Chapter 5 A New Life

Elena stood on the sidewalk outside Darkmora's former headquarters, shivering in the dim moonlight. She had only the clothes on her back. Her newfound freedom felt like a double-edged sword, both blissful and terrifying. "Now what?" Elena whispered to herself, her eyes sweeping the deserted streets around her. Her mind was racing. No home. Antonio had kicked her out, no money, and she was alone in the world. In the midst of her confusion, she saw Marco walking towards her. "Marco?" Marco smiled kindly when he was right in front of Elena, handing her an envelope. "Madam, please accept it.

You might need it," he said kindly. "Marco, this is..." Marco's gift still confused Elena. "Never go back to the Caruso family; tomorrow morning come to the Ricci Enterprise Group office. There is an office girl vacancy there," Marco continued to instruct her. With trembling hands, Elena opened the envelope slowly. Inside was an amount of cash that brought tears to her eyes and an apartment key. Elena's tears began to fall as Marco's generosity and kindness moved her. "But this is too much, Marco. Why are you being so kind to me?" asked Elena in a trembling voice, touched by the kindness of her ex-husband's personal driver. "Signora, you once saved my wife's life from a car accident that left you injured, and your kindness during my time with Mr. Antonio; perhaps this is a small favor from me to you as an expression of my gratitude," Marco replied with a warm smile, remembering all the sacrifices and favors Elena had given him over the years. Elena felt very grateful for Marco's unexpected help at such a crucial time. Before Elena could say anything more, Marco quickly interrupted her. "Signora, I'll call a taxi for you; I need to leave quickly before Master finds out I'm here." Elena wiped away her tears and nodded slowly. "Thank you, Marco." Shortly after, the taxi that Marco had called stopped right in front of them. Elena carefully got into the taxi and sat in the back seat. As they traveled through the bustling suburbs of Palermo, Elena stared at the keys to her new apartment in her hand. Every street corner she passed reminded her of all the bad things that had happened to her. But this time was the beginning of a new chapter in her life. She was determined to forget her past and focus on a brighter future. "Signora," the taxi driver's voice finally broke Elena's reverie. "We've arrived." Slightly troubled by still being lost in her own thoughts, Elena got out of the taxi and found herself standing in front of a tall apartment building. It may not have been as grand as a royal palace, but its simplicity gave Elena a sense of serenity. With steady steps, she entered the building. As she entered her new apartment, Elena felt relieved. It was small but cozy, with large windows that let in sunlight as the early morning warmed the cream-colored walls. There was a small sofa in the living room, a small dining table, and a well-equipped kitchen. The bedroom was simple, with a soft-looking bed and a wardrobe in the corner. Elena put her keys on the table and sat on the sofa, feeling a relief she hadn't felt in a long time. For the first time in a long time, she felt safe. However, images of her past still haunted her, reminding her of the horrors she had just lived through. That night, Elena slept peacefully, but her dreams were filled with flashes of the past-Paolo's angry face, the screams of the captive women, and Zo il Leone in his silver mask. However, every time the dark shadows appeared, she remembered Zoë il Leone's words: "Freedom is only the beginning." The next morning, Elena woke up with renewed determination. She puts on the best clothes she has in her closet and sets off for the Ricci Enterprise Group office. The streets of Palermo bustle with morning activity. The city was full of beautiful historic buildings and small cafés selling the tantalizing aroma of coffee. When she arrived at the Ricci Enterprise office, a tall building with gleaming glass, Elena felt nervous. However, she knew that this was a chance to start a new life. Just as she was about to enter the grand office, the calm atmosphere was disturbed by a commotion on the terrace. Elena witnessed a middle-aged woman being abused by a security guard. The security guard pushed the woman so hard that she fell to the floor, scolding, "Get out of here! You have no business in this place!" With a sudden burst of courage, Elena came back down the office stairs and helped the middle-aged woman who was still on the floor, trying to protect her. "Hey, what are you doing?" she shouted at the security guard. "You shouldn't treat people like that; aren't you afraid of getting fired?" The security guard looked at Elena sarcastically, his lips twisted in a hateful grimace. "Who are you to dare talk to me like that? No one would dare fire me, because I'm the brother of the director of this company!" he said in a condescending tone. Elena felt her blood boil. Without thinking, she quipped, "Oh, Director, huh?" "I'm the fiancée of the CEO of this company. You'll get into big trouble if you keep acting like this," Elena continued after she helped the middle-aged woman to her feet. The lie slid from her mouth with conviction, as if it had been perfectly planned. The security guard was taken aback, his expression changing drastically from arrogance to confusion. "The CEO of the company? Signora, I apologize," the security guard said with a trembling voice. "Don't apologize to me; apologize to this lady!" ordered Elena in a stern tone. The security guard immediately apologized to the middle-aged woman standing next to Elena, then quickly left the two of them. "Son, thank you." The middle-aged woman looked at Elena meaningfully. Elena just nodded with a friendly smile. "The elbow of your arm is bleeding. Come on, can I take you to the hospital?" asked Elena with concern when she saw that the old woman's arm was scratched. "No need, I'll just treat it at home," said the middle-aged woman calmly. "Alright," Elena replied before they went their separate ways. However, without Elena realizing it, from a distance the sharp eyes of a man in an expensive suit were observing every detail of the event. The man had a stern face with a strong jaw and a sharp nose, and a thin beard adorning his chin. He even blocked his assistant, who was about to reprimand Elena. "Find all the information about that woman. Immediately." The aura of leadership attached to him made the order irresistible.