บททั้งหมดของ Shadows of the Vow: บทที่ 71 - บทที่ 80

Antonioni’s POVThe report came across my desk that morning. The government wasn’t just shipping drugs to Africa anymore, they wanted eyes on the ground in West Africa. As the executive president of the World Health Logistics Consortium, I had promised to cover logistics personally and get the drugs across to the West African country, but now they needed the team to be on ground.I tapped the screen again to zoom in on Dr. Weiss’ face, frowning. “Which part?”“The Gambia,” Dr. Weiss replied. “A country still staggering under malaria. They’re asking for a full visit. And… they’ll host you properly. Entertain, even.”I rubbed my chin. “Entertain?”“Cocktails, formal dinners, the works. But make no mistake,” the Dr. Weiss added, “they expect results.”I leaned back in my chair, letting the words sink in. My gut tightened. Normally, this isn’t my world. Drugs, fronts, arms and shadows, that’s what I know. Governments, hospitals, charity tours… that’s a stage I’m only invited to, not meant

Antonioni's POV She had rehearsed it. I could see it in the way she entered, measured, restrained, like her breath carried a script she’d rewritten ten times in her head. The slight bite of her lower lip was no accident. She was trying to soften the blow. Make it feel like a question when she already knew what she wanted.I sat there, glass in hand, tasting the sharp weight of the day. Swirling that golden poison because some nights, silence begged for company. I saw her come in, but I didn’t speak.“I want to be trained,” She said.My brow lifted. I was surprised, but not confused. Although I had made her the offer the other night, she had been edging toward it.“Trained?” I asked, watching the shift in her shoulders, the clarity in her tone.“I’ve come to learn,” She said, “that I could be more. I could help. You could trust me more. I want to understand your world. Be of use to it. Be of use to you.”There it was. That last line. Be of use to me. She had no idea how that sentence

Idrenzo's POV The espresso on the desk quivered with every pass of my boots. Half-full. Or maybe half-drained by rage. The light above buzzed once and held steady, as it knew better than to flicker under my fury.No one spoke. No one dared.Inside my Safehouse Office were Scales, Felix, and Marta.“I sent you to Sardinia to murder Elias II Fantasma… Instead, you went to murder a boy.” I roared at Scales.The words fought their way out of my throat, each syllable ringing with disbelief, restraint, and something deeper I hadn’t yet named.He stood there, Scales, shoulders rigid, eyes flitting. Couldn’t even look me straight in the face. His lip twitched like he might say something. I hoped he wouldn’t.But he did.“It was him, lord. We had confirmation…”Palm. Table. Thunder.“You went to Sardinia to murder a boy. An orphan. Elias. Who wasn’t even the one.”He flinched. Good. But still spoke. That one? He always speaks even if he's scared.“I carefully used all the information Zanesvil

Annabelle's POV I woke up with shame sitting somewhere between my throat and my stomach.Not regret, but shame. No, regret would have been easier. Regret has explanations, reasons, and justifications.This… didn’t.It was the memory of how Antonioni had slammed me against that wall the night before. The night Marta came.How I moaned loud, needy, and completely gone. How I held his shoulders like I was begging him not to stop.How I didn’t even care that the hallway light was on or that anyone could’ve walked past.I’ve never moaned like that before in my life. And I hated that I loved it.I hated even more that my body remembered him before my mind did.My cheeks heated just thinking about it. I buried my face in my hands and whispered, “God, what’s wrong with me?”But God didn’t answer. He rarely does when you’re asking about the things you enjoyed but shouldn’t have.My phone buzzed.His message.“We’re going to Prague in one hour for Léon Fierro’s burial. Your dress is here and w

Annabelle’s POV   I thought I heard him almost say “I love you,” but he shut his mouth back up. Later that night, after Fireloop, I ran a bath, but didn’t get in. Just stared at the water. My body was tired, but my mind was louder than ever. I remembered his face as I left that tray by his bed. I remembered how he didn’t say a thing all day, but watched me like I was something he couldn’t touch without unraveling. Even when we met, he only gave just a nod of ‘congratulations.’ And his mouth remained shut. I hated how much I still wanted him to speak. To at least congratulate me for trying. But Bukky's words crawled into my head, “work hard and don't expect to be praised for it.” I could do that but I'm human too. A woman at that. But more th