Damien stood in the center of the room, his eyes fixed on Antonio’s men.
Marco was beside him, tense and ready, his hand hovering near his weapon.
Neither of them noticed the shadow moving behind the old wooden balcony.
A finger slowly tightened around the trigger.
The gun was aimed directly at Damien’s head.
Then—
BANG!
Marco moved before he even understood what had happened.
“Damien!”
He slammed into Damien, knocking him sideways as the bullet tore through the air.
It struck the wooden pillar behind them.
Damien hit the floor hard.
For one terrifying second, everything seemed frozen.
Then Damien lifted his head.
His eyes became cold.
“Who fired that?”
Antonio’s men immediately raised their weapons.
Marco pulled Damien behind one of the stone columns.
“Someone is inside the chapel,” Marco whispered.
“I know.”
Damien’s gaze moved slowly across the darkness.
The shooter was gone.
But Damien noticed something on the balcony.
A small piece of black fabric had been caught on the broken railing.
Someone had escaped through the rear window.
“Marco.”
“I see it.”
They exchanged a look.
Then footsteps thundered from outside.
More men were coming.
Antonio had planned for this.
Damien rose slowly, his face expressionless.
“How many?”
Marco glanced toward the chapel doors.
“Too many.”
Damien adjusted his jacket.
“Then we stop counting.”
The doors suddenly burst open.
Men stormed into the chapel.
Gunfire erupted.
Marco fired first.
Damien moved with terrifying precision, taking cover behind a stone pillar before firing toward the entrance.
The old chapel filled with smoke.
Elena, who had been hiding in a small side room, covered her mouth to keep herself from crying out.
She had heard the gunshot.
She knew Damien was in danger.
And despite everything that had happened between them, her heart refused to accept the possibility of losing him.
She stepped toward the door.
Then stopped.
A man appeared in the corridor.
He wasn’t one of Antonio’s men.
He was dressed completely in black.
He looked directly at Elena.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
Elena froze.
“Who are you?”
The stranger slowly lowered the weapon in his hand.
“Someone who knows the truth about your family.”
Elena’s blood ran cold.
“My family?”
The stranger stepped closer.
“Your father didn’t tell you everything.”
Before Elena could respond, another gunshot echoed through the chapel.
The stranger looked toward the sound.
“It’s time to leave.”
Elena shook her head.
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
He gave her a strange look.
“Then Damien Moretti will die tonight.”
Elena’s eyes widened.
“What?”
The stranger reached into his coat and pulled out a photograph.
He handed it to her.
Elena looked down.
Her face went pale.
It was a photograph of her father, Antonio Rossi, standing beside Damien’s father years ago.
But there was something else.
Standing between them was a woman Elena had never seen before.
Elena stared at the photograph.
“Who is she?”
The stranger’s voice dropped to a whisper.
“Your mother.”
Elena’s fingers trembled.
“My mother died when I was a child.”
“That is what you were told.”
A violent explosion shook the chapel.
Elena screamed as dust and pieces of wood fell from the ceiling.
The stranger grabbed her arm.
“We have seconds.”
“No!”
Elena pulled away.
“I need to find Damien.”
The stranger stared at her.
Then he said the one thing that made her stop.
“Damien already knows your mother is alive.”
Elena couldn’t breathe.
“What did you say?”
Before the stranger could answer, Damien appeared at the end of the corridor.
His weapon was raised.
His face was covered with fury.
“Get your hands off my wife.”
The stranger slowly turned toward him.
For the first time, Damien’s expression changed.
Recognition flashed across his eyes.
“You…”
The stranger smiled.
“Hello, Damien.”
Marco appeared behind Damien.
His eyes widened.
“Damien, you know this man?”
Damien didn’t answer.
His gaze remained locked on the stranger.
Then the stranger said quietly:
“You really thought Antonio was your biggest enemy?”
Damien’s jaw tightened.
The stranger smiled.
“You’ve been fighting the wrong war.”
To be continued…