She blinked slowly, her eyes adjusting to the shift in light. A tall figure stood before her, backlit by the blinding sun. Her vision cleared.
"Tomasz?" she whispered.
It was him.
Tomasz stood still for a second, holding a bottle of water, a packed lunch, and a large umbrella that he quickly opened and tilted to shield her. He crouched to her level, eyes filled with concern.
"You shouldn't be out here like this," he said, voice steady but low, almost scolding. "Did no one check on you?"
"I….... I didn't expect anyone to come," she said, her voice raspy.
Without a word, Tomasz slid an arm around her shoulder and helped her sit up straighter. He gently unscrewed the water bottle and brought it to her lips.
"Small sips," he instructed softly. "You'll feel worse if you drink too fast."
She followed his guidance, letting the water cool her cracked lips and sore throat. The first few gulps felt like magic. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at him.
"How did you know where I was?" she asked, her voice steadier now.
"I've served Matteo long enough to know his hiding places," Tomasz replied, his eyes not leaving hers.
He paused, then added, "He has no right to treat you like this ."
She looked away, ashamed.
"I chose to stay, Tomasz. I thought I could wash my sins. I thought...."
He interrupted gently, "You thought your sacrifice would be enough for that."
Her eyes widened. She didn't respond.
Tomasz gently unlocked the chains with a small key. The sound of metal clicking open jolted Annelise.
Her eyes widened. "How did you get that? If he finds out… he'll kill you."
Tomasz stepped closer, his face just inches from hers, his breath brushing against her lips. She froze, her words caught in her throat.
Without saying anything, he draped a thin jacket over her trembling shoulders, his touch careful, almost reverent.
Tomasz gave her a sad smile. "I've seen that look before. You're not the first , But you might be the first he left like this."
Tears slid down her cheeks, silent and hot.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
"You don't owe me an apology." Tomasz brushed a strand of hair from her face. "You owe yourself better."
He opened the lunch packet and handed her a sandwich wrapped in paper. She took it with trembling hands.
He sat beside her, pulling the umbrella to better shade them both.
"Eat," he urged. "You need strength."
As she took a few bites, he pulled something from his pocket...a folded letter.
"This is for you," he said. "A message. From someone who couldn't speak to you directly."
Annelise stared at the letter, not recognizing the handwriting. Her fingers brushed it hesitantly.
"Who is it from?"
"Someone who saw you suffer… and wanted you to know the truth."
She looked up. "Truth?"
"You'll understand when you read it," he said. "But not now. Rest first."
For a moment, silence settled between them. The heat no longer felt suffocating with Tomasz by her side.
Then he said, almost in a whisper, "I waited a long time to see you like this.....not broken, but real. And maybe…... maybe I came not just to rescue you, but to remind you that there's still someone in this world who sees you."
Annelise's eyes filled with tears again, but this time not from pain. She reached out, holding his hand.
"Tomasz.....… thank you."
He squeezed her hand gently.
"I'm not leaving your side again."
The office was cool, sleek, and filled with silence. Matteo had just returned from a long meeting, but his expression betrayed no satisfaction. He walked straight into his private room and locked the door behind him.
From his blazer pocket, he pulled out a small, round device. A communication piece. He slid it into his left ear; it clicked into place seamlessly.
After listening to it for five minutes, he got angry.
He called someone. "Ladina."
A brief pause, then a voice answered. "Yes, sir?"
"Where are you?"
"On my way back to headquarters. Should be there in ten."
"And Annelise?"
Ladina hesitated. "I gave her the key and a jug of water like you asked. Didn't speak to her. Just left it in front of her."
Matteo's brow furrowed.
"She said anything to you?"
"No. She didn't even look up."
"Fine," he said sharply and disconnected.
Matteo stood still, jaw clenched. He paced once, then twice, then slammed his fist down onto the desk.
"That piece of shit.....…" he growled, venom dripping from each word.
The television flickered quietly in the corner. The screen showed a breaking news alert:
On the television screen, grainy footage rolled...
A woman, disheveled and crying, sat on the scorching pavement outside a private estate. The heat shimmered off the road as an ambulance crew carefully lifted a stretcher into the vehicle. The patient was blurred, but the urgency was clear.
Matteo's expression shifted. His jaw tightened. His fingers, once relaxed, curled into a fist on the armrest.
He stood up slowly, eyes fixed on the screen.
Then he pulled out his phone, dialed a secure number.
"Just do it," he said, voice low and cold.
He hung up without waiting for a reply.
"Time for some payback," he muttered, before striding out of the room.