BANG. The gunshot echoed through the night. Kiara shut her eyes instantly. Ready. Ready to embrace death. Ready to accept whatever fate had chosen for her. Because the bullet was coming from him. From the man she had loved since she first understood what love was. In that single moment, countless memories flashed through her mind. She remembered the first time she saw him. At Rajput Company.

She had been only nineteen. Young. Stubborn. Completely unaware that her entire life was about to change. People always said there was no such thing as love at first sight. How could anyone fall in love with a stranger after a single glance?

Kiara also believed that. but after she saw him everything change. Because she had. The moment she saw those forest-green eyes. The moment her gaze met his. Something inside her had become his forever. She loved him. She waited for him. She fought for him. She sacrificed for him. She crossed lines she never imagined crossing. She even killed for him.

Everything she did. Every choice she made. Every mistake. Every sin. Had started and ended with Donato Romano. Then she married him. everyone thing that its arrange marriage but only she know what she went through for this. She lived her dream. She survived her nightmares. And now If her love wanted her dead She could accept that too. Because it was him. And he had always been her everything.

A small smile appeared on her lips. Peaceful.Broken. Beautiful. Then suddenly a painful scream echoed beside her. Kiara's smile disappeared. Her eyes flew open. Confusion filled her face. Why didn't it hurt? Why hadn't she felt anything? Why wasn't she dead? Then she saw it. Lucas. It was Lucas who had been shot. Not her.

The bullet had torn through his hand. blood exploded from the wound. The remote control fell from his grip. Lucas staggered backward with a furious roar. Kiara froze. Her mind struggling to process what had happened. Then her gaze snapped toward Donato.

He was already moving. Running toward her. His gun still raised. His face filled with panic. Not relief. Not satisfaction. Panic. Because despite everything Despite the lies. Despite the betrayal. Despite the truth that had shattered his heart, He still couldn't shoot her.

Fresh tears rolled down Kiara's cheeks. Her heart broke all over again. He didn't kill her. Even now. Even after everything. He still couldn't do it. A shaky smile appeared on her lips. Then suddenly Her eyes widened. The smile vanished instantly. "No..." Her whisper trembled. She looked beside her. lucas. Though wounded. Though bleeding. Though nearly collapsing His fingers were still reaching for the remote.

Time seemed to slow. "No..." Kiara's voice cracked. Lucas grabbed the device. His blood-covered hand closed around it. His face twisted into a smile. A horrifying smile. The smile of a man who had already decided to burn everything down. "No!" Kiara screamed. Donato turned immediately. His eyes widened. For the first time, fear appeared on his face. Real fear.

Lucas looked directly at them. And smiled. Donato instantly raised his gun again. He aimed straight for Lucas's head. His finger tightened on the trigger. But he was too late. Lucas pressed the button. Click. The sound was tiny. Almost harmless. Yet it felt louder than any gunshot. For one second Everything went silent.Then---

BOOM!

The warehouse exploded. A massive fireball erupted into the night sky. The ground shook violently. Windows shattered. Steel twisted. Flames consumed everything in seconds. The explosion lit the darkness like daylight. The heat slammed into them like a wall. The shockwave threw debris everywhere. And from the middle of the chaos Two broken screams echoed together.

"NOOOOO!" Donato. Kiara. Both shouting at the same time. Both staring at the burning warehouse. Because inside Enzo was still there. Lucas laughed. The sound was sickening. Even with blood pouring from his wounds. Even while lying on the ground. He was laughing. "What did I tell you, Donato?" he coughed out, blood staining his lips. "No smartness."

His eyes gleamed with madness. "You didn't listen." Another laugh escaped him. Now face the consequences." Donato wasn't listening anymore. His entire world had narrowed to one thing. The burning warehouse. The place where Enzo was trapped. The flames climbed higher and higher. The explosion had destroyed almost everything. Fire consumed the building from every side. The roof was collapsing. The walls were breaking apart. There was no way anyone could survive that. Yet Donato refused to believe it.

Because Enzo was inside. His Enzo. His brother. His best friend. The person who had stood beside him his entire life. "No..." Donato whispered. His eyes fixed on the fire. "No." Lucas laughed harder. "There's no point, Donato." He pointed toward the inferno. "By now your friend is probably nothing but ashes." The words echoed. Ashes.

The word hit harder than any bullet. "I used high-voltage explosives." Lucas smiled. "There was never any chance of survival." something snapped inside Donato. Completely. His head slowly turned toward Lucas. The look in his eyes was enough to make anyone terrified. Pure murder. Pure rage. Pure grief. BANG. The first bullet tore through Lucas's chest. Directly through his heart. Lucas's laugh stopped instantly.

His eyes widened. BANG. Another bullet hit his stomach. BANG. Another. BANG. Another through his leg. Lucas collapsed onto the ground. Blood spreading beneath him. His body twitching. His smile finally gone. But Donato wasn't satisfied. Nothing could satisfy him now. Because Enzo was still inside. Donato threw the gun away and ran toward the burning building.

"ENZO!" His scream tore through the night. Raw. Broken. Desperate. "ENZOOOO!" He stumbled forward. Ignoring the heat. Ignoring the flames. Ignoring the sparks burning his skin. His eyes had turned red. Filled with tears. Filled with panic. "No..." His voice cracked. "Baby..." He shook his head violently. As if denying reality itself. "No."

His breathing became uneven. "You promised me." Another step. Closer to the fire. "You promised you'd come back to me always." Another step. "Just wait for me." His voice trembled. "I-I'm coming." Another step. "I'll save you." The flames roared louder. The heat became unbearable. Yet he kept moving. Like a man who had lost all sense. A man running toward his own death. "Just wait for me, baby."Then suddenly A pair of arms wrapped around him. Holding him back.

Kiara. She had run after him. Tears streamed down her face. "Ro!" She cried. Desperately pulling him back. "Please!" The fire reflected in her tear-filled eyes. "There is no way inside!" Donato struggled against her grip. Like a wild animal. "Let me go!" "Ro""LET ME GO!" His voice cracked. "Enzo is waiting for me!" Kiara sobbed. "He isn't

"He is!" Donato shouted. "He is!" His entire body shook. "He knows I'll come!" Another desperate attempt to move forward. "He trusts me." His voice broke completely. "He knows I won't leave him." Kiara cried harder. Because she could see it. The truth. Donato wasn't thinking anymore. He wasn't seeing reality. He was drowning. Drowning in grief. Drowning in fear. Drowning in guilt. And she knew. She knew there was no way anyone could survive that fire. Yet she couldn't say it. Couldn't say the words aloud.

Because saying them would make them real. And she couldn't bear it. Not for Enzo. Not for Elana. Not for Donato. Not for herself.Still she held him tighter. "Please." Her voice trembled. "Please don't go in there." Donato tried to move again. Tried to push toward the fire. Tried to reach Enzo. The flames exploded higher. A burning beam crashed down where he had been about to step. Even then Even then he tried to move forward.

Kiara grabbed him desperately. "RO!" She screamed. "YOU CAN'T WALK INTO THE FIRE!" But Donato wasn't listening. He wasn't hearing her. Wasn't hearing anything. Only Enzo.Only memories. Only fear. "ENZO!" Another broken scream. Kiara's heart shattered. She looked at the flames. Then at Donato. Then back at the flames. And for the first time She cried for Enzo. "I-I'm sorry." Her voice barely existed. "So sorry."

Then she looked at Donato. And saw him trying once again to step into the inferno. She grabbed him harder. Refusing to let go. Refusing. "No!" Donato suddenly turned. His eyes met hers. And Kiara froze. Because she had never seen him look at her like that before. Not once. Not ever. His eyes burned. Not with love. Not with concern. Not with tenderness. Only blame. Only rage. Only pain. And then he said the words. The words that cut deeper than any knife.

"It's all because of you." Kiara's breath stopped. The world went silent. For a second she couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. Donato shoved her away. Hard. She fell onto the cold ground. The impact barely registered. Because the pain in her chest hurt far more. She looked up. Frozen. And watched the man she loved. The man she had loved for years. The man she had destroyed herself for. Standing there. Pulling at his hair. Screaming Enzo's name.

Trying desperately to reach a brother who might already be gone. And for the first time in her life Kiara Romano understood what it felt like to truly lose everything. "Enzo..." The name kept leaving Donato's lips. Again. And again. And again. As if saying it enough times would somehow bring him back. His phone was ringing continuously in his pocket. He didn't notice. Didn't care. The world around him had disappeared.

There was only the fire. Only Enzo. Only the unbearable fear clawing at his chest. The phone continued ringing. Finally, with trembling hands, he pulled it out. The screen blurred through his tears. Albert. Donato answered without even looking properly. "Enzo..." His voice cracked. "Enzo ..." On the other side of the call, Albert froze instantly. Something was terribly wrong. He had never heard his younger brother sound like that. Not even during the worst moments of their lives.

"Donato?" Albert said sharply. But all he heard was frantic breathing. And one name. "Enzo." Over and over again. Albert's blood ran cold. Without wasting another second, he disconnected the call. His heart was already pounding. He immediately tracked Donato's location and drove toward it at full speed, several of his men following close behind. The entire drive felt endless. A terrible feeling settled in his chest. A feeling he desperately wanted to be wrong about. When Albert finally arrived, the sight before him made his skin crawl.

His car stopped abruptly. For a second he couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. Couldn't process what he was seeing. The entire warehouse was engulfed in flames. Massive flames. The fire climbed toward the sky like a living monster. Smoke covered everything. The heat could be felt from yards away. No human being could survive inside that inferno. Not for even a few seconds. Albert's stomach dropped. Then he saw them.

Kiara sat on the ground several feet away. Motionless. Frozen. Like a statue. Her face pale. Tear tracks staining her cheeks. Her eyes fixed on the fire. Empty. Broken. And Donato... Albert's heart shattered. His younger brother was walking back and forth like a man who had lost his mind. Pulling at his hair. Crying. Screaming. Calling one name. "ENZO!" His voice was hoarse. Raw. Destroyed. "ENZO!"

Albert had never seen him like this. Never. Not even once. This wasn't Donato Romano. This was a man falling apart. A man watching his entire world burn. Albert immediately ran toward him. "Donato!" The moment Donato heard his brother's voice, he turned. For a second he looked completely lost. Like a child searching for help. Then he stumbled forward and grabbed Albert. holding him tightly. Desperately.

"E-Enzo..." His voice broke. "Enzo h-he..." Albert wrapped an arm around him. Trying to steady him. Trying to calm him. Though his own heart was racing. "Yeah." Albert swallowed hard. "Enzo." His voice trembled. "Where is he?" Donato pointed toward the burning warehouse. His entire body shaking. "T-There..." The words barely came out. "Inside."

Albert froze. Everything inside him went silent. no. No. No. Not Enzo. Not him. Anyone but him. For a second Albert felt the same panic Donato had been drowning in. But he forced himself to stay calm. Because if he broke too Everything would fall apart. He gently pushed Donato behind him. Then turned toward his men. "CONTROL THE FIRE!" His roar echoed through the area. "NOW!"

His men immediately sprang into action. More vehicles arrived. More personnel. Everyone moving frantically. Trying to contain the inferno. Trying to create a path inside. Albert turned back toward Donato. "What happened?" His voice was softer now. "Donato, tell me what happened." But Donato's eyes remained fixed on the fire. Like he couldn't see anything else. Couldn't hear anything else.

"L-Lucas..." His breathing became uneven. "Enzo..." Albert clenched his jaw. "Donato." He grabbed his shoulders firmly. "What happened?" But Donato only shook his head. His mind wasn't working anymore. Everything felt numb. Everything except the fear. "Enzo was inside." His voice cracked completely. "We have to save him." Fresh tears rolled down his face. "He... he's waiting for me."

Albert's chest tightened painfully. The words hurt more than anything. Because deep down Looking at the fire Looking at the collapsed structure Looking at the destruction He already knew. But he refused to accept it. Not yet. Not until they had proof. Not until they searched every inch of that building.

"Yeah." Albert nodded immediately. Forcing confidence into his voice. "We'll save him." His hand squeezed Donato's shoulder. "We'll get him out." Donato looked at him desperately. Clinging to those words. Needing them. Needing hope. Any hope. "The firefighters are here." Albert pointed toward the teams arriving. "They're controlling the fire."

More sirens filled the air. Water cannons blasted against the flames. Men shouted orders. smoke filled the night sky. The battle against the fire had begun. And all three of them Donato. Albert. And the silent, shattered Kiara Could do nothing except stand there. And wait.

___

The moment the fire was brought under control, Donato didn't wait for anyone. The firefighters were still shouting warnings. The building was unstable. The walls could collapse at any moment. But Donato heard none of it. He ran straight inside. "ENZO!" His voice echoed through the ruins. The warehouse no longer looked like a building. It looked like a graveyard.

Everything was black. Burned. Destroyed. The smell of smoke, ash, and death filled the air. Pieces of metal hung from the ceiling. Burnt debris covered the floor. The heat still lingered everywhere. Behind him, Albert and several men followed quickly. "Donato!" Albert shouted. But Donato kept moving. "ENZO!"

His voice broke. "ENZO, ANSWER ME!" Nothing. Only silence. A horrible silence. The kind that slowly kills hope. Donato searched every corner. Every room. Every collapsed section. Praying. Begging. Desperately hoping to hear even the smallest sound. Anything. A cough. A groan.A voice. Anything. But there was nothing. Then suddenly His feet stopped. His entire body froze.

A few feet away stood a chair. Burned. Blackened. Destroyed. Still chained to the floor. The metal chains hung loosely from its sides. And beside it Scattered among the ashes Were bones. Burnt bones. Human bones. For a second Donato couldn't understand what he was seeing. His mind refused. His heart refused. His soul refused.

"No..." The word barely left his lips. His knees buckled. He collapsed onto the floor. "NOOOOOO!" The scream tore from his throat. Raw. Animalistic. Broken. Albert ran toward him immediately. But the moment his eyes landed on the remains He froze too. His face turned white.mHis hands started shaking. His chest tightened so painfully he could barely breathe.

Behind them, Kiara stumbled into the warehouse. She had followed them despite everyone's attempts to stop her. The moment her eyes landed on the scene She froze. Completely. The world seemed to stop spinning. The chair. The chains. The remains. Her stomach twisted violently. A wave of nausea hit her. "No..." The whisper escaped her lips. Her legs gave out.

She dropped to her knees. Tears blurred her vision. "Enzo..." Her voice trembled. The reality of it crashed into her all at once. Enzo. Gone. The man who had treated her like family. the man who support her even after knowing her truth. The man who protected Elana. The man who never once judged her. Gone.

Because of this. Because of her. A sob escaped her. "I did this." Her hand flew to her mouth. Trying to stop herself from crying. Trying to stop herself from screaming. But she couldn't. "I did this." The words repeated inside her mind like a curse. your obsession destroyed everything. Your lies destroyed everything. Your secrets destroyed everything.

Meanwhile, Donato had completely fallen apart. He crawled toward the remains. As if getting closer would somehow change reality. As if this was all some horrible nightmare. "Enzo..." His voice cracked. "Baby..." Fresh tears rolled down his face. His hands trembled violently. "What am I supposed to do now?" He looked up at Albert. Like a lost child.

Like a man whose entire world had just ended. "What do I do now, bhai?" His voice shattered. "My Enzo is gone." Albert felt his own eyes burn. But he stayed silent. Because there was nothing to say. Nothing. Donato shook his head frantically. "No." "He can't leave me." His breathing became uneven. Almost panicked. "He can't." "He promised." His voice rose. "He promised he would always stay beside me." Another sob escaped him.

"How can he leave me alone?" His entire body shook. "What am I supposed to do without him?" His voice cracked completely. "What am I do now?" Albert's heart broke. Because this wasn't grief. This was devastation. Donato wasn't mourning Enzo. He was losing a piece of himself. A piece he had carried his entire life. Albert immediately crouched beside him.

Grabbing both of his shoulders. "Donato." His voice was firm despite the tears threatening to fall. "Look at me." Donato didn't respond. His eyes remained fixed on the remains. "Donato." Albert shook him gently. "We have to leave." No response. "This place is unstable."

Still nothing. "The building can collapse any second." Donato finally looked at him. And Albert wished he hadn't. Because there was nothing in his brother's eyes. No anger. No rage. Only emptiness. The kind of emptiness people carry after losing everything. "We have to go home." Albert whispered. Everyone is waiting."

The words hit Donato. Home. The mansion. The family. And suddenly another realization struck him. His face lost what little color remained. "Aunt Lily..." His voice trembled. Albert froze. "No..."Donato shook his head. "How do I tell her?" Fresh tears rolled down his face. "How do I tell her that her son is dead?"

His voice broke completely. Albert looked away. Unable to answer. Then another thought hit Donato. A far more painful one. His eyes widened. "No." His breathing became frantic. "No." Albert immediately recognized the panic. "What?" Donato grabbed his own hair. "Elana." The name came out as a whisper. then louder. "Elana."

The girl who waited years for him. The girl who had just gotten him back. The girl who was finally smiling again. How would she survive this? "How do I tell her?" His voice cracked. "How do I tell her that his Enzo is dead?" A sob escaped him. "How do I tell her that her future is gone s-she just recover from a trauma how will i give her another trauma?"

The next second he broke completely. His scream echoed through the ruined warehouse. "ENZOOOOO!" The sound was so painful that even the men nearby lowered their heads. Albert pulled him into a tight embrace. Holding him. Stopping him from collapsing completely. And several feet away Kiara watched everything. Every tear. Every scream. Every broken piece of Donato. Every shattered dream.

And for the first time in her life She truly understood the weight of her choices. Because this wasn't just her pain anymore. It was everyone's. And looking at Donato cry for the brother he thought he had lost Kiara realized that some guilt was so heavy that a person could spend an entire lifetime carrying it and still never be forgiven.

____

The ride back to the mansion felt like a funeral procession. No one spoke. No one even knew what to say. Inside the car, Donato sat motionless, his hands stained with soot and dried blood. His eyes remained fixed on nothing. He wasn't crying anymore. And somehow that was even worse.

Albert sat beside him, watching his younger brother carefully. The silence coming from Donato terrified him far more than the screaming had. A few minutes ago Donato had been crying, begging, calling Enzo's name. Now... Nothing. Just emptiness. The kind of emptiness that came after a soul had been shattered.

Behind them, in another car, Kiara sat frozen in her seat. Her entire body felt numb. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the same thing. The burning warehouse. The scattered bones. Donato's broken face. Enzo's name echoing through the flames. Her fingers trembled violently. This is my fault.

The thought repeated itself over and over. I brought destruction to everyone. she knows why lucas did this. He took revenge from her. Because of what she did in the past. A tear slipped down her cheek. Then another. And another. But she didn't wipe them away.

She didn't deserve comfort. Not after this. Not after what she had done. When the cars finally entered the Romano mansion, everyone rushed outside. Aravi. Lilli. Elana. Kavya. Rose. Sofia. Nonna. Everyone. They had been waiting for hours.

Praying. Hoping. Begging God to bring Kiara and Enzo home safely. The moment Donato stepped out of the car, all hope disappeared. Because one look at his face was enough. Something terrible had happened. Lilli's smile vanished instantly. Her mother's instincts screamed at her. Her eyes searched behind Donato. Then behind Albert. Then the other cars.

Looking for her son. Looking for Enzo. But he wasn't there. A strange fear wrapped around her heart. "Where is Enzo is he coming in another car?" Her voice came out weak. Nobody answered. The silence grew heavier. Lilli looked from one face to another. "Where is my son?" Still no answer.

Elana's heartbeat started racing. Her eyes searched desperately among the arriving men. He wasn't there. He wasn't there. He wasn't there. Fear gripped her throat. "Where's Enzo?" This time lilli's voice cracked. Donato lowered his head. That single movement made Albert close his eyes. And made Lilli stop breathing. "No..." She whispered. "No..."

"Donato." Her voice trembled. "Look at me." Slowly... Very slowly... Donato raised his head. His eyes were red. Destroyed. Broken. Lilli's legs almost gave out beneath her. Because she had seen those eyes before. Twenty years ago. The day her husband died. The same eyes. The same grief. The same helplessness. in another frame. in donato father eyes. that reflect same as his now. Her hand flew to her mouth.

"No..." A sob escaped her lips. "No..." "Tell me my son is okay." Nobody spoke. "Tell me." She screamed this time. "DONATO!" The sound echoed through the entire mansion. Everyone started crying. Because they already knew. Nobody wanted to say it. Nobody wanted to make it real. Donato's lips trembled.

His entire body shook. Then finally "He..." The word broke. A tear rolled down his face. he drope on his knees infront of her and wispred "He didn't come out." i-i am sorry aunt i didn't able to save my brother.

The world stopped. Lilli stared at him. Unable to process the words. Unable to understand them. "He didn't come out." i didn't able to save. The sentence repeated inside her head. Again. And again. And again. Then suddenly She screamed. A scream so heartbreaking that everyone present burst into tears.

"My son!" She collapsed to her knees. "My son!" Aravi immediately rushed forward and held her. Lilli cried uncontrollably. The cry of a mother who believed she had lost her child. The cry of a woman who had already buried her husband once. And now thought she had lost the last piece of him.

Nearby Elana stood completely still. Unlike everyone else. She wasn't crying. She wasn't moving. She wasn't breathing. Her eyes remained fixed on Donato. As if she had heard something impossible. Something her mind refused to accept. Enzo... Gone? No. That wasn't possible. Not her Enzo. Not the man who promised to marry her. Not the man who promised to stay. Not the man who had placed a ring on her finger.

____

Suddenly Elana laughed. The sound was so unexpected, so completely out of place, that every person in the room turned toward her. For a moment, nobody spoke. Nobody breathed. Because there was something terrifying about that laugh. It wasn't happiness. It wasn't relief. It was denial. Pure, desperate denial.

Slowly, Elana stepped forward until she stood directly in front of Donato. Her lips were curved into a small smile, but her eyes looked strangely empty. "Come on, brother," she said with a soft chuckle. drope the prank "This isn't funny." She glanced around the room. " look you make Lilli Aunt cry." Her smile widened slightly. "If Enzo finds out you made his mom cry, he'll be furious."

A few broken sobs escaped from the people around her. But Elana ignored them. She kept talking as if everything was normal. "As a matter of fact, I'm sure he's in another car." She nodded to herself. "That's it. He's probably on his way here right now." Another small laugh escaped her lips. "You're so silly, brother. Using a moment like this to play a prank."

The room shattered. Because everyone could see it. She wasn't accepting reality. Her mind was refusing to. Refusing to even consider a world where Enzo Morro no longer existed. Donato stared at her. His chest felt like it was being ripped apart. This was worse than his own grief. Much worse. Because he was watching the little sister he had raised break apart in front of him. And he had caused it.

His hands trembled violently as he reached for her. "Princess..." The single word cracked. Elana finally looked at him. Really looked at him. And for the first time she noticed the tears. Not just tears. Destruction. The kind of pain a person couldn't fake. The kind that came only after losing someone they loved more than themselves.

Donato grabbed her arms gently. His eyes were red. Swollen. Broken. "I-I'm sorry, Princess." His voice shattered completely. "Please forgive me." A sob escaped him. "I tried." His grip tightened. "I swear to God, I tried." Tears streamed down his face. "I tried so hard to save him." His knees nearly gave out. "But I failed."

The words echoed through the room like a death sentence. "I failed him." And then Donato Romano the man who never cried, never broke, never showed weakness pulled Elana into his arms and collapsed against her shoulder. Crying. Not silently. Not with dignity. But like a man whose heart had been ripped from his chest.

Elana stood frozen. Her brother's tears soaked her shoulder. His body shook uncontrollably. And suddenly...The wall she had built began to crack. Because Donato wasn't joking. He wasn't playing a cruel prank. He wasn't teasing her. He was mourning. The realization crept into her chest like poison. Slowly. Painfully. Unstoppably. Her smile faded. The color drained from her face. The world seemed to stop around her.

Her brother's tears soaked through her dress. His arms were wrapped around her as if he was trying to hold together something that had already shattered. But Elana couldn't understand why everyone was crying. Why were they looking at her like that? Why was her mother sobbing? Why was Lilli barely able to stand? Why was Donato apologizing?

No. No. This was wrong. Something was terribly wrong. "What do you mean you failed?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "Nothing happened to him." She pulled away from Donato and shook her head frantically. "Nothing happened to Enzo." A tear escaped her eye, but she quickly wiped it away.

"No. You're all lying." She forced a laugh. A broken laugh. A desperate laugh. "He's helping you, isn't he?" she asked, looking around wildly. "This is a prank." Her eyes searched every face. "Come on, Enzo." Her voice grew louder. "Stop hiding." Silence. "Stop this prank! I don't like it!" Her breathing became uneven. "If you don't come out right now, I swear I will never forgive you!"

Her scream echoed through the ruined warehouse. Everyone flinched. But nobody answered. Because nobody could. Donato lowered his head. Albert closed his eyes. Lilli broke into fresh sobs. The silence terrified Elana more than anything. "Elana..." Donato whispered.

But she stepped away. "No." She shook her head harder. "No." Albert moved toward her carefully and took her trembling hand. "Listen to me, baby." His own voice cracked. "You have to stay strong."

"No." "He..." Albert swallowed painfully. "He isn't here anymore."

"No." Elana yanked her hand away. you're mistaken." Her words began tumbling out faster and faster. "You misunderstood something. "He can't die." Tears streamed down her face. "He can't." Her chest rose and fell violently. "Let me talk to him." She grabbed Albert's arm. "Take me there."

"Elana---" "Take me there brother!" She was crying openly now. "If I call him, he'll come." Her voice broke. "You know he always listens to me." She looked desperately at her father. "Dad, tell them." Her lips trembled. "He never refuses me anything." More tears spilled down her cheeks. "If I ask him to come back, he'll come back."

Her breathing hitched. "I know him." Her voice became weaker. "He won't leave me." Another sob escaped her. "He promised me." Aravi collapsed into Alessandro's arms, crying uncontrollably. Lilli covered her mouth. Nobody could bear listening to her. Because every word was filled with hope.

And hope was the cruelest thing in the room. "Dad..." Elana whispered. "Please." Her voice sounded like a lost child. "Take me to him." She looked around helplessly. "I'll bring him back." The tears wouldn't stop. "I know I can." Nobody spoke. Nobody knew what to say. Then Albert finally grabbed her shoulders.

His own eyes were red. His face was wet with tears. "Elana." She stared at him. "He'll come back," she whispered desperately. "He will. Her scream echoed through the ruins. Albert's heart broke. But he knew someone had to say it. Someone had to stop the delusion before it consumed her completely. So he shouted. The loudest he had ever shouted at her.

"HE IS DEAD, ELANA!" The words struck like a bullet. Silence. Absolute silence. Elana stopped breathing. Her entire body went rigid. Her eyes widened. For a second, she looked like she had forgotten how to blink. Forgotten how to move. Forgotten how to exist. The world disappeared.

The cries. Everything vanished. There was only one sentence left. He is dead. He is dead. He is dead. Something inside her shattered. A sound tore from her throat. Not a cry. Not a sob. A scream. A raw, horrifying scream filled with enough pain to break every heart present.

"ENZOOOOOOOOOOO!"

The sound echoed across the mansion. Aravi breake completely. Lilli screamed and cried. Donato covered his face. Albert looked away. And Elana... Elana's body simply gave up. Her knees buckled. Her eyes rolled back. And she collapsed into darkness before anyone could reach her.
___

The sound of Elana's collapse still echoed through the mansion long after Albert carried her inside. Everyone rushed after him in panic. Aravi could barely walk properly through her tears while Kavya wrapped an arm around Lilli, practically supporting her weight. The older woman looked shattered beyond recognition. Her face was pale, her hands trembling violently as sob after sob escaped her lips.

Behind them all, Kiara walked silently. No one looked at her. No one noticed her. No one even remembered she was there.

Albert carried Elana upstairs and gently placed her on the bed. The moment her body touched the mattress, he realized something was wrong. Even unconscious, she was trembling. Her fingers twitched constantly, and tears continued slipping from beneath her closed eyelids as if her heart refused to accept what her mind had finally heard.

"Elana..." Albert whispered brokenly. There was no response. Only trembling. Only pain. Lilli stumbled toward the bed. "My baby..." she sobbed. She sat beside Elana and immediately broke down again. Looking at the engagement ring still resting on the young girl's finger destroyed whatever strength she had left.

Just a few days ago they had been discussing wedding dates. Just a few days ago Enzo had been smiling. Just a few days ago he had been alive. Now his fiancée lay unconscious on a bed while his mother mourned him. Lilli covered her face and cried harder. Then suddenly she looked up. Her swollen eyes found Donato.

"Donato..." she whispered. The room fell silent. Donato stood near the doorway looking completely destroyed. His suit was covered in soot and ash. His hands still shook uncontrollably. Lilli slowly stood. "How?" she asked.Her voice broke. "How did this happen?" Donato couldn't answer. He lowered his head. Lilli took another step toward him.

"Wasn't he there to save Kiara?" she cried. "He went there for her." Another sob escaped her. "My son went there to save her." Her knees almost gave out. "Then how..." she choked. "Why is my son dead?" The question shattered the room. Nobody had an answer. Nobody. Aravi began crying again.

Kavya turned away, wiping tears from her face. even Alberto stood motionless, unable to find words. Because there were none. There was no explanation that could ease a mother's pain. No explanation that could bring Enzo back. Donato finally looked at Lilli. His eyes were red. Broken. Empty. "I-i am so sorry, Aunt." His voice came out barely above a whisper. The confession hurt more than any scream.

Because it was true. He didn't know. He didn't know how everything had gone so wrong. He didn't know how he had failed the person he loved like a brother. He didn't know how he was supposed to face Lilli. Or Elana. Or himself. A broken sound escaped his throat. "I should have been there." Silence. "I should have protected him."

Another tear slid down his face. "He trusted me." His voice cracked completely. "And I failed him." Lilli stared at him for several seconds. Then something inside her broke. She walked forward and grabbed his face with both hands. "No." Her voice trembled. "No, Donato." Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. "You were his brother." She shook her head.

"He loved you more than anyone." Her lips quivered. "And I know..." she whispered. "I know if there was even the smallest chance to save him..." She burst into tears again. "...you would have burned with him." That was enough. Donato finally collapsed. He dropped to his knees beside the bed.

His shoulders shook violently as years of strength, authority, and control disappeared. For the first time in a very long time...Donato Romano cried like a helpless little boy. And the room cried with him. While on the bed, Elana remained unconscious. A single tear continued sliding down her cheek. As if even in darkness...her heart was still searching for Enzo.

Looking at her husband like that, Kiara felt something inside her shatter. For year she had seen Donato angry. She had seen him ruthless. She had seen him terrifying. But she had never seen him broken. And that hurt far more than any punishment he could ever give her. Slowly, she stepped forward. The room fell silent.

Everyone's eyes followed her. Rose's words still echoed in their minds. The accusations. The secrets. The truth that had exploded into the open only hours ago. No one knew what to believe anymore. No one except Kiara. Because she knew every sin she had committed. Every mistake. Every obsession. Every secret. And now Enzo was gone.

Whether it was her fault or not, she could no longer separate the guilt from the pain. Her trembling legs carried her toward Lilli. The older woman was sitting beside Elana's bed, crying uncontrollably. Her entire body shook as she held her unconscious future daughter-in-law's hand. Kiara's vision blurred. She dropped to her knees too in front of her.

"Aunt..." Her voice broke instantly. "I-I'm sorry." No response. Only Lilli's sobs. Kiara lowered her head. Tears splashed onto the floor. "I'm so sorry." Still nothing. "Please forgive me..." The words barely escaped her lips. That was when she felt a hand suddenly grab her wrist. Hard. So hard it hurt. Before she could react Donato yanked her upward.

The entire room gasped. Kiara stumbled. The moment she looked into his eyes, her heart stopped. There was no warmth there. Only grief. "It's all because of you." His voice was low. Deadly. Broken. Donato's chest rose and fell violently. His eyes were bloodshot. Tears still stained his face. "Because of you..." His voice cracked. "I lost my brother."

Kiara's lips trembled. "Ro... please-"

"Leave."

The single word cut through her like a blade. "Please, let me explain-"

"I said leave, Kiara." His voice rose. "Leave before I do something that will make both of us regret it." The fury in his tone made her flinch.

"Ro, listen to me. I'll tell you everything. Please-" But he wasn't listening. Not anymore. Not when Enzo's name was echoing inside his head. Not when the image of that burned warehouse was still haunting him.

Donato grabbed her wrist. Not gently. lovingly. The way he always had. This time his grip was rough. Desperate. Angry. Kiara gasped as he dragged her toward the door.

"Ro-"

The bedroom door swung open. And in the next second he pushed her outside. She stumbled backward, barely managing to keep her balance.For a moment everything went still. Slowly...She lifted her face and looked back at him.

Tears streamed silently down her cheeks. Donato stood at the doorway. His hand was still raised slightly. Shaking. As if even he couldn't believe what he had just done. For the briefest second guilt flashed across his face. A tiny crack in the wall of anger.

Then Enzo's name echoed inside his head again. And the guilt vanished beneath the crushing weight of grief. "Leave." His voice was barely above a whisper. Yet it hurts more than the push More than the accusations. More than everything else combined.

Kiara stared at him. Unable to breathe.  to think. to understand how everything had fallen apart so quickly. "Ro please list-"

"LEAVE!"

The roar shook the entire room. Even unconscious, Elana flinched on the bed. Lilli broke down into fresh sobs. Aravi covered her mouth. Albert closed his eyes. Donato pointed toward the hallway.

His entire body is shaking. "I don't want to see you for now." The words finally broke her. Not the push but Those words.Because for the first time since she had met him...
Donato Romano looked at her like she was a stranger. Like she no longer belonged beside him.  she wasn't his wife anymore.

Kiara closed her eyes. A broken sob escaped her lips. Then she nodded. Once. Slowly. Accepting the punishment. Accepting the blame. Accepting every ounce of hatred he threw at her. Without defending herself. Without explaining. Without fighting.

Because if losing Enzo was the price of her mistakes... Then she deserved every bit of his anger. Her trembling fingers wiped at her tears. But they wouldn't stop falling. They never would. Not after this. Not after seeing the man she loved look at her with such pain.

Without another word... Kiara turned around. And walked out of the room the sound of her footsteps echoed through the hallway. Each step carrying her farther from the room. from the family.   from the man she loved.

And when the door finally closed behind her... Something inside both of them broke. Neither one knew if it could ever be repaired again.

Surprise 🎉😉