The moment Alessandro fired his gun—
Hell broke loose.
Gunfire exploded across the grand hall of the De Luca mansion.
Bullets tore through marble pillars and shattered chandeliers above.
Guards dove for cover as both sides unleashed a storm of gunfire.
Adrian grabbed Elena and pulled her behind an overturned table.
"Stay down!"
Elena barely had time to react before bullets slammed into the wall behind them.
Across the hall, Alessandro moved like a shadow.
Cold.
Precise.
Deadly.
Two of Orlov's men dropped before they even realized he had fired.
Luca, despite the bandage around his side, grabbed a rifle from one of the fallen guards.
"You couldn't wait ten minutes before starting a war?"
Adrian fired twice toward the balcony.
"You know this family loves drama!"
Elena's Mother
In the center of the hall, Elena's mother was still tied to the chair.
Completely exposed.
"Mom!" Elena shouted.
Her mother shook her head frantically.
"Don't come closer!"
Bullets flew past her in both directions.
Elena clenched her teeth.
"I'm getting her out."
Adrian grabbed her arm.
"That's a terrible idea."
"She's my mother!"
"Yes, and that's exactly why Orlov put her there!"
Elena hesitated for only a second.
Then she broke free from Adrian's grip and ran.
Through the Gunfire
Bullets ripped through the air as Elena sprinted across the hall.
She slid behind the chair and quickly began cutting the ropes binding her mother's wrists.
"Hurry!" her mother whispered.
Elena's hands trembled as she worked.
"I've got you."
Across the hall, Alessandro saw her.
His eyes widened slightly.
"Elena!"
He fired three quick shots toward the balcony to cover her.
One of the guards above collapsed instantly.
But another took his place.
And aimed.
Right at Elena.
The Shot
The gun fired.
The bullet flew toward Elena—
But someone stepped in front of her.
A body took the hit.
Elena screamed.
"Mom!"
Her mother collapsed into her arms as blood spread across her blouse.
"No… no, no, no!"
Her mother's breathing turned shallow.
"Elena…"
Tears streamed down Elena's face.
"Stay with me!"
Her mother weakly grabbed her hand.
"You have to listen to me."
Elena shook her head desperately.
"No! You're going to be fine!"
But her mother's voice was fading.
"There's something you don't know…"
Elena leaned closer.
"What?"
Her mother whispered the words so quietly that only Elena could hear.
The sentence made Elena freeze.
Her eyes widened in shock.
"No…"
Alessandro's Fury
Across the hall, Alessandro saw Elena kneeling beside her mother.
Saw the blood.
Saw the pain.
Something inside him snapped.
His voice dropped into something dark.
Something dangerous.
"Orlov."
The entire room seemed to grow colder.
Orlov, standing near the staircase, watched the chaos calmly.
"You should have taken my deal."
Alessandro walked forward slowly.
Bullets still flying around him.
But none of them seemed to touch him.
"You hurt my wife."
Orlov smiled.
"And?"
Alessandro raised his weapon.
"You signed your death sentence."
The Escape
Orlov sighed slightly.
"You always were dramatic."
He pressed a small button on a remote device in his hand.
Suddenly—
Explosions rocked the mansion.
The entire building shook violently.
Adrian stumbled as part of the ceiling collapsed nearby.
"Oh come on!"
Smoke began filling the grand hall.
Orlov turned toward a hidden doorway behind the staircase.
"You may have destroyed my empire…"
"But tonight…"
"…I take yours."
Then he disappeared into the passage.
Elena's Breakdown
Elena held her mother tightly.
Blood stained her hands.
"Mom… stay with me…"
Her mother smiled weakly.
"Elena… you're stronger than you think."
Tears blurred Elena's vision.
"Don't talk like that!"
Her mother's eyes slowly closed.
"Elena…"
"Yes?"
"Your father… he didn't owe Orlov."
Elena froze.
"What?"
Her mother's voice was barely a whisper now.
"He was protecting you…"
Elena's breath caught.
"From what?"
Her mother used the last of her strength to say the final words.
"From your real father."
Then her hand went limp.
"Elena…"
But there was no response.
Silence
For a moment—
The world went silent for Elena.
No gunfire.
No shouting.
No chaos.
Just grief.
Adrian slowly approached.
His voice soft.
"Elena…"
Alessandro appeared beside her.
His expression dark with fury and pain.
He knelt beside her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"We're ending this tonight."
Elena slowly looked up.
Her eyes filled with tears.
But also something new.
Something colder.
"Good."
She wiped the blood from her hands.
Then stood.
"Because I'm going to kill him myself."