Chapter 10 - The Vow
Vincent Moretti, driven by sheer paternal fury, yanked Salvatore off his feet with bone-crushing force. Salvatore hit the ground hard, dropping his weapon in the snow. Before the traitor could recover, Vincent was on top of him. Vincent used the last ounce of his remaining strength to end the threat permanently. The forest fell completely silent, save for the sound of my ragged breathing. Vincent crawled heavily through the snow until he reached my side. He pressed his large hands forcefully against the bleeding wounds in my stomach. "Stay with me, Maya," Vincent ordered, his voice cracking with emotion. Noah knelt beside me, placing his tiny, warm hands over my cold cheeks. "Please don't die," Noah whispered, his tears falling onto my face. The distant, wailing sound of approaching sirens broke the silence of the night. Vincent’s loyal men, alerted by the bridge explosion, had finally found us. I closed my eyes, letting the darkness take me, knowing the boy was finally safe. I woke up three weeks later in a sunlit, luxurious hospital suite. Vincent was sitting in a chair beside my bed, looking completely exhausted but at peace. He told me the syndicate had been purged of traitors and his family was permanently secure. Noah walked into the room, holding a colorful hand-drawn picture of the three of us standing together. He climbed onto my bed and hugged me tightly, talking endlessly about his new toys. Vincent smiled gently and told me I would never have to sleep on the streets again. I was officially a part of the Moretti family now, protected and cherished for the rest of my life. The nightmare was finally over, and a beautiful new chapter had begun. A few days later, while exploring my massive new bedroom in the estate, I found an old, carved wooden box in the closet. Vincent told me it belonged to Noah’s late mother and had remained locked for years. I found a small rusted key taped to the bottom of the drawer and curiously opened the lid. Inside, resting on a velvet cushion, was a faded photograph of Noah’s mother holding a baby. I felt all the blood completely drain from my face when I looked at the bottom of the picture. The handwritten note on the back clearly said, "Me and my beautiful baby sister, Maya."
