Chapter 2 The First Encounter

He stepped forward without another word and suddenly pulled the trembling girl into a tight embrace.

"I've been looking for you for years," he said, his voice softer than anyone had ever heard. "I finally found you." Mary stiffened in his arms before she suddenly struggled against him.

"Let me go!" She pushed weakly against his chest and quickly hid her face behind her hands.

"P... please don't kill me, bad man," she cried as tears streamed down her cheeks. "I don't want to die." Don Lorenzo slowly loosened his hold on her and watched as she bent down, confusion flickering across his face.

He looked at the Pope.

"What happened to her?" The Pope let out a heavy sigh before lowering his head.

"After the massacre that claimed her family, she suffered severe psychological trauma. The doctors diagnosed her with dissociative age regression. Although she has grown into a young woman, part of her mind remains trapped at the age of five. They said she might recover one day... or she might never recover." Don Lorenzo's eyes slowly returned to Mary.

She stood there with tears rolling down her cheeks, clutching the edge of her habit with both hands as though she were a frightened little girl who had lost everything.

His heart tightened. He slowly crouched until they were at eye level, making sure his voice sounded as gentle as possible.

"I won't hurt you." Mary blinked through her tears.

"Really?" He nodded with a faint smile.

"Really." He stretched out his hand toward her.

"My name is Lorenzo, and I'm here to take you somewhere safe. From today onward, no one will hurt you again." Mary stared at his hand before nervously glancing at the Pope.

The Pope gave her a reassuring nod.

"It's alright, Mary. Go with him." She hesitated for a few more seconds before slowly placing her small hand into his.

A warm smile spread across Don Lorenzo's face as he helped her to her feet.

"Good girl." Without letting go of her hand, he turned and began walking toward the exit. After taking only a few steps, he suddenly stopped.

The warmth disappeared from his face as he looked back at the Pope.

"How many people know about her identity?"

"No one," the Pope answered immediately. "Only me. Everyone else who knew... is already dead." His eyes drifted toward the lifeless bodies scattered across the church floor.

Don Lorenzo remained silent for a moment before speaking.

"Make sure it stays that way." His voice was cold once again.

"The day her identity becomes known to the outside world will be the day this church disappears." The Pope hurriedly lowered his head.

"I understand. Thank you, Don Lorenzo." Don Lorenzo gave a slight nod before leading Mary toward the waiting convoy outside.

Mary looked back one last time. She lifted her hand and waved innocently at the frightened nuns and priests still standing inside the church.

"Bye..." Several of the young nuns broke into tears as they watched her leave.

The church doors slowly closed behind her. Outside, a long line of black luxury vehicles waited with their engines already running. Armed men stood on both sides like silent statues.

One of them opened the rear door. Don Lorenzo helped Mary into the car before taking the seat beside her.

The convoy pulled away from St. Patrick Catholic Church, disappearing down the lonely road as the church grew smaller and smaller behind them.

Mary quietly rested her head against the window, her innocent eyes watching the scenery pass by while her small fingers clutched the cross hanging around her neck.

…….

Don Lorenzo noticed Mary's head leaning against the window as the car sped down the quiet road leading to the Valenti estate. Somewhere along the journey, she had fallen asleep, her small hands still wrapped around the silver cross hanging from her neck.

A faint smile appeared on his face. She looked so peaceful.

The convoy slowly came to a stop in front of a pair of enormous wrought-iron gates. They swung open automatically, revealing a breathtaking estate hidden behind towering walls. The cars drove through the long driveway lined with neatly trimmed hedges and colorful flowers before finally stopping in front of the magnificent Valenti villa.

Don Lorenzo turned toward the sleeping girl.

"Luciana, we're home." She stirred slightly but didn't wake. He chuckled before gently patting her shoulder.

"Luciana, wake up." Her eyelashes fluttered open as she rubbed her sleepy eyes.

"Hmm...?"

"We're here." She slowly climbed out of the car, and the moment she lifted her head, her mouth fell open.

A massive mansion stood proudly before her, its elegant architecture glowing beneath the morning sun. Marble pillars stretched toward the sky while crystal windows reflected the golden light, making the entire place look like something out of a fairy tale.

"So... beautiful..." she whispered, unable to hide the excitement in her eyes. Don Lorenzo smiled at her reaction.

"And from today onward, this is your home." Mary turned to him, her eyes sparkling like a child who had just been given the greatest gift in the world.

"My home?" He nodded.

"Come. Let me show you around." She happily followed him inside.

The grand entrance alone was enough to leave her speechless. A magnificent chandelier hung from the high ceiling, expensive paintings decorated the walls, and polished marble floors reflected every ray of sunlight pouring through the tall windows.

Mary slowly turned in circles, taking in every little detail with wide, curious eyes.

"It's so pretty..."

"I would've introduced you to your two brothers," Don Lorenzo said as they walked through the spacious living room, "but they're currently in Russia handling some business. They'll be back tomorrow." Mary simply nodded.

He led her to one of the luxurious sofas.

"Stay here for a while. I'll ask one of the maids to prepare something for you, and your room still needs to be arranged. I hope you don't mind."

"I don't," she answered with a sweet smile.

"I'll be back shortly." As soon as Don Lorenzo disappeared upstairs, silence settled over the enormous mansion.

Mary waited, one minute, two minutes. Then curiosity got the better of her. She quietly slipped off the sofa and began wandering through the villa.

Her eyes darted from one masterpiece to another as she admired the expensive decorations. Every hallway seemed longer than the last, and every room was larger than the church where she had spent most of her life.

She wandered past the elegant dining room, peeked into the luxurious library, and continued walking until she reached the very end of the hallway.

Unlike the rest of the villa, this part of the house was strangely quiet. Mary tilted her head. One of the doors was slightly open. Curiosity flickered across her face.

She gently pushed the door open and stepped inside. Another sitting room greeted her. The curtains were drawn, leaving the room dimly lit.

She looked around for a moment before noticing another door standing slightly ajar. Without thinking much about it, she walked toward it and slowly pushed it open.

It was a bedroom. A huge king-sized bed occupied the center of the room, while the rest remained hidden beneath the shadows.

Mary took a few careful steps inside, her curious eyes wandering around. A silver lighter resting on the bedside table immediately caught her attention.

She picked it up. Turning it over in her hands, she frowned in confusion.

"What is this...?" Before she could examine it any further, a powerful force suddenly slammed her against the wall.

The impact knocked the air out of her lungs. She let out a small groan as pain shot through her back.

The lighter slipped from her fingers and landed on the carpet.

Her frightened eyes slowly lifted only to meet a pair of piercing brown eyes glaring down at her.

The man towering over her had obviously just stepped out of the shower. Droplets of water still trickled down his sculpted chest, and the only thing covering him was a white towel hanging dangerously low around his waist.

His jaw tightened.

"Who the fuck are you?" Instead of answering, Mary's gaze instinctively drifted downward.

The moment she realized how little he was wearing, her eyes widened in horror.

"Forgive me! I wasn't looking! I swear I wasn't looking!" She let out a loud squeal and immediately covered her eyes with both hands.