The press conference ended.
But the war did not.
By the time Elara stepped back inside the mansion gates, the internet was already divided.
#TeamElara
#ManipulationExposed
#ValentinoKidnapper
Truth and lies were battling in real time.
Inside the mansion, screens flashed with live analytics. Social media spikes. News debates. Stock shifts.
Sofia rushed toward Elara. "Are you okay?"
Elara nodded.
She wasn't okay.
But she was standing.
Ares removed his jacket slowly, handing it to Luca without looking.
"Status," he said calmly.
"Arman Holdings just launched three media counterattacks," Luca replied. "And… Daniel Rossi was in a car accident twenty minutes ago."
Everything stopped.
Elara's heartbeat skipped.
"Daniel?" she whispered.
Daniel.
The only person who had secretly helped her access internal Arman files months ago.
"What kind of accident?" she asked, voice thin.
Luca hesitated.
"Brake failure."
The room went silent.
Ares' expression did not change.
But something lethal moved behind his eyes.
"Alive?" Ares asked.
"Critical."
Elara felt the ground shift beneath her.
"This is because of me…" she breathed.
"No," Ares said quietly.
"It's because he's losing."
The Hospital
The smell of antiseptic filled the air.
Machines beeped steadily.
Daniel lay unconscious, pale, bandaged, fragile.
Elara stood beside his bed, guilt crushing her chest.
"He only helped me," she whispered. "He didn't deserve this."
Ares stood near the window, watching the hallway through the reflection in the glass.
He never turned his back to a door.
Matteo stepped inside quietly.
"Boss. We examined the wreck."
Ares' voice was low. "And?"
"The brake line was cut."
Elara's breath stopped.
Not accident.
Message.
Ares' jaw tightened.
Clean.
Calculated.
Personal.
"He's escalating," Matteo continued. "And there's something else. The car had been serviced last week."
"By?" Ares asked.
"Valentino Motors."
The air turned colder.
Elara looked between them.
"What does that mean?"
Ares' eyes darkened.
"It means," he said softly, "someone inside my territory touched that car."
Betrayal.
Not just attack.
Infiltration.
Across the City
In a glass tower office, Rayan Arman watched the news replay Elara's speech.
His expression was calm.
Controlled.
He poured himself a drink.
"She learns fast," he murmured.
His assistant stood nearby, nervous.
"Sir… Daniel Rossi survived."
Rayan paused.
A flicker of annoyance crossed his face.
"Unfortunate," he replied. "But pain is often more effective than death."
He turned toward the window.
"Prepare the next release."
Back at the Hospital
Elara stepped into the hallway, needing air.
Ares followed.
"You can't keep fighting him like this," she said quietly.
"I'm not fighting," he replied.
"I'm dismantling."
She looked at him sharply.
"He almost killed someone."
"Yes."
"And you're calm?"
His silver eyes locked onto hers.
"Because anger is what he wants."
Silence stretched between them.
"You're not going to retaliate?" she asked.
"I will."
Her pulse quickened.
"But not today."
That answer unsettled her more.
"What are you planning?" she whispered.
Ares stepped closer.
Close enough that she could feel the quiet storm inside him.
"I am going to find who cut that brake line," he said softly.
"And when I do—"
His voice lowered.
"They won't die quickly."
A chill ran through her.
"You said you fight monsters."
"I do."
"And what are you becoming?"
For a moment—
Something flickered in his expression.
Conflict.
Then it vanished.
"Effective."
Later That Night
Back at the mansion, Ares stood alone in his private office.
Screens displayed internal staff records.
Security footage.
Garage access logs.
One name blinked repeatedly.
Marco Vitelli.
Senior mechanic. Ten years loyal.
Transferred to night shift last week.
Requested access override to Daniel's vehicle.
Ares' expression turned to ice.
"Bring him to me," he ordered.
Downstairs – Basement Level
Marco was on his knees.
Shaking.
"I didn't mean for him to die!" he cried.
Ares stood in front of him.
Calm.
Hands behind his back.
"Who paid you?" Ares asked quietly.
Marco sobbed.
"I— I don't know names. Just money. They said it was only to scare him!"
Ares crouched slowly.
Looked into his eyes.
"Did you cut the brake line?"
Marco nodded weakly.
Elara stood at the top of the stairs.
Watching.
Horrified.
"This is my fault…" she whispered to herself.
Below—
Ares stood up.
"Take him," he ordered.
Marco screamed as guards dragged him away.
"Please! I have a family!"
Ares did not look back.
Elara descended the stairs slowly.
"What are you going to do to him?" she asked.
Ares turned toward her.
His face unreadable.
"He chose his side."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only one that matters."
Her heart pounded.
"You said you weren't reacting emotionally."
"I'm not."
She stared at him.
"You're making an example."
"Yes."
The honesty stunned her.
"He hurt someone innocent."
"And now," Ares said softly, "no one inside my walls will dare to touch what is under my protection again."
There it was again.
That word.
Protection.
Possession.
War.
Elara stepped closer.
"You can't win this by becoming worse than him."
Ares looked down at her.
"And you can't survive this by staying naive."
Their eyes locked.
Fire against ice.
Upstairs, the news alert flashed again.
BREAKING: Anonymous source links Arman Holdings to offshore trafficking routes.
The war was spreading.
And this time—
Blood had already been drawn.
Not in public.
But in shadows.
And shadows were Ares Valentino's territory.