Three weeks had passed since their quiet, golden week together. Venice shimmered in the background, but for Lorenzo and Emma, the world outside their villa was never truly safe.
Emma had begun to feel subtle changes—fatigue, tenderness, strange fluttering sensations—but she didn't mention them. Her doctor had warned her to take it easy, to avoid any risks, and she had promised herself she would.
Yet danger had a way of finding her.
The attack came without warning. Emma was walking along a quiet street near a warehouse—following a lead from Lorenzo about suspicious activity—when a group of masked men surrounded her. They moved quickly, expertly, and before she could react, a hand grabbed her arm.
"Emma!" she heard Lorenzo's voice shouted from across the street—but he was too far, and she had been warned to avoid fighting recklessly. Her heart hammered, but she stayed calm, letting herself be pulled into a van, silent and controlled.
Inside the vehicle, fear twisted in her chest. She couldn't fight. She couldn't even struggle much, because every movement could endanger the tiny life inside her.
The van screeched to a halt. The kidnappers dragged her into a dark warehouse. The air smelled of oil and rust, the shadows pressing close. And then… the fire.
Vittorio's men had set the place ablaze. Flames licked the walls, smoke curling into the high rafters. Panic clawed at her chest as heat and smoke began to overwhelm her senses. She gasped, trying to keep calm, focusing on her breathing—but her body was screaming, trapped and helpless.
Outside, Lorenzo had received the tip that something was wrong. He didn't hesitate. The dark streets blurred as he drove at breakneck speed, the city's beauty replaced by his singular focus: Emma.
When he arrived at the warehouse, the fire roared like a beast, smoke curling high into the night. Without a second thought, he dove into the chaos, dodging falling beams and flames, his eyes scanning desperately.
"Emma!" he called, voice sharp, slicing through the crackling inferno.
Through the smoke, he saw her—lying unconscious on the floor, surrounded by fire. His chest tightened. Rage and fear collided in him. Vittorio emerged from the shadows, brandishing a knife, but Lorenzo moved with lethal precision, striking him down. Every blow, every move, fueled by love and desperation. Vittorio crumpled, the threat finally neutralized.
Lorenzo grabbed Emma in his arms, wrapping her close as if his strength alone could shield her from the flames. "Emma! Stay with me!" he shouted, voice raw, hoarse. "Don't you dare leave me!"
The heat singed his hair, smoke stung his eyes, but he didn't falter. Every second mattered. With one final burst of effort, he carried her out of the warehouse and into the night, away from the roaring fire.
At the hospital, chaos continued, but Lorenzo refused to leave her side. Doctors worked quickly, checking vitals, monitoring her closely. He paced, his mind racing, heart hammering—not just from fear, but from the realization of what this meant.
Finally, one of the doctors stepped aside. "She's stable… but you need to know," he said gently, eyes flicking to Lorenzo. "She's pregnant. But it was touch and go. She's lucky."
Lorenzo's hand went to his forehead, breath coming in sharp, uneven bursts. Relief, fear, and love crashed together. "She's… safe?" he asked, voice low, almost disbelieving.
"She is," the doctor said. "Thanks to you, she's alive… and so is the baby. But she needs complete rest. No more risk, understood?"
Lorenzo sank into a chair beside her, his hand finding hers, fingers curling tightly around hers. "You scared me," he murmured, voice breaking. "I almost… I almost lost you."
Emma stirred slightly, opening her eyes, weak but alive. She managed a small smile. "You… saved me," she whispered.
"I'll always save you," he replied, brushing her hair from her forehead, pressing a gentle kiss there. "I swear… always. No one will ever harm you while I'm breathing. And I'll keep you safe, always, and this little one too."
Tears pricked Emma's eyes, but she squeezed his hand back. "I… I knew you'd come."
Lorenzo rested his forehead against hers, heart pounding. "I will always come. No matter what. You're my life… and this baby is our future. I won't let anything take that from us."
In the quiet hospital room, surrounded by the hum of machines and the faint scent of antiseptic, they held onto each other tightly. Fire had destroyed the warehouse, but it had not destroyed them. Their bond had only grown stronger, forged through danger, love, and the promise of a life together