The next morning—or afternoon, depending on your perspective—arrives far quicker than I would have liked. The sharp pain shooting through my shoulder brings back memories of the previous night. Barely have I managed to sit up when the creak of my door catches my attention, and I see Andy's curious face peeking in. Her expression quickly shifts to concern as she notices my grimace of pain.

"Did I do a poor job patching you up last night ?" she asks, worry in her voice as she approaches.

"No, no, don't worry. You did great, it's just the pain kicking in," I reassure her.

"Well, brace yourself because it's not going to get any better from here."

"News from our exploits yesterday ?"

"I don't think the word exploit came up. Catastrophe, terrorist act, cruel, inhuman... yeah, all that, but exploit? Nope, doesn't seem to be ringing any bells," she replies sarcastically. "You should see for yourself. The guys are watching the news right now," she adds, stepping aside to let me pass.

Without further hesitation, I painfully drag myself out of bed and join Andrea and Amadeo in the living room.

They are mirror images of each other, jaws clenched to the point of breaking, bodies hunched forward, elbows on their knees, and hands clasped tightly in fists. Their focus is so locked on the screen that they don't even glance at me when I enter.

Without saying a word, I sit beside them, my eyes and mind fixated on the television.

"This morning, the nation woke up in shock. Late last night, our reporters witnessed a violent tragedy: the criminal explosion of the Feniosso manor. The bodies of the four family members and their staff have been found and are currently being identified. Unfortunately, no survivors have been discovered.

Before returning to the house and meeting his end, young Adriel delivered a cryptic message:

'Rising from its ashes, stronger than before, the phoenix spreads a wave of flames and chaos that will consume each of its prey.'

This alarming message raises many questions. Is it a prelude to more tragedies ? A personal vendetta ? A test run ? Or a tragic accident ? Let us remind you that the Feniosso family was deeply embedded in the Sicilian Mafia. Could there be a connection ? I leave you with these questions and hope to return soon with more details. This was..."

I stop listening as soon as the report ends, and I turn to Andrea and Amadeo.

"Why do you both look so shocked ? We knew this would cause a stir," I ask them.

"In normal circumstances, when we handle business, we do it in the shadows, not on the front page. What you've done is unprecedented," Andrea confesses.

"Why did you call the journalists ?" Amadeo interrupts, his brow furrowed, eyes drilling into me.

"I asked Luis to call them as soon as he tracked us to the Feniosso manor. I wanted to make noise. My reputation, feared for reasons that were never quite clear, now has real substance behind it. Even though they don't know I'm the one responsible, the mere fact that I'm unafraid to put my actions on display makes me a formidable enemy. One who can't be controlled. You can't blackmail me by threatening to expose what I've done, because everyone already knows—without knowing who the Phoenix is. I want people to shudder at the mere mention of the fiery bird. To whisper in fear, wondering where the next strike will land and who will be the target. Like a cancer that invades unnoticed, I've wormed my way into everyone's minds, feeding on the anxiety and terror my act has sparked," I reply with unsettling calm.

"You're completely insane," he mutters, wrinkling his nose.

"Thank you for the compliment. Now, let's talk about you. What did you pull off yesterday? Why did you jeopardize our plan by withholding crucial information ?" I ask, suspicious.

"I never intended to jeopardize anything. I got the information at the last moment, when I greeted him. He told me that after the transaction, I was to follow him to the Feniosso manor. I didn't have time to tell you—he was dead the next minute."

"Fine. And the comment about the maid ? Amadeo, it's simple: if this job is too emotionally or morally difficult for you, you're out. Yes, I will kill anyone remotely connected to the mafia. If that's an issue, leave, or I don't want to hear another remark like that," I say firmly.

"No problem. Everything's fine," he replies calmly, sinking deeper into the couch.

Before I can respond, a voice makes the hairs on my arms stand on end.

"Well, well, well, what a charming little den for a grieving widow."

The tension gripping me intensifies the pain electrifying my shoulder. I turn slowly to see Isabella's smug face darken my field of vision.

"How delightful to see familiar faces here," she says, glancing at Amadeo and Andrea before fixing her gaze on me. "Why so much tension in the air ?"

"Nothing that concerns you. I see Yolanda passed on my message," I reply.

"May, why did you give her your address ? Couldn't you two have met somewhere else ?" Andrea cuts in.

Without breaking her gaze from mine, Isabella responds.

"She... She never told me where she lived," she reveals slowly, as if realizing the truth with each word.

My lips curl into a smile at her sudden understanding.

"Indeed. I wanted to test a theory, and now I'm certain. You're the one who broke into my place, aren't you ?"

A single, knowing smile answers my question without her needing to say another word.

"Andrea, Andy, Amadeo, could you leave us, please ?"

"B-but—"

"Please," I insist.

In silence, the soft rhythm of footsteps fills the room, growing fainter until the sound is swallowed by the closing door.

"Well, go ahead, I'm listening," she says, crossing her arms.

"I need access to Raphael's papers. Specifically, the ones related to his real estate acquisitions."

Her eyebrows lift, and a smirk pulls at the corner of her lips as a contained laugh escapes.

"Why would you want those ?"

"Ezio's past has resurfaced in the form of Nume. She wants me to find his daughter, whom he buried years ago in a place only he knew."

"And what does Raphael have to do with it ?"

"Every property Ezio purchased went through him. He couldn't buy anything without his father being involved."

"Okay, but what makes you think the body isn't buried in the open ? Why would he have bought land just to bury a corpse ?"

"To make it harder for his enemies to find the body. On private property, the legal barriers complicate matters for both mafia and police. He was so determined to keep the location secret that I can't imagine he'd risk burying the body in the open where anyone could stumble upon it."

"You think just because it's on private property, his enemies would turn around at a 'No Trespassing' sign ? Seriously, what world are you living in ?" she mocks.

"I need those papers. They'll either confirm or disprove my theory," I say through gritted teeth.

"No. Nothing would please me more than to see you fail."

"And yet, here you are."

"Don't mistake my morbid curiosity for compassion."

"Well, you leave me no choice."

I pull out my phone and show her the autopsy results.

"Yeah, okay, and ?"

"His digoxin levels are above normal, meaning he was either poisoned or committed suicide. But given that this kind of medication is taken long-term, it's unlikely he used it as a quick means to an end."

"So you suspect me ? Good for you."

"We're past suspicion. I know it was you."

A laugh erupts from her throat.

"Alright, then. What proof do you have ?" she asks, arms still crossed, eyes full of disdain.

"When I came to see you, you were away, and Yolanda let me in to wait."

Before I can finish my sentence, confusion furrows Isabella's brows.

"That treacherous witch," she hisses between clenched teeth. "She knew full well I was going to be gone for a while."

My smile widens as I continue.

"An enemy in your own ranks ? That's quite the mess."

Her lips curl into a wide smile again before dissolving into spontaneous laughter.

"Enough. Get to the point, May."

"She told me you killed Raphael."

I tense slightly as I finish the sentence. She didn't say it outright, but her words, coupled with my instincts and Yolanda's unspoken confession, left no doubt.

Despite her crossed arms, the whitened knuckles of her fists betray the intensity of her grip. Jaw clenched, eyes dark, she replies:

"And you think that with her little confession, you can blackmail me? All this proves is that you broke the law. You're no mafia boss, May. No one fears you. If I go down, you'll pay a steeper price than I ever will. You tried to trap me, but in the end, you've snared yourself by confessing your crime over Raphael's corpse. Nice try, but you've forgotten your place. I've got as much dirt on you as you do on me—except when I fall, I'll survive, and you won't."

"Performing an autopsy isn't a crime."

"Oh, don't take me for a fool. If you managed to divert his body for an autopsy, I'm sure you didn't stop there. I'd bet good money that if I ordered his casket exhumed, I'd find anything but his rotting corpse inside! So go ahead, send my regards to Nume when you meet her. Enjoy your last days while you can."

With a forced smile, she exits with the same quiet steps she'd entered on.

Still reeling from our encounter, it takes me a few seconds to realize my mistake in revealing Yolanda's involvement. Fearing for her safety, I call her immediately. Met only by her voicemail, I try again and again but get no response. Without another thought, I jump on my bike, determined to check on her.

I tear through the miles at breakneck speed, pushing the limits, arriving at the Madini manor sooner than expected.