“No—no!Nicola, no!”Mom’s voice tore through the air.
“Valentina,” he said darkly, “I have to do this.Your daughter asked for this — and now she’s going to get it.You’ll see exactly what I can do in one second.”
My eyes darted between them.My throat closed.I couldn’t breathe.I could barely speak.
“Nicola, no, plea—”
The gunshot split the air.
Mom screamed.
An excruciating, burning pain ripped through my stomach.My world stopped the instant the bullet hit.Everything blurred.My mind went silent.I pressed my trembling hands against my abdomen and felt hot blood pouring through my fingers.The pain was unbearable, deep and searing.My hands—my whole body—were covered in red.
My chest felt heavy, every breath shorter than the last.The sounds around me faded.I didn’t even realize I’d collapsed until I saw the ceiling—white, distant, spinning.My body was numb, the pain burning only in one place.
“Ariana!”Mom’s voice reached me, muffled and broken.I blinked and saw her through hazy vision as she dropped to her knees beside me.Her arms were around me before I could even speak.
“Oh my God!Ariana, stay awake, cara!Stay with me!Keep your eyes open!”
“M...mom...”I whimpered, “it h-hurts...”My body shook as I tried to reach for her hand.“Mom...”
Her sobs were the last sound I heard before everything went dark.My eyes fluttered once, twice—then the darkness swallowed me whole.
CHAPTER 9
Ariana's POV
I looked up to see the most beautiful smile I’d ever seen in my entire life.The echoes of our laughter carried across the field as we sat together on the grass, side by side.When he leaned in to kiss me, I closed my eyes and felt my heart flutter wildly in my chest — like it could barely contain how much I loved him.
I knew I was in love.So much love.
“I love you, Ariana.”
My lips froze against his as the words sank in.I’d never heard them leave his mouth before, and to hear them now completely disarmed me.
I pulled back slightly, licking my lips as I stared at him.“What?”I whispered.
