I nod along, trying to keep my head in the game and not succumb to my grief.
But Lia is right. That is exactly the beauty of Allegra. No matter how many times she gets knocked down, she always rises up stronger.
My little tigress…
"You can imagine my surprise seeing her at the hospital. Knowing how much they hate each other, I didn't think Miss Chiara would care about Miss Allegra's birth. So I waited around, suspicious of her visit."
My muscles are tense as I wait for her to continue.
"She was in there for too long. And at some point, another man came in. But it was when he left that I knew something was up," she sniffles, her voice getting clogged up.
"He was carrying one of those portable hospital beds, and even from a distance, I could see there was a body on it, covered only by a sheet," she pauses, and my heart drops. Because I can imagine what follows. My hands automatically go to Luca's ears, hoping he won't hear the gruesome details of his mother's murder.
"I followed him to the hospital morgue, where he droppedthe body. When he left, I went in. My…" her voice breaks, "my Miss was lying there, bloodied and unmoving… Half her face had been smashed to pieces, and I could barely recognize her."
I look away, that detail threatening to break the tight control I have over my anger.
"I didn't know what to do. I started crying and wailing over her body. But then I noticed something. She was still breathing—barely, but it was there."
I whip my head around faster than a projectile, my hands falling from Luca's ears.
"You mean… she's alive?" I barely trust myself to speak, feeling like a whole Pandora's box of emotions has opened within me.
Lia nods.
"Where? Where is she?" I stand up, ready to go to wherever my little tigress is.
"She's not… well."
"What do you mean?"
"I managed to get her out of there and get her some medical help by lying that she was my daughter, but… the Marchesis have been looking for me. They sent someone to where I was staying, and I'm sure they won't rest until I'm dead."
"Don't worry about that. Nothing will happen to you," I assure her, a little impatient. "Allegra. Where is Allegra?"
"She's in a coma,Signor. I moved her to a nursing home and they have her hooked up to machines, but... they don't know how much longer..."
"No," I whisper. "She can't die. Not now that I have her back. Let's go to her, and we can discuss a plan later."
Lia seems unsure as she looks between me andmaman.
"That's exactly why I didn't come until now, Signor. I don't know if I can trust you. I know my Miss needs better care, and it's imperative she gets moved to a better facility, but... will you save her or kill her?"
She looks me straight in the eye as I do the only thing I can think of.
I fall to my knees in front of her.
"Please," I start, my voice shaky, "I love her more than anything in this world. Please... let me save her." I implore her, using all my emotions to imbue my words and hoping it will be enough.
"I was right in my initial assessment of you, Enzo Agosti," she finally says, standing up.
"Let's go get your wife."
We switch cars twice before we reach the location, the goal being to keep anyone from following us.
When we finally go inside, Lia grabs my arm to warn me.
"She doesn't look like the Allegra you knew."
