Damien stood motionless in the middle of the mansion.
The silence around him felt heavier than any gunshot.
Elena was gone.
And every second that passed made his blood run colder.
Luca hurried into the room.
“We checked every camera.
The power was cut for exactly three minutes.”
“Three minutes was enough.”
“We’re tracing the vehicles that left the property.”
Damien turned toward him.
“Don’t trace them.”
Luca frowned.
“Boss?”
“Think.”
Damien picked up the photograph Isabella had left behind.
“She wanted us to see this.
She wanted us to know she took Elena.”
“So?”
“So she wants me to chase her.”
Luca’s eyes narrowed.
“You think it’s a trap.”
“I know it’s a trap.”
Damien stared at the photograph.
“But she made one mistake.”
“What mistake?”
“She showed me her face.”
Across the city, Elena sat quietly in the dark room.
She had stopped struggling.
Not because she had given up.
Because she was thinking.
Isabella had underestimated her.
The room had one small window.
A wooden table.
Two chairs.
And an old clock hanging on the wall.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
Elena looked at the clock.
Then at the window.
The curtains moved slightly.
She noticed something.
Cold air was coming through the window.
Which meant the window wasn’t completely sealed.
She slowly stood.
Her hands were still tied, but she managed to reach the window.
She looked outside.
Trees.
A long dirt road.
And in the distance…
water.
A lake.
Elena’s eyes widened.
She remembered something Damien had once told her.
The Moretti family owned an old property near a lake outside the city.
Could this be it?
Suddenly, the door opened.
Isabella walked inside.
“You’re very quiet.”
Elena turned around.
“I was thinking.”
“About Damien?”
“No.”
Isabella raised an eyebrow.
Elena smiled faintly.
“About you.”
Isabella stopped.
“What about me?”
“You’re afraid of him.”
Isabella’s expression changed.
“I am afraid of no one.”
“You should be.”
Elena stepped closer.
“You kidnapped his wife.
You threatened his family.
You exposed yourself.”
Isabella stared at her.
“You sound very confident for someone who is tied up.”
Elena smiled.
“Because I know Damien.”
Isabella laughed.
“You don’t know him.”
“I know enough.”
Isabella walked toward her.
“You think he’ll come and save you?”
“I don’t think.”
Elena looked directly into her eyes.
“I know.”
For a moment, Isabella said nothing.
Then she smiled.
“Let’s see.”
She turned and walked out.
The door locked behind her.
Elena immediately looked toward the window again.
She had been right.
The lake.
The trees.
The old road.
She knew exactly where she was.
Now she only needed to find a way to leave.
Back at the mansion, Damien stood over a large map.
Luca placed several photographs on the table.
“We found three possible locations.”
Damien looked at them.
“Not three.”
He pointed to one.
“This one.”
Luca frowned.
“How do you know?”
“Isabella knows I would check the obvious places first.”
Damien picked up his jacket.
“She wants me to waste time.”
“So where are we going?”
Damien looked at the photograph of the old lake property.
“Home.”
Luca stared at him.
“Your family’s old estate?”
Damien nodded.
“She knows I haven’t been there in years.”
He loaded his weapon.
“That is exactly why she would choose it.”
Elena heard footsteps approaching.
She quickly moved away from the window.
The door opened.
One of Isabella’s men entered carrying food.
He placed the tray on the table.
Elena looked at him.
“I’m not hungry.”
“Eat anyway.”
He turned to leave.
Elena noticed a small key hanging from his belt.
She lowered her eyes.
“Wait.”
He turned.
“What?”
“Can you untie me?
My hands hurt.”
The man hesitated.
Then he stepped toward her.
Elena’s heart began racing.
As he reached for the rope, she suddenly kicked the chair toward his legs.
He stumbled.
Elena grabbed the tray and struck his hand.
The key fell to the floor.
She quickly picked it up.
The man recovered and grabbed her.
But Elena had already unlocked one of her wrists.
She pushed him away and ran toward the door.
She opened it.
And froze.
Two armed men stood outside.
One of them raised his weapon.
Elena stepped backward.
Then—
A gunshot exploded outside.
The two men turned.
Another shot.
They fell to the ground.
Elena stared in shock.
Footsteps approached from the hallway.
A familiar voice echoed through the darkness.
“Elena!”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Damien?”
He appeared at the end of the corridor.
His gun was raised.
His eyes found hers.
For the first time since her kidnapping, Elena felt safe.
“Come to me.”
She ran toward him.
Damien caught her and pulled her tightly into his arms.
“You’re safe.”
Elena buried her face against his chest.
“I knew you’d come.”
Damien closed his eyes for a moment.
“I promised you.”
Then a slow clap echoed from the darkness.
They both turned.
Isabella stood at the end of the hallway.
Smiling.
“You really do make this too easy, Damien.”
Damien pushed Elena behind him.
His gun pointed directly at Isabella.
“This ends tonight.”
Isabella smiled.
“No, Damien.”
She stepped backward.
“This is only the beginning.”
Then the lights went out