Her graduation day finally arrived.
She dressed carefully, hoping that the day might feel special despite everything that had happened.
But when she looked around, the truth was painfully obvious.
Her parents weren’t coming.
Her brother wasn’t coming.
Sofia had other priorities.
Her grandmother, Rebecca, had wanted to attend, but travelling was difficult for her, and she couldn’t make the journey.
Isabella stood quietly for a moment, holding back her disappointment.
She had imagined this day differently.
For once, she had hoped her family might look at her with pride.
Instead, she was going alone.
She wiped her eyes, straightened her clothes, and lifted her chin.
I worked hard for this. I don’t need anyone’s permission to be proud of myself.
She attended the graduation ceremony by herself.
She listened to the speeches, collected her certificate, and smiled for the photographs.
And although the empty space beside her hurt, she refused to let it ruin the day.
She had accomplished something important.
That was enough.
At least, she tried to convince herself it was.
Chapter 9: The Empty Apartment
By the time the ceremony ended, evening had fallen.
Isabella stopped at a small restaurant and bought dinner before returning home.
She was exhausted.
All she wanted was to eat, check Dante’s dressing, and finally rest.
But when she opened the apartment door, something felt wrong.
The room was silent.
“Don?”
No answer.
She placed the food on the table.
“Dante?”
Nothing.
Her smile faded.
She hurried into the bedroom.
Empty.
She checked the bathroom.
Empty.
The kitchen.
Empty.
Her breathing became uneven.
“No… no, no, no.”
She searched every room again, moving faster each time.
He couldn’t have gone far.
He was still recovering.
He had been wearing the collar.
The collar—
Isabella stopped.
Slowly, she turned towards the sofa.
There, lying on the cushion, was the neck collar.
The chain rested beside it.
But Dante Moretti was gone.
Isabella stared at the collar, unable to move.
Her fingers began to tremble.
A terrible thought crept into her mind.
What if he found a way to contact his men?
What if he was already on his way back?
What if he knew everything?
She swallowed hard and clutched the collar in both hands.
For the first time since she had begun her dangerous little game, Isabella wasn’t smiling.
Because the devil she had managed to put on a leash had disappeared.
And she had absolutely no idea where he was.
End of Book 2
To be continued...