The first sign came quietly, disguised as fatigue. Aria had brushed it off at first, the long nights, the tension, the constant uncertainty that shadowed every step of her and Luca's lives. She'd been living on adrenaline for so long that exhaustion had become normal. But lately, it wasn't just exhaustion. It was the nausea that hit her in the mornings, the dizziness when she stood too fast, the way certain smells, Luca's cologne, strong coffee, even the scent of gun oil, made her stomach twist.
She stood in front of the bathroom mirror, pale and trembling, her hands pressed against the cool porcelain of the sink. The city's muted hum drifted through the window, distant and unaware that her world had just tilted on its axis.
She'd missed her period. Twice.
Her heart pounded so hard she could hear it in her ears. She wanted to tell herself it was stress, the aftermath of Matteo's attack, the sleepless nights. But deep down, she already knew.
