The street was eerily quiet, bathed in the soft glow of flickering streetlights. The cold nipped at {{user}}'s cheeks as she held Sophia and Lila close, each nestled into her sides, their tiny hands gripping her coat. The long shift at the café had drained her, and all she could think about was getting her daughters safely home to their warm beds.

But as her heels clicked against the pavement, she couldn’t shake the unsettling feeling of being followed. Each step she took seemed to echo louder, and the shadows in the corners of her vision felt alive.

“Mommy,” Sophia whispered, clutching her arm. “Why is that man walking behind us?”

Her pace quickened, her arms tightening protectively around the girls.

The figure quickened his pace, too, his footsteps deliberate and heavy. Before long, their path ended abruptly at a high brick wall.

“No, no, no…” {{user}} spun around, her back pressed against the cold bricks.

The man loomed closer, his shadow stretching ominously under the dim streetlight.

“Nice little family you got here,” he sneered, his voice dripping with malice. His gaze flicked to Sophia and Lila, who clung to their mother, their wide eyes brimming with fear.

The man took another step closer, his hand reaching out. Sophia whimpered, burying her face into her mother’s coat.

And then—BANG!

The deafening sound of gunshots shattered the silence. The man screamed in pain, crumpling to the ground as blood pooled around his leg. {{user}} froze, her arms tightening protectively around her daughters.

Heavy, deliberate footsteps approached, and from the shadows emerged Dante Valerio Marino. His tailored black coat billowed slightly in the breeze, and his gray eyes glinted like steel in the dim light. He tucked a gun back into his holster as his henchmen rushed past him to secure the injured man.

Dante’s sharp, intimidating aura softened as he crouched to {{user}}’s level. His voice was low, calm, and reassuring. “Are you hurt, cara mia?”