69

My heart raced as I returned from the serene garden playing with my kids.

This gives me eternal peace and happiness, a place where I had often sought solace and tranquility.

Today, however, the calmness I had experienced outdoors did not retain when I arrived home.

There was a fear that gripped me upon entering our apartment building. I could scarcely breathe, as the sight of multiple luxurious cars that were parked right in front of my apartment met my eyes.

I fought so hard to maintain my expressions in front of Emma and Aida.

Luxurious cars lined the otherwise quiet street, a dangerous reminder of a world I had hoped to leave behind.

Fear, took over me, my face turned a little pale, but I tried my best to maintain a straight face.

The fear of Adriano's potential return or the intrusion of some distant relative from his shadowy past threatened to take over my mind.

He is dead. Adriano, his cousins and his uncles are dead. I tried to remind myself about this again and again.

Runnin