Chapter 16 - Three Floors Underground
Palazzo Nero was empty when Elena returned.
No chandeliers blazing.
No quartet.
No guests.
Only emergency lights illuminating the underground corridors.
Marco walked beside her.
Two of Kemal's men followed.
“Where is his sister?” Elena whispered.
“Safe.”
She glanced at him.
“Actually?”
“Yes.”
“Then why are you doing this?”
“Because they don't know she's safe.”
Elena understood.
Marco had finally stopped acting from fear.
Good.
They entered the ballroom.
Kemal waited on the stage.
Adrian stood beside him.
Elena froze.
“Adrian?”
He looked ashamed.
Kemal smiled.
“Families disappoint us.”
Adrian's voice was quiet.
“I'm sorry.”
“For what?”
“He forced me.”
Elena laughed without humor.
“I'm becoming very tired of that phrase.”
Kemal pointed to a table.
Documents waited.
“You are going to transfer Bellarosa.”
“No.”
“Eventually.”
“No.”
“Then Luca loses everything.”
“I heard. He offered.”
Kemal's smile disappeared slightly.
“You heard?”
“Surveillance.”
“Clever.”
“Not particularly.”
Kemal approached.
“Do you understand what Bellarosa owns?”
“Yes.”
“Homes. Businesses. Land.”
“People's fear.”
“Power.”
“Same thing to men like you.”
Kemal studied her.
“I understand why Luca likes you.”
“That's nice.”
“You think you're brave.”
“No.”
Elena looked around the underground room.
“I'm terrified.”
Kemal seemed surprised.
“But fear doesn't automatically mean obedience.”
Behind him Adrian's eyes lifted.
Something changed.
Kemal returned to the documents.
“Sign.”
“No.”
He nodded toward one of his men.
The screen behind Elena activated.
Live video.
Luca.
Still inside the warehouse.
Surrounded.
Paolo beside him.
Elena's breath caught.
Kemal smiled.
“My men have instructions.”
“You kill Luca, you lose your leverage.”
“I don't need leverage after you sign.”
“Then why would I sign?”
“To keep him alive.”
Elena looked at the screen.
Luca somehow noticed the camera.
His eyes lifted.
He couldn't see her.
Still, she felt as if he did.
Kemal gave her a pen.
Elena took it.
Adrian stepped forward.
“Elena.”
Kemal looked toward him.
“What?”
Adrian's hands trembled.
“She cannot legally transfer Bellarosa without the co-trustee.”
Kemal smiled.
“Luca's signature is already prepared.”
“For forged transfer?”
“Correct.”
Adrian shook his head.
“It won't hold.”
“It only needs to hold long enough.”
Elena looked at Marco.
He gave the smallest nod.
Transmitter active.
Someone was listening.
Elena placed the pen on the paper.
Then paused.
“I want something.”
Kemal sighed.
“What?”
“The truth.”
“About?”
“My father.”
Kemal's eyes changed.
“What do you want to know?”
“Were you in the car that hit him?”
“No.”
“Did you order it?”
“No.”
“Did Santi?”
Kemal smiled.
“No.”
Elena frowned.
“Then who?”
Kemal looked at Adrian.
Adrian went pale.
Elena followed his gaze.
“No.”
Adrian stepped backward.
“It wasn't supposed to happen.”
Elena's chest tightened.
“You.”
Adrian raised his hands.
“I sent someone to stop Giovanni.”
“You had his car hit?”
“To force him off the road.”
“My father died.”
“I know.”
“Why?”
“He had learned Yusuf killed Sofia.”
Elena stared.
“You were protecting Yusuf?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
Adrian's voice broke.
“I was protecting Luca.”
Elena looked at the screen.
“What does Luca have to do with it?”
“Giovanni believed Yusuf should answer publicly.”
“He should have.”
“Yes.”
“But?”
“Yusuf had already transferred control of everything to Luca.”
Elena understood slowly.
“If Yusuf was exposed…”
“Every rival would have gone after Luca.”
“So you killed my father to protect a nineteen-year-old Luca?”
“I didn't intend to kill him.”
“That does not matter.”
“I know.”
“No, you don't.”
Her anger exploded.
“You men keep deciding what someone else's life is worth.”
Adrian lowered his head.
Elena's hands shook.
“My mother died because Yusuf decided his organization mattered more.”
She pointed toward Kemal.
“Luca's mother died because you decided control mattered more.”
Then Adrian.
“My father died because you decided protecting Luca gave you the right to risk Giovanni's life.”
She looked around.
“And all of you call it loyalty.”
Silence.
Elena's voice lowered.
“It isn't loyalty.”
She picked up the contract.
“It is cowardice.”
Then she tore it in half.
Kemal's face changed.
“Enough.”
He reached for her.
Marco moved.
Fast.
He struck one guard and grabbed the other's arm.
Adrian shoved the table into Kemal.
Chaos erupted.
Elena ran.
A door opened at the back of the ballroom.
Dario entered with investigators.
Marco's transmitter had worked.
Kemal grabbed Elena before she reached them.
His arm locked around her.
Everyone stopped.
“No closer.”
Elena felt his grip tighten.
She remained still.
Dario aimed but couldn't fire safely.
“Let her go.”
Kemal laughed.
“Where is Luca?”
A voice came from the doorway.
“Here.”
Elena's heart stopped.
Luca entered.
Wet from rain.
Suit torn.
Eyes fixed on Kemal.
Paolo followed behind investigators.
Alive.
Kemal tightened his hold.
“You traded everything for this woman.”
Luca looked at Elena.
“No.”
Kemal smiled.
“No?”
“She was never mine to buy.”
Elena's throat tightened.
Luca continued.
“And nothing I own is worth her life.”
Kemal pressed a weapon near Elena.
She closed her eyes briefly.
“Then tell them to leave.”
Luca raised his hands.
“Everyone out.”
Dario said, “Luca.”
“Out.”
Elena understood immediately.
Luca had no intention of obeying Kemal forever.
He needed space.
Investigators backed toward the exits.
Kemal relaxed slightly.
Elena remembered the ballroom floor.
Polished black marble.
Her shoes.
High heels.
Bad traction.
She looked at Luca.
His gaze dropped briefly toward the floor.
He understood.
Of course he did.
Elena suddenly let her knees collapse.
Kemal lost balance.
His grip loosened.
Luca moved.
Elena rolled away.
Dario rushed forward.
Kemal's weapon slid across the floor.
Within seconds three officers held him down.
Silence returned.
Elena sat on the marble floor breathing hard.
Luca reached her.
He crouched.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
He closed his eyes.
Relief.
Elena touched his face.
“You came.”
He looked at her.
“Always.”
Then she frowned.
“I don't like that word.”
A faint smile.
“I came because I chose to.”
“Better.”
He helped her stand.
Behind them, investigators arrested Kemal.
Adrian offered no resistance.
Marco sat against the wall laughing shakily.
Paolo lowered himself into a chair.
For the first time, Elena looked around Palazzo Nero and did not feel small.
The hidden ballroom had been designed to make ordinary people believe powerful men controlled everything.
Now those men were being led away in handcuffs.
Luca took her hand.
“Ready to leave?”
Elena looked toward the stage.
The torn Bellarosa contract lay on the floor.
“No.”
Luca frowned.
“There is one thing left.”
She picked up the unsigned pages.
“What?”
Elena looked at him.
“We end Bellarosa.”
May you like
And this time, nobody would stop them.
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