Days after the tense meeting with Ramos, Lucas found himself restless. The mansion, once a gilded cage, now felt like a battlefield. He was caught in the crossfire of a world he didn’t belong to, yet something kept him from running away.

One evening, Lucas wandered into the library. He found Elena sitting alone, a glass of wine in her hand and a rare look of fatigue on her face.

“Didn’t think you drank to unwind,” Lucas said, his voice cutting through the quiet.

Elena glanced up, startled but composed. “Even devils need a break sometimes,” she replied dryly.

He walked over, sitting across from her. “You look… different. Tired.”

She chuckled softly. “Ramos has been pushing harder than I expected. I’m playing a dangerous game, Lucas.”

“Then why keep playing?” he asked, genuinely curious.

Her eyes met his, and for a moment, he saw the girl behind the mafia queen. “Because I don’t know how to stop. This life—it’s all I’ve ever known.”

Lucas hesitated before speaking. “Maybe it doesn’t have to be.”

Elena smiled faintly but said nothing. The silence between them was heavy, but not uncomfortable. For the first time, Lucas saw her as more than just a ruthless leader—she was human, carrying a weight he couldn’t fully comprehend.