The Valentino estate was unusually quiet that night.
Not peaceful quiet.
The kind of silence that warned something terrible was about to happen.
Elara stood near the massive glass window of Ares's private study, staring at the storm outside. Rain hit the glass in restless patterns.
Behind her, Ares Valentino was on a call.
His voice was cold.
"Find him."
A pause.
Then—
"I don't care what it costs."
He ended the call slowly.
Elara turned.
"You're still looking for the person who leaked those documents?"
Ares didn't answer immediately.
His dark eyes moved toward her.
"No," he said.
"I already found him."
A chill ran down her spine.
"Who is it?"
Ares walked closer.
"Someone inside my empire."
Elara frowned.
"That's impossible. Your security—"
"—is perfect," he interrupted.
"Which means the betrayal was planned long before you entered my life."
The words felt heavier than they should.
Before Elara could respond—
The doors burst open.
Luca rushed in, breathing hard.
"Ares."
Ares didn't like that tone.
"What."
Luca looked at Elara first.
Then back at Ares.
"You need to see this."
He placed a tablet on the desk.
Ares glanced at the screen.
And for the first time—
His expression changed.
Not anger.
Something worse.
Elara stepped closer.
"What is it?"
The screen displayed a photo.
Old.
Grainy.
But unmistakable.
A young girl standing beside a man.
The girl was Elara.
The man beside her—
Elara's breath stopped.
"No…"
Ares's voice dropped dangerously low.
"You never told me your father worked for Damien Volkov."
The room felt like it lost all oxygen.
Elara shook her head slowly.
"I didn't know."
Ares stared at her.
Silent.
Calculating.
Outside, thunder cracked across the sky.
Because suddenly—
Everything about Elara's past looked like a lie.
And for the first time since meeting her…
Ares Valentino wasn't sure
if the woman he married was his salvation—
or the beginning of his destruction.