Omniscient POV

The morning sunlight streamed through the windows of Serafina's bedroom as she got ready for school. For the first time in weeks, she felt a flicker of normalcy. Her brothers had spent the evening joking with her, helping her finish some homework, and even teasing her about Aiden. Though she'd rolled her eyes, their lighthearted banter had soothed her nerves.

She was starting to feel a bit more at ease at school. Ethan and Mia had become fast friends, and Aiden's quiet protectiveness gave her the confidence to step out of her shell. Even so, shadows lingered in the corners of her mind. She hadn't forgotten Connor's last encounter, nor the venom in his voice. But it had been days since she'd seen him, and a part of her hoped that he had moved on.

She couldn't have been more wrong.

It started as a regular day. Serafina went to her classes, sat with Mia and Ethan during lunch, and even laughed at one of Aiden's dry jokes. For a moment, she felt like any other teenager navigating the ups and downs of high school. But as she made her way to her locker between third and fourth periods, her heart sank.

Connor was leaning casually against the lockers, his eyes narrowing when he saw her approach.

"Romano," he sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "Finally decided to show up without your little guard dog?"

She froze, clutching her books tightly to her chest. "Connor, I don't want any trouble."

"Trouble?" He smirked, stepping closer. "You think you're too good for me? Walking around here like you own the place, like your precious daddy's name is supposed to scare me?"

"I'm not trying to do anything," she said quietly, her voice trembling. "Please, just leave me alone."

But Connor wasn't backing down. He leaned in, his voice lowering to a cruel whisper. "You don't belong here, princess. You're just a scared little girl playing pretend. Your family can't protect you forever."

The words sent a chill down her spine. Her chest tightened, and her breaths grew shallow. "Stop," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Oh, you want me to stop?" he mocked, his smirk widening. "Go on, cry about it. Call your brothers. Or better yet, let's see if your daddy cares enough to—"

"Leave her alone."

Aiden's voice cut through the air like a blade. Connor turned, startled to find him standing just a few feet away, his jaw set and his fists clenched.

"This doesn't concern you, Aiden," Connor said, his bravado faltering slightly.

"It does now," Aiden replied coldly. "Walk away, Connor."

For a moment, Connor looked like he might argue, but the intensity in Aiden's gaze made him think twice. Muttering under his breath, he stalked off, but not without throwing one last glare over his shoulder.

Serafina didn't move. She stood frozen in place, her breaths coming in short, panicked gasps. Aiden stepped closer, his tone softening immediately.

"Fina," he said gently, crouching down to meet her gaze. "You're okay now. He's gone."

Her eyes were wide and unfocused, tears spilling down her cheeks. She clutched her phone in one trembling hand, the other gripping the edge of the locker for support.

"Hey, listen to me," Aiden said, keeping his voice steady and calm. "Breathe with me, okay? In through your nose, out through your mouth. Just follow my lead."

Her breaths were erratic, her body shaking as she struggled to focus. In her panic, her thumb accidentally opened the family group chat on her phone. Without realizing it, she hit the call button.

"Fina, you're doing great," Aiden continued, his eyes never leaving hers. "Just one breath at a time. I'm right here."

Back at the Romano estate, Alessandro, Isabella, and the brothers were in the middle of discussing a shipment for one of their legitimate businesses when everyone's phone buzzed.

"It's the group chat," Antonio said, answering the call on speaker.

"Serafina?" Alessandro's voice was sharp with concern. "What's going on?"

There was no immediate response, only the sound of ragged breathing and muffled sobs.

"Fina!" Dante's voice cut in, panic evident. "What's wrong? Where are you?"

Antonio's fingers flew across his phone screen. "She's at school."

Enzo shot to his feet, already grabbing his jacket. "I'll meet you there."

"No," Alessandro said firmly. "We're all going. Antonio, stay here with Isabella in case she calls back. Dante, Luca, Enzo—let's go."

Back at school, Serafina was finally starting to calm down, thanks to Aiden's steady presence. She took a shaky breath, her hands still trembling as she clutched her phone.

"You're okay," Aiden reassured her, offering a small smile and a hug. "You're stronger than you think, Fina."

Her phone buzzed, and she glanced down to see the family group chat still active. She hesitated before pressing the unmute button.

"Fina?" Alessandro's voice came through immediately. "What happened?"

Her lip quivered, and fresh tears welled in her eyes. "Papa," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "It was Connor. He—he said awful things about our family—about me. I couldn't—"

"Where is he?" Enzo's voice was low and dangerous.

"He's gone," she said, wiping her tears. "Aiden made him leave."

Alessandro's tone was calm, but the steel beneath it was unmistakable. "We're on our way, tesoro. Stay with Aiden until we get there."

The Romano men arrived at the school in record time. Their presence was impossible to ignore as they strode through the hallways with purpose, their expressions cold and unyielding.

The principal, Mr. Hayes, approached them nervously. "Mr. Romano , is there something I can help you with?"

"My daughter," Alessandro said curtly. "Where is she?"

Before Mr. Hayes could answer, Dante spotted Aiden standing near the lockers with Serafina. "There," he said, leading the way.

"Fina!" Luca called, his worry evident as they rushed to her side.

She looked up, her tear-streaked face breaking into a sob as Dante pulled her into his arms.

"It's okay," he murmured, holding her tightly. "We're here now."

Alessandro crouched down in front of her, his usually stern expression softening. "Are you hurt, tesoro?"

She shook her head, but fresh tears spilled over as she said, "I—I couldn't breathe, Papa. I was so scared."

"You don't have to be scared anymore," he said gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. "We'll take care of everything."

Enzo's jaw was tight as he asked, "Who is this Connor?"

"It doesn't matter," Serafina said quickly, her voice trembling. "Please don't—"

"It does matter," Alessandro said firmly. "No one threatens my daughter."

Aiden cleared his throat, drawing their attention. "Connor's been giving her trouble for a while now. Today, he crossed the line."

"Thank you for helping her," Alessandro said, his tone sincere but laced with an edge. "We owe you."

Aiden shook his head. "You don't owe me anything. I just wanted to make sure she was okay."

The rest of the day was a blur for Serafina. Alessandro insisted on taking her home early, and the ride back was quiet, the tension in the car palpable.

Later that evening, Enzo, Dante, and Luca confronted Connor outside a nearby hangout spot. The boy froze when he saw them, his bravado from earlier completely gone.

"You think you can mess with our sister?" Enzo growled, his voice cold as ice.

"I—I didn't mean—" Connor stammered, backing away.

"You didn't mean what?" Dante asked, stepping closer. "Didn't mean to scare her? To humiliate her?"

Luca grabbed Connor by the collar, lifting him slightly off the ground. "You're lucky we're letting you walk away. But if you ever go near her again—"

"You won't have to worry about school anymore," Enzo finished, his voice deadly calm.

Connor nodded frantically, promising to stay away.

Back at the estate, Serafina sat curled up on the couch with Isabella by her side.

"I'm sorry, Mamma," she whispered. "I didn't mean to cause so much trouble."

Isabella stroked her hair gently. "You didn't cause anything, tesoro. We're your family. It's our job to protect you."

"You're not mad?"

"Mad?" Isabella smiled softly. "No, my love. I'm proud of you for being brave."

As the night wore on, Serafina began to feel a sense of safety she hadn't felt in years. Surrounded by her family, she knew one thing for certain—no matter what challenges lay ahead, she would never have to face them alone.