The words on the message kept replaying in Elena’s mind.
THE REAL ENEMY IS ALREADY IN YOUR HOUSE.
She sat silently beside Damien as the car sped through the night.
Neither of them spoke.
Luca was driving, while two other men followed closely behind.
Finally, Elena broke the silence.
“Damien.”
He looked at her.
“What if the message is true?”
“Then we’ll find out who it is.”
“But what if it’s someone close to you?”
Damien’s expression hardened.
“Then they made the worst mistake of their life.”
Elena looked out the window.
She couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching them.
When they finally reached the mansion, Damien immediately ordered everyone inside.
“Lock every entrance.”
Luca nodded.
“No one comes in or leaves without my permission.”
Damien walked toward the main hall.
Elena followed closely behind.
Something felt different.
The mansion looked exactly the same.
But somehow, it no longer felt like home.
Then a voice came from behind them.
“Welcome back.”
They turned.
Marco stood at the top of the staircase.
Damien immediately raised his gun.
“How did you get here?”
Marco smiled.
“You still haven’t learned.”
“Learned what?”
“That your enemies don’t always come through the front door.”
Elena looked around nervously.
“What does that mean?”
Marco slowly walked down the stairs.
“It means someone inside this house has been helping our enemies for years.”
Damien’s eyes narrowed.
“Who?”
Marco stopped.
Damien lowered his weapon slightly.
“Then why did you say it?”
“Because I found evidence.”
Marco reached inside his jacket.
Before he could pull anything out, the lights suddenly went off.
A scream echoed through the mansion.
“Elena!”
Damien reached for her.
But she was already gone.
“ELENA!”
Damien rushed forward.
He heard footsteps disappearing down the corridor.
“Luca!
Lock the doors!”
He ran after them.
A door slammed shut.
Damien kicked it open.
Empty.
His breathing became heavier.
Then he noticed something on the floor.
Elena’s bracelet.
He picked it up.
His face changed.
“Find her.”
Luca appeared behind him.
“We’re searching every room.”
Damien stared down at the bracelet.
“This wasn’t an abduction.”
Luca frowned.
“What do you mean?”
Damien slowly looked toward Marco.
“Someone inside this house knew exactly where she would be.”
Marco’s expression became serious.
“And now they know we’re getting close.”
Suddenly, Damien’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
A distorted voice spoke.
“You want your wife?”
“Where is she?”
“You have one hour.”
“One hour for what?”
“To choose.”
The call ended.
A message immediately appeared.
COME TO THE OLD CHAPEL ALONE.
Damien stared at the screen.
Then another message arrived.
OR ELENA DIES.
His eyes turned cold.
Marco stepped closer.
“It’s a trap.”
“I know.”
“Then don’t go.”
Damien looked at him.
“They have my wife.”
Marco’s expression hardened.
“And that’s exactly why they chose her.”
Damien grabbed his jacket.
“I’ll bring her home.”
He walked toward the door.
Behind him, Marco quietly whispered:
“Damien…”
Damien stopped.
Marco looked at him.
“If you find out who betrayed us…”
He paused.
“Don’t trust what they tell you.”
Damien turned.
“Why?”
Marco’s eyes darkened.
“Because the person you’re looking for may not be the person you think it is.”
Damien stared at him for a moment.
Then he walked into the darkness.
And somewhere inside the mansion…
a hidden door slowly opened.
A shadow stepped out.
Holding Elena’s missing bracelet.
TO BE CONTINUED…