Salva joins me, leaving Andrea to take the wheel. Soon, all we hear is the sound of the exhaust pipe fading away.

Once in Andy's apartment, I collapse onto the sofa.

"Andy's not here ?" I ask Salva.

"No, she went shopping in preparation for your arrival."

"She already knew I was coming ?"

"Yes, after the news broke in the magazine, Ezio called her. That's how she found out. He asked her to come tell you because he had to go see his father. He dreaded making a public appearance, and if he had to, he knew how things would turn out. So, he informed Andy this morning, and here we are."

"She knew since this morning and didn't tell me ?"

"Ezio forbade her; he didn't want to worry you for nothing and stress you out in your condition. He preferred to handle everything behind your back."

I sigh, sinking deeper into the sofa. Despite feeling betrayed and exasperated, I can understand Ezio's decision to want to protect me. Nonetheless, it makes me feel weak and like a spectator in my own life, a feeling I detest. I want to take back control of my life and prove that I am capable of protecting myself.

"Salva, I want you to teach me how to defend myself. Ezio was supposed to do it, but given the circumstances, I don't want to wait anymore, and I'm not sure he has the time. So, I want you to teach me, please."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea. I don't want to have that responsibility in front of Don Ezio."

"Salva, you misunderstood me. Either you teach me here, or I'll find an instructor myself, even if it means being spotted on the street. That would be worse for you because you would have failed your mission to protect me, and I'd be in danger. So, what do you prefer ? A killer look from Ezio for teaching me to defend myself or literally being killed by his hands for not protecting me ?"

Salva sighs, realizing his helplessness in the face of my determination.

"Fine, you win, but I tried to dissuade you."

"If it makes you feel better, I'll defend your case to Ezio," I reply, satisfied.

I remain seated on the sofa, with Salva beside me, watching TV while I get lost in the maze of social networks. Curious about the online reactions, I quickly regret my interest as I read the hatred and insults from Ezio's fans. In stark contrast, my fans wish me only happiness, except perhaps for one person, Gioele.

"I just watched May and Ezio's interview, and I'm shocked. You got married in secret, and now May is pregnant?! May, you deserve all the happiness in the world. Seeing you so radiant and happy fills me with joy. I really hope Ezio realizes how lucky he is and never hurts you. Because if he does, he will have to answer for his actions. Congratulations to both of you! I wish you happiness, but remember that we are always watching over you. -G #MayAndEzio #MayForever #LoveAndHappiness"

Covered in chills, I curl up in the blanket. A mix of support and silent threat, his words cut through the screen, forming a Damocles sword over my head. Ignored for too long, I realize that each new intervention brings me closer to a misstep, a word too many, or a wrong reaction that could change everything.

Lost in time, I don't notice my phone has turned off. Salva's voice pulls me from Gioele's grasp.

"May, are you okay ?"

"Y-Yes, yes, I'm fine, don't worry." I lie.

He clears his throat and sits up.

"I can see you're disturbed since you looked at your phone. Did you see the messages on social media ?"

"One in particular, " I admit, my eyes fixed on the dark screen.

"Do you want to talk about it ?"

"Only if you promise not to tell anyone."

He tilts his head and breathes deeply.

"May..."

"No, please. I know what you're going to say, but I don't want Ezio to know."

"He already knows. He's keeping a close eye on it."

"I don't want him to intervene! He's one of my fans, and even if his words are worrying, they're just words. There's no action. The day there's a real physical threat, then fine, we'll act. But for now, we leave him alone and don't tempt fate. Understood ?" I insist.

"We're trying to avoid getting to that point," he tries to convince me.

"No waves, Salva. Promise me you'll tell Ezio and that you'll respect my decision."

He sighs deeply, scratching the back of his head.

"Promise." he reluctantly vows.

"Thank you, Salva."

A cheerful, singing voice ends our conversation.

"Hey, if it isn't my favorite whale ! Perfectly stranded on her warm sand,"  Andy mocks upon seeing me.

"I'm not a whale," I grumble.

"Not yet, but it's only a matter of time before you beg me to help you put your shoes on," she smiles, putting her groceries on the kitchen counter.

Then, with a lemonade in hand, she sits between Salva and me.

"So, how do you feel after this disaster ?"

"Depressed, pathetic, furious, sad, with murderous urges. Is that concise enough for you ?"

"Quite, indeed," she nods, sipping her drink.

"Also betrayed. You hid Ezio's plan from me."

The clinking of ice tells me, without looking, that my reproach hit her hard, making her sit up defensively.

"Hey, don't call me a traitor! It was for your own good. There was no point in stressing you out even more. Everything I do is for your own good, even if it means hiding things from you. So be mad at me if it makes you feel better, but I don't regret my decision."

"I'm not even mad at you. I'm just dejected by all this. I feel so useless. I can't even ensure my own protection. I need assistance and rely on others for that, and I hate it. I want to take back control and be able to protect myself."

"I get you, Brienne of Tarth, but you chose a somewhat dangerous life. By marrying Ezio, you married insecurity, risk, threat—the whole explosive cocktail that can push you to your limits, sure, but also to accept the help offered to you. You have to accept that you can't ensure absolute protection. Look, even Ezio, despite all his training and experience, has Andrea to protect him. You can learn to defend yourself, but no matter what, you'll always need someone trustworthy to watch your back because you live a tumultuous life full of vengeful enemies. Despite all your goodwill and determination, you can't beat everyone on your own; that only happens in movies. And even realistic ones prove me right. If you want to win, train, but also surround yourself with trustworthy people who will help you achieve your goal."

"You annoy me by always being right."

Frustrated, I sit up and steal her lemonade from her, seeing her offended expression.

The next morning, I am woken up by the sound of my door opening abruptly, letting in Andy's thunderous voice.

"It's the big day !"

I see her running around and jumping on my bed, super enthusiastic.

"Oh, I'm as excited as a hooker !"

"The expression is 'as excited as a flea',"  I groan, pulling the covers over my head.

"Flea, hooker, same thing. They jump as much as they get jumped. Anyway, get out from under there, May ! It's party time today !"

"Only you could be super happy about getting older," I tease her.

"What a killjoy ! I'm not happy about getting older, it's just a wonderful excuse to get wasted and party !

I laugh and hold out my arms for a hug; she dives in, and I squeeze her tight.

"Happy birthday, beautiful. It will be so unforgettable that you'll forget it."

"Oh, I love that perspective. Come on, get up. We have a lot to do today."

"Wait, I want to set one condition first. Give me just two hours this afternoon to train with Salva."

"Oh, you're so stubborn about this. Can't it wait until tomorrow ?"

"No, the sooner the better, because tomorrow I don't know what zombie state you'll be in with Salva, which means I'll be your babysitter. So no, I want to start my training today."

"As you wish," Andy concedes, getting out of bed and offering me her hand to help me up.

"In the meantime, it's time to get ready to find our sexy bitch outfits !"

We laugh together and then go have breakfast before getting ready for our shopping session. We are about to leave when Salva stops us.

"Sorry, May, but I can't let you go. Ezio was very clear; he doesn't want you to take any unnecessary risks."

"I'm not going to stay cooped up in the apartment while Ezio finds us a house. Come with us and ensure my protection if necessary, but I'm not staying here, I suggest, with the ulterior motive of being able to spy on his actions."

Salva sighs, realizing that no matter what he says or tries, I won't back down and will do as I please.

Before leaving, we take the necessary precautions. Thanks to the well-settled winter, we have plenty of options to disguise ourselves. Hats, scarves pulled up to our noses, long coats, and gloves. We're so bundled up that only our eyes are visible.

Salva goes out first and checks if the coast is clear before we follow him. No one is in sight; it seems Ezio's plan to hide me at Andy's is working. We walk through the streets of downtown, heading to our favorite boutique where we know we'll be safe. Even before this whole fanatic groupie ordeal with Ezio, I never had problems with paparazzi or fans popping out of nowhere despite my fame. Very discreet about their clientele, this boutique is known for hosting numerous celebrities without ever compromising their security.

Upon our arrival at "Isadora Couture," Salva discreetly requests a private room to accommodate us. The saleswoman complies as soon as he mentions my name.

We enter a luxurious and cozy room, with sofas, a coffee and tea machine, and fitting rooms at our disposal.

"Let me introduce myself, my name is Greta, and I am delighted to serve you today. You can make yourselves comfortable here; no one will disturb you. My colleague and I will personally assist you, bring you our items according to your preferences, and you can try them on and make your choice right here in this room. Please feel free to help yourselves to coffee or tea; make yourselves at home."

We remove our coats and accessories, then settle onto the gray velvet sofas. Another woman, presumably Greta's colleague, enters. She smiles at all of us, but when she looks at me, I see a flash of rage in her eyes, and her smile weakens so briefly that I wonder if I imagined it. I realize she could quickly become a problem.

"Hello, my name is Angie, and I'll be the second salesperson assisting you."

I tense up at her presence. I can't say how, but the threat hides beneath her smile. I turn to Salva and whisper my concerns to him, to which he nods, his eyes veiled with suspicion.

"You'll find two tablets at your disposal, where you can view all our items and make your selection. Once you're done, just press validate, and it will send your selection to our tablets, and we will bring your choices to you as quickly as possible so you can try them on. Does that work for you ?" Greta asks.

We nod, and the two saleswomen leave us in private.

"I have a very bad feeling about Angie; I'm not sure she'll keep her mouth shut."

"I'll keep a close watch on her, stay on your guard and keep as far away from her as possible," Salva warns, vigilant.

I don't know if his behavior towards me is sincere or just a cover, but his presence reassures me to the point where I feel strangely safe.

We make our selection of evening outfits, from dresses to skirts, pants, and tops. We indulge ourselves.

A few minutes later, the two saleswomen return with two large racks full of clothes. Greta serves Andy, and Angie takes care of me. Not wanting to make Greta uncomfortable or challenge Angie, I go along with it, remaining vigilant.

The fittings go smoothly, we parade in our outfits to see how they fit and feel, and to get each other's opinions.

Andy falls for a sparkling silver dress, scandalously short, showcasing her long, beautiful legs and her chest with its magnificent neckline. I choose something more modest but no less sexy. I pick a long red satin dress with spaghetti straps. A cowl neck drapes elegantly over my chest. A plunging neckline reveals my back, down to the top of my buttocks. A side slit shows off my left leg when I walk. The fluid fabric hugs my curves and highlights the contours of my belly. I'm a bit skeptical about showing my back, marked by scars that remind me of the painful episode with Leone. Andy notices and comes over to me. She whispers:

"This part of your life may be marked on your body, but it doesn't make you any less strong, quite the opposite. You were stronger than what you endured, and even though this memory is painful, you survived, and that's all that matters. Revealing your scars to people makes you courageous. You look stunning in this dress, May, and even if guests notice your back, they will be quickly eclipsed by how dazzling you are when you turn around. Never underestimate the strength within you to face what life throws at you. You can stand proudly despite these scars because they make you more formidable than you think."

I turn to her and hug her so tightly she almost loses her breath. Overwhelmed with emotion, a tear runs down my cheek. Gently, she pulls away and wipes the tear with her thumb, then kisses me on the cheek.

Angie's nasal voice interrupts our moment.

"Well, I believe you've made your choice ?"

"Absolutely,"  Andy confirms.

We get dressed again and I step out of the fitting room. I see Angie extending her hand to take my dress, and I hand it to her. Without understanding, she draws a knife and pushes me against the wall, dropping the dress to the floor. I don't even have time to react before I hear a gunshot.