The cemetery is empty, and only a few people are around for Chiara's funeral—because I refuse to believe the body in that box is Allegra's.
I simply refuse.
For days now, I'd tried to reach Lia to get confirmation that my little tigress is alive, but it's been all for nothing. It's like she disappeared into thin air.
While the silence is nerve-racking, it's giving me hope Allegra is alive and she's just biding her time until her last victim has his guard down. Because what better time to strike than when someone is at their lowest.
I look around at the people in attendance—my sister with her husband and a few of the staff. I hadn't been able to keep this from them when the news had broken out, but I'd been able to at least delayeveryone elseknowing.
My wife is not dead.
"Enzo," Lina says, coming to take my hand and looking at me with worry in her eyes.
"I'm fine," I say, my voice a little too brusque. I don't think I can deal with these people offering me their condolences when my little tigress is still alive.
"If you need anything…" she continues, but I just shake my head, extricating myself from her hold.
"I just need to find Luca," is all I say, and I move to leave, my eyes meeting Marcello's as he comes to hug Lina. "Take care of her, will you?" I address him shortly before heading back home.
MamanMargot is playing with Luca in the living room, and the moment he sees me, he runs toward me, hugging my legs.
"Papa," he exclaims, his bright eyes full of blithe energy.
"How's my boy?" I ask as I lift him into my arms, kissing the crown of his head.
"Good.Mamanplayed with me all morning," he starts telling me about his day, happily chatting away.
Maman is in a corner, looking at me with a strange expression on her face.
Soon, Luca starts yawning, and I know it's time for his nap, so I take him to his room to put him to bed. Swinging by my own room, I take off my blazer and undo my tie.
"You're not well, Enzo,"mamansays when I come down, my fingers wrapped around the neck of a bottle of Jack.
"I'm fine,maman. I told you like I told everyone. I'mjustfine," I answer as I plop myself in a chair, removing a cigarette from my pack and lighting it.
"You're not. Anyone can see you're not. Allegra…"
"That wasn't Allegra," I interrupt her aggressively. "Allegra's alive and well, and she'll come back," I say with all the conviction I can muster.
Because I can't allow myself to think for even one moment that she's gone. Not again. I can't go through that again becausethis time, I fear I might actually do something stupid…and there's still Luca to consider.
No, I simply can't go down that rabbit hole.
"Enzo, you have to face the possibility that maybe…"
I shake my head vigorously.
"She's alive, and Iknowshe'll come for me. Whether to kill me or to love me, I don't care. She can shoot me as many times as she likes as long as I have tangible proof she's alive," I mumble, not making much sense. "She's just trying to make me suffer."
"Enzo,"mamanstarts, her tone worried, "you're being delusional," she continues, taking the bottle from me. "This isn't the way to go about things."
"And what am I supposed to do?" I ask, my voice ragged, the words almost broken. "Accept that she's gone? Because I can't."
The more I try to force the words out, the more my eyes grow wet, the moisture threatening to spill down my cheeks. I wipe it away with the back of my hand, taking a deep breath and trying to calm myself.
"She's alive," I say again, trying to convince myself more than anything.
Mamanshakes her head, slowly coming toward me.
