard was already turning away, barking sothing at the other guard.
"Now, ragazza!" the shorter one snapped, waving off impatiently. I just nodded quickly, my mouth too dry to speak as i slipped past them before they slapped .
My shoes barely made a sound on the polished floor as I walked closer to the devil’s door.
The noise behind faded, voices blurring into nothing. It felt like I’d stepped into a vacuum, just and that single door at the end of the hallway.
Roo’s door.
My hand tightened around the rag until it twisted in my palm. My heart was pounding so loud I could almost hear it echoing in the empty stretch of corridor.
Just look inside and leave, Katya. That’s it. You’ll check if Nonna’s there, wipe a few things, and get out. Easy.
I took a breath, reached for the handle....
The door swung open, missing my face by a few inches. The air rushed out of all at once as the heavy door brushed past my arm.
And then I saw him
Roo.
Sitting in a wheelchair.
Everything inside went still.
For several seconds, my brain refused to process it. The world just... stopped.
Antonio stood behind him, one arm trapped in a sling, the other gripping the handles of the chair.
He looked tired...no, drained. Roo was saying sothing low to him, but it cut off the instant his eyes t mine.
His gaze was darker than I rembered, colder, heavier and it hit like a punch straight to my chest.
He looked... like hell. His face was pale, he was now wearing that mask. His hair ssy, his robe hanging open enough to show the thick white bandages wrapped around his abdon.
But even like that, even bruised, there was that sinister aura around him that made panic.
Roo didn’t blink as he stared at with no emotions in sight. "You’ve got to be kidding ," he muttered, more to himself than anyone.
My mouth opened to say sothing or maybe to just breathe—but no sound ca out.
For a long mont, the three of us just stood there in that narrow hall, the silence thick enough to choke on.
Mr Antonio cleared his throat. "Out of the way," he said quietly and I flinched back, pressing against the wall to make room as he wheeled Roo past.
Roo didn’t look at again. But his silence said enough.
"Mia cara!" The voice was so sudden, so bright against the tension that my head snapped around before I even processed it.
Nonna.
She was in the room, waving from her own chair, a smile pulling at her wrinkled cheeks like nothing in this house had gone to hell.
"Nonna?" My voice cracked.
She laughed softly, like she’d been waiting all along. "Co here, bambina. I was wondering when you’d stop lurking like a frightened cat."
My knees nearly gave out from the relief that rushed through .
††
Was this how y’all thought of them eting again?
Don’t worry the show is on its way.
Btw tats karla and ReadingTaiga for ur consistent support ಥ‿ಥ
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