CHAPTER - 171
Present – Academy Kitchen
Narrator: Dav leaned slightly forward, intrigued, resting his forearms on his knees.
His amber eyes were fixed on Margherita, captivated by her every word.
Dav, tilting his head, asked:
"Then what happened? So far it all sounds... normal."
Margherita clenched her fists on her knees, staring at the floor, her voice darker:
"Then... everything went wrong."
Flashback – Twenty-eight years ago
Narrator: The next morning, Josh’s team gathered at the front door of the house.
They laughed and joked, filled with excitement and completely unaware of the fate awaiting them.
Margherita stayed behind, standing in the doorway, her face stiff.
Her eyes, full of fear, tried to memorize every detail of Josh.
Josh turned back and looked at her with his usual clumsy boyish grin.
Stepping closer, he took her hands and held them tight, trying to lighten the air.
"My love, wait for me.
I’ll come back loaded with materials and buy you those pans you’ve been wanting!"
Margherita, cheeks tensed, hit him in the chest with the back of her hand:
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"Just make sure you come back in one piece, idiot! If things go wrong, if it gets too dangerous...
promise me you’ll come back.
Don’t do anything stupid."
Josh gave her one last hug.
Long. Silent.
One of those that tries to hold time still.
Then he turned around and disappeared.
Time passed slowly.
Margherita paced back and forth in the room, wringing her fingers, trying to ignore the anxiety tightening her stomach.
Evening came.
She stared out the window for hours, heart in her throat, but saw no one.
The next day, there was a knock on the door.
Margherita shot up from the bed.
Her hair messy, her face tense, but her heart hopeful.
She opened the door with a smile that shattered at the sight of three men in dark suits.
Among them, a young Vittorio De Santis, 38 years old, with a serious, respectful expression.
"Miss Margherita…
We’re sorry. The crater was registered as Grade B…
but in the last few hours, it shifted. It rose to Grade S."
In silence, he handed her Josh’s weapon: an enormous sword, more like an oversized knife.
Margherita took it.
Then closed the door without saying a word.
Vittorio stood there for a full minute, staring at the wooden door, silently.
From inside came screams of rage, breaking glass, shattered furniture.
Pain crashed down on her like a storm.
She collapsed to the ground, exhausted, drained.
Two days passed.
Her lips cracked, skin pale, eyes empty.
Then someone knocked on the door.
She ignored it.
Closed her eyes, hoping for one last breath.
When Margherita slowly opened her eyes again, barely.
She was in a hospital bed.
Quiet. Private.
Clean sheets. A faint scent of disinfectant.
Margherita, confused, whispered to herself:
"Where... am I?"
The door opened.
Vittorio walked in with a bouquet of flowers and a bag of warm food.
Vittorio (smiling): How are you feeling, Margherita?
I brought some real food.
At least they don’t serve hospital slop here.
Margherita: (looking at him with a blank stare)
Why am I here? Why are you here?
Vittorio (calm): Two days ago I came back to check on you...
The neighbors told me they hadn’t seen you at all.
I knocked many times, then broke down the door and found you unconscious.
I brought you here.
Flashback within the flashback – Margherita’s Home
Narrator: Vittorio, worried, knocked insistently.
The neighbors warned him:
"We haven’t seen her in two days. She’s not answering."
Vittorio forced the door open and found her collapsed on the floor of her room,
her breathing weak, skin cold.
He picked her up in his arms and ran outside.
Young Margherita – Past Present
Margherita (still surprised): You said... the other day?
How long has it been since I… since I got here?
[Vittorio remained there, gazing at her seriously, meeting her eyes.]
END OF CHAPTER - 171
