The mansion had been quiet for nearly twenty minutes.
Vanessa remained leaning against the wall near the basement door, arms folded, listening to the silence below.
Too quiet.
That bothered her more than screaming would have.
Marco stood a few steps away, scrolling through something on his phone.
Vanessa glanced at the closed door again.
"How long does an interrogation usually take?"
Marco shrugged.
"Depends."
"On what?"
"The person."
Vanessa sighed.
"That's a very criminal answer."
Marco smirked slightly.
"You're living in a criminal house."
Vanessa tilted her head.
"Technically I'm investigating it."
Marco chuckled.
"You're brave."
"Or stupid."
"Maybe both."
Vanessa pushed herself off the wall and walked slowly across the hallway.
The mansion felt different now.
Tenser.
Guards moved more frequently.
Phones rang quietly in distant rooms.
Word of the attack had clearly spread through Gale's organization.
Vanessa glanced back at Marco.
"So how big is his empire?"
Marco looked up from his phone.
"You want numbers?"
"Yes."
Marco thought for a moment.
"Let's just say… if Gale disappears tomorrow, half the criminal economy in this city collapses."
Vanessa frowned.
"That big?"
"Yes."
"And the police just tolerate it."
Marco raised an eyebrow.
"You already know the answer to that."
Vanessa did.
Corruption.
Money.
Influence.
Still—
It irritated her.
Footsteps suddenly echoed from the basement staircase.
Vanessa immediately turned.
The door opened.
Gale stepped out.
His expression was calm as usual.
But Vanessa noticed something.
A faint streak of blood on the sleeve of his shirt.
Not his.
She walked closer.
"Productive conversation?"
Gale walked past her toward the main hall.
"Yes."
Vanessa followed.
"And?"
"He talked."
"That was fast."
Gale stopped near the large window overlooking the gardens.
"Fear is efficient."
Vanessa leaned against the table nearby.
"What did he say?"
Gale didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he pulled the small metal coin from his pocket again and placed it on the table.
Romano's symbol glinted under the light.
"A message."
Vanessa frowned.
"From Romano?"
"Yes."
"What kind?"
Gale's gaze shifted toward her.
"You."
Vanessa blinked.
"Me?"
"He wasn't trying to kill me."
Vanessa slowly straightened.
"Wait."
She replayed the attack in her head.
The van.
The gunmen.
Their positioning.
Her eyes narrowed.
"They were aiming past you."
Gale nodded once.
"They wanted to take you alive."
Vanessa felt a chill crawl down her spine.
"Well."
She crossed her arms.
"That's unsettling."
Marco spoke from the doorway.
"Romano wants leverage."
Vanessa glanced at him.
"I figured."
Gale picked up the coin again.
"He knows you're important."
Vanessa laughed once.
"That's a dangerous misunderstanding."
"No."
Gale's voice was calm.
"It's accurate."
Vanessa studied him.
"You're saying I'm valuable to you."
"Yes."
"Because I'm your fake wife."
"Because you're unpredictable."
Vanessa shook her head.
"You really enjoy dangerous people."
Gale didn't deny it.
Marco suddenly spoke again.
"There's something else."
Gale looked at him.
"What?"
"The prisoner mentioned a second group."
Vanessa frowned.
"Second group?"
Marco nodded.
"Romano wasn't working alone."
Gale's eyes darkened slightly.
"Names?"
Marco hesitated.
"Not exactly."
Vanessa stepped closer.
"Not exactly?"
"He said… The Circle."
The room went quiet.
Vanessa looked between them.
"What's that?"
Marco glanced at Gale.
Gale's expression had hardened.
Finally he spoke.
"An old organization."
Vanessa raised an eyebrow.
"Old criminals?"
"Old power."
Vanessa leaned against the table again.
"That sounds dramatic."
"It is."
She studied Gale carefully.
"You're worried."
"I'm calculating."
"Same thing."
Gale didn't argue.
Vanessa thought for a moment.
"So Romano attacked us."
"Yes."
"But he might have help."
"Yes."
"And this group… the Circle… is bigger."
"Yes."
Vanessa exhaled slowly.
"Well."
She looked at the coin again.
"This war escalated quickly."
Marco nodded.
"Romano is desperate."
"Why?"
Marco glanced at Gale.
But Gale answered himself.
"Because he knows something."
Vanessa looked at him.
"What?"
Gale's voice lowered slightly.
"That I'm about to take something from him."
Vanessa raised an eyebrow.
"And what would that be?"
Gale met her gaze directly.
"His empire."
Vanessa stared at him.
Then slowly smiled.
"That explains the assassination attempt."
Marco chuckled.
"You see why I like her?"
Vanessa ignored him.
Her focus remained on Gale.
"So what's the plan?"
Gale studied her for a moment.
"You really want to know?"
"Yes."
"You're a detective."
"And now your wife."
"Temporary."
Gale nodded slightly.
"Then I suppose you're already involved."
Vanessa leaned forward.
"Good."
Gale picked up the coin again.
"We start by sending Romano a reply."
Vanessa raised an eyebrow.
"A message?"
"Yes."
"What kind?"
Gale's voice remained calm.
"The kind criminals understand."
Vanessa smiled slowly.
"Violence."
Gale's eyes gleamed faintly.
"Precision."
Vanessa crossed her arms.
"You're going after him tonight."
"Yes."
Marco looked excited.
Vanessa looked even more interested.
"Well."
She pushed herself away from the table.
"I hope you're not leaving me behind."
Gale raised an eyebrow.
"You want to come?"
Vanessa stepped closer.
"You started a war."
"Yes."
She tilted her head slightly.
"You married a detective."
Gale studied her carefully.
Vanessa's eyes held the same dangerous curiosity he had noticed since the beginning.
Finally—
He smiled.
"Get a jacket."
Vanessa's grin widened slightly.
Because the game she had stepped into was becoming far more dangerous.
And far more interesting.
And tonight—
For the first time—
She was about to see the true power of the man she had married.