CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY EIGHT – LUIGI’S VENDETTA

The men hustled her towards a waiting boat, its hull cutting through the inky waters like a knife. Joan stumbled as they shoved her aboard, her heart pounding in her ears. As the boat pulled away from the docks, Joan turned to take one last look at the island that had become her prison. The lights of the city twinkled in the distance, mocking her with the promise of freedom she had sacrificed so much to attain. The journey was a blur of long hours spent huddled in the cramped hold of the boat, the gentle rocking of the waves lulling her into a fitful sleep. She awoke to the sound of raised voices and the thud of footsteps on the deck above. Fear gripped her as she realized something was wrong. Had Scipione's men somehow caught wind of her escape? Was this all a trap laid by Luigi? The hatch to the hold was flung open, and Joan squinted against the harsh light that flooded in. Two pairs of hands reached down and hauled her onto the deck, where she came face to face with a nightmare