Elena stared at the photograph in her trembling hands.
Her father.
And the man standing beside him.
She knew that face.
She had seen him before.
Not in her father’s old photographs.
Not in the streets of her childhood.
But inside Damien Moretti’s house.
Her heart began to pound.
The black envelope lay open on the bed beside her, its message still staring back at her.
ASK DAMIEN WHO HE REALLY TRUSTS.
She swallowed.
Someone had entered her room.
Someone had disabled the security camera.
Someone had left this photograph specifically for her.
And whoever it was knew far more about her father than they should.
The bedroom door suddenly opened.
Elena spun around.
Damien stood there.
His black shirt was slightly unbuttoned at the collar, and his expression was colder than she had ever seen it.
His eyes immediately went to the photograph in her hand.
For several seconds, neither of them spoke.
Then Damien’s jaw tightened.
“Where did you get that?”
Elena held the photograph up.
“It was on my bed.”
His entire expression changed.
“Who gave it to you?”
“I don’t know.”
Damien walked toward her.
“Elena.”
His voice was low.
“Tell me exactly what happened.”
She took a breath.
“I woke up because I heard something outside my room.
When I looked around, I found this.”
She handed him the photograph.
Damien stared at it.
The silence that followed was frightening.
Elena watched his eyes move from the photograph to the words written on the envelope.
“You know him,” she whispered.
Damien didn’t answer.
“You know that man.”
Still nothing.
“Damien.”
He finally looked at her.
“Yes.”
One word.
But it sent a chill through her.
“Who is he?”
Damien placed the photograph on the table.
“Someone you don’t need to know about.”
Elena’s eyes narrowed.
“That isn’t an answer.”
“It is the only answer you’re getting tonight.”
She stepped closer.
“My father is in that photograph.
Someone is threatening me.
Someone has gotten inside this house.
And you’re telling me I don’t need to know?”
Damien’s expression hardened.
“You don’t understand what you’re dealing with.”
“Then make me understand.”
He stared at her.
For the first time since she had met him, Elena saw something beneath his usual control.
Fear.
Not fear for himself.
Fear for her.
Damien turned toward the door.
“Get dressed.”
Elena frowned.
“Why?”
“Because you’re leaving this room.”
“Where are we going?”
“To my office.”
“Why?”
“Because there are things you need to see.”
THE MORETTI OFFICE
Damien’s private office was located behind two security doors.
Elena had never been allowed inside.
The moment they entered, Damien locked the door behind them.
He walked to his desk and opened a hidden compartment.
Inside were several files.
He pulled out one thick brown folder.
ANTONIO ROSSI.
Her father.
She looked at Damien.
“You have a file on my father?”
“I have files on everyone who has ever done business with my family.”
He placed the folder on the desk.
Elena opened it.
Bank statements.
Photographs.
Names.
Dates.
Business transactions.
Then she saw something that made her blood run cold.
A photograph of her father meeting the same man from the picture.
But this photograph was different.
It was dated six years ago.
Elena looked up.
“My father knew him.”
“Yes.”
“Who is he?”
Damien leaned against the desk.
“His name is Carlo DeLuca.”
Elena’s heart sank.
“Is he one of your men?”
“Not anymore.”
“What does that mean?”
Damien’s eyes darkened.
“It means he betrayed my family.”
Elena slowly looked back at the file.
“How?”
“He disappeared six years ago after stealing information from the Moretti organization.”
“And my father?”
Damien didn’t answer immediately.
“That is the part I’ve been trying to understand.”
Elena looked at him.
“You think my father was involved?”
“I think your father knew something.”
“My father is dead.”
“I know.”
“And you still think he was involved?”
Damien’s voice softened.
“I think he was trying to protect someone.”
Elena froze.
“Who?”
Damien looked directly into her eyes.
“You.”
The room became silent.
Elena shook her head.
“No.”
“Your father’s debt wasn’t the whole story.”
“What are you saying?”
Damien opened another file.
Inside was a document bearing Antonio Rossi’s signature.
Elena recognized it immediately.
Her father’s handwriting.
“What is that?”
“A contract.”
She picked it up.
Her eyes moved quickly across the page.
Then she stopped.
Her face went pale.
“This isn’t possible.”
Damien watched her carefully.
“What?”
“My father didn’t sign this.”
“You’re certain?”
“I know his signature.”
Damien took the paper from her.
“I thought the same thing.”
Elena stared at him.
“So someone forged it?”
“Possibly.”
“Then why keep it?”
“Because whoever forged it wanted someone to believe your father was working with them.”
Elena’s mind raced.
The photograph.
The letter.
Her father’s file.
The mysterious man inside the house.
Everything seemed connected.
Then suddenly—
BANG!
A gunshot exploded somewhere downstairs.
Elena jumped.
Damien immediately pulled her behind him.
BANG!
Security alarms screamed through the mansion.
Damien reached beneath his jacket and pulled out his weapon.
“Stay here.”
“No.”
“Elena.”
“I’m coming with you.”
His eyes flashed.
“This isn’t a negotiation.”
She grabbed his arm.
“Someone is shooting inside your house, Damien.
I’m not staying alone.”
For a moment, they stared at each other.
Then Damien nodded.
“Stay behind me.”
They moved into the hallway.
Men rushed past them with weapons drawn.
Luca appeared from the staircase.
“Boss!”
“What happened?” Damien demanded.
“One of the guards was found unconscious near the east entrance.”
“Where’s Marco?”
Luca hesitated.
“We can’t find him.”
Damien’s expression changed instantly.
“Search the entire house.”
“Yes, boss.”
Elena’s stomach tightened.
Marco.
The same man who had entered her room at two in the morning.
The same man Damien had confronted.
And now he was missing.
Suddenly, Elena noticed something on the floor.
A small silver object.
She bent down.
“Damien.”
He looked at her.
She picked it up.
A ring.
Engraved on it was a strange symbol.
Damien’s face went completely still.
“What is it?”
He took the ring from her.
For the first time, Elena saw genuine shock in his eyes.
“Where did you find this?”
“On the floor.”
Damien closed his fist around it.
Luca looked at him.
“Boss?”
Damien’s voice was barely above a whisper.
“It’s DeLuca’s.”
Elena’s heart dropped.
“You said Carlo DeLuca disappeared six years ago.”
“I did.”
She stared toward the dark hallway.
“Then how did his ring get inside your house?”
Damien didn’t answer.
Because somewhere deep inside, he already knew the truth.
Carlo DeLuca had never really disappeared.
And now someone inside the Moretti mansion was helping him.
Damien looked at Elena.
“From this moment forward, you don’t trust anyone.”
She swallowed.
“Not even you?”
His eyes met hers.
A long silence passed between them.
Then Damien stepped closer.
“You should trust me.”
Elena’s heart skipped.
“Why?”
“Because whoever is coming for you…”
His voice dropped.
“…will have to go through me first.”
Before Elena could respond, the lights suddenly went out.
The entire mansion fell into darkness.
Then a woman’s scream echoed from upstairs.
“ELENA!”
Her blood ran cold.
She knew that voice.
It was Isabella Moretti.
Damien immediately grabbed Elena’s hand.
“Stay with me.”
And together, they ran toward the scream.