CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY THREE – MOUNTAIN PURSUIT

The climb was grueling. Rebecca's arms burned, and more than once her foot slipped on the damp rungs. But the sound of pursuit from below drove her onward. Finally, her hand met empty air instead of another rung. Rebecca hauled herself out of the well, finding herself in an overgrown garden on the outskirts of town. She allowed herself only a moment to catch her breath before setting off again. The Moretti were still too close for comfort. As Rebecca put distance between herself and the town, her mind turned once again to Luca. She was getting closer to Florence – closer to him. But the journey was far from over, and danger still lurked at every turn. With renewed determination, Rebecca pressed on. Whatever challenges lay ahead, she would face them. For herself, for her unborn child, and for the future she hoped to build with Luca. The sun was setting as Rebecca crested a hill, casting long shadows across the Tuscan landscape. In the distance, she could just make out the skyline o