Omniscient POV ⚠️brief mentions of self harm and sexual assault⚠️

The night settled over the Marconi estate with a calmness that felt unnatural, as though the house itself was holding its breath. The family had gathered in the living room after dinner, the unspoken need to be together driving them into the same space.

Serafina sat curled on the corner of the large sectional, her legs tucked beneath her, a thick blanket draped over her lap. She had been quiet throughout dinner, participating only when necessary. Her family had learned not to push her.

Enzo sat beside her, his arm casually draped across the back of the couch, close enough to offer comfort without overwhelming her. Dante leaned against the wall, flipping through his phone but glancing up every so often to check on her. Antonio, Luca, and Matteo were scattered across the room, their usual chatter subdued.

Isabella sat near Alessandro on the loveseat, her sharp eyes never straying far from Serafina. The tension in the room was palpable, as if everyone could sense something was coming but no one dared to speak.

It was Serafina who broke the silence. "I want to talk," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

All heads turned toward her, the weight of her words sinking in immediately. Alessandro straightened in his seat, his hand tightening around Isabella's.

The brothers exchanged glances, each of them silently bracing for whatever she was about to say.

Enzo shifted closer, his voice soft. "We're listening, Fina."

She hesitated, her hands gripping the edge of the blanket tightly. "It's... it's not easy to say," she admitted. "But I need to. I can't keep it inside anymore."

Isabella leaned forward, her voice gentle but firm. "Take your time, tesoro. We're here."

Serafina nodded, taking a deep breath before starting. "When I was taken... I didn't know what was happening at first. Everything was confusing and loud, and I was so scared." Her voice wavered, and Enzo's hand rested lightly on her shoulder, grounding her.

"They took me to a house. I don't even know where it was. It was dark and cold, and they... they locked me in a room. For days, maybe weeks. I lost track of time."

Alessandro's jaw clenched, his fists tightening. Isabella's hand moved to his knee, a silent plea for him to stay calm. "They didn't hurt me at first," Serafina continued, her gaze fixed on the floor.

"Not physically. But they said things. Horrible things. They wanted to scare me, to make me feel powerless."

⚠️Her brothers' faces darkened, fury brewing behind their carefully controlled expressions. "And then it got worse," she whispered. "There was this man... he..." Her voice broke, and tears welled in her eyes.

Enzo pulled her into his side, his arms wrapping around her protectively. "You don't have to say more if you're not ready," he murmured.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I need to." She wiped at her tears, forcing herself to continue. "He tried to... assault me. But I fought him. I screamed and kicked and did everything I could to stop him. Someone else came in before he could... before it happened."⚠️

A collective breath of relief passed through the room, but it was short-lived. The knowledge of how close she had come was enough to fill them all with a sickening rage.

"He was angry after that," Serafina said, her voice barely audible. "He started hitting me. Punishing me for fighting back. I thought... I thought I was going to die."

Alessandro stood abruptly, pacing the room. His hands were clenched into fists, his entire body radiating fury. "I'll kill them," he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "Every single one of them."

"Alessandro," Isabella said softly, her voice trembling with emotion. "Sit down." He turned to her, his chest heaving, but the look in her eyes softened him.

Reluctantly, he returned to his seat, his gaze never leaving Serafina.

"There's more," Serafina said, her voice cracking. "After a while, I stopped fighting. I didn't see the point anymore. They... they broke something in me."

⚠️Her brothers visibly recoiled at her words, the idea of her losing hope cutting deeper than any physical wound.

"And when I finally escaped, I thought it would get better. But it didn't. I couldn't stop thinking about what happened. About what almost happened. It felt like I was drowning, and I couldn't get out."

She paused, her hands trembling as she clutched the blanket tighter. "I started... hurting myself. It was the only way I could feel like I had control over something. It didn't make sense, but it .. it helped. ⚠️

The room fell into a stunned silence. Tears streamed down Isabella's face as she moved to kneel in front of Serafina, taking her hands gently in her own.

"Oh, my sweet girl," Isabella whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "You don't have to carry this alone anymore. We're here. We'll help you."

"I don't want to feel like this anymore," Serafina admitted, her voice raw. "I want to be okay. I just don't know how."

Alessandro moved to sit beside her, his large hand resting on her shoulder. "You're stronger than you know, tesoro. You've already survived so much. And now, you've got us. We'll do whatever it takes to help you heal."

Her brothers nodded in agreement, their expressions fierce with determination. "You're not alone anymore, Fina," Enzo said, his voice steady. "We're not going to let you go through this by yourself."

"And if you ever feel like hurting yourself again," Dante added, his tone uncharacteristically gentle, "you come to us. Any of us. We'll be there."

Serafina looked around the room, taking in the faces of her family. For the first time in a long time, she felt a flicker of hope. "Thank you," she said, her voice trembling but sincere.

They pulled her into a group hug, their love and support wrapping around her like a shield. It wasn't a solution to everything, but it was a start.