CHAPTER 247
KATYA POV
The door closed behind Romeo with a sound so soft it barely registered. And yet it felt like the room exhaled.
The pressure shifted—not gone, not even lighter—but different. Like a storm moving just far enough away that the thunder wasn't directly overhead anymore.
My knees buckled. "Katya," she said urgently, her arms wrapping around me on the bed, strong despite their age. "Look at me. Look at me, child."
I couldn't. My vision was swimming too much, the edges dark and pulsing. My heart was still racing, slamming against my ribs like it was trying to escape my body.
"I—I can't—" My voice came out thin and broken. "I can't breathe."
"Yes, you can," Nonna said firmly, not unkind, but leaving no room for argument. She cupped my face, forcing my gaze up until her eyes filled my vision. Dark. Steady. Real. "You are breathing. You're just scared."
