Smoke thickened inside the grand hall of the De Luca mansion.
Parts of the ceiling had begun collapsing from the explosions Orlov triggered.
Pieces of marble and wood littered the floor.
The gunfire had slowed.
Most of Orlov's remaining men were either dead or fleeing the estate grounds as De Luca soldiers secured the building.
But Elena barely noticed any of it.
She stood frozen beside her mother's body.
Her hands still stained with blood.
Adrian stood nearby, unusually quiet.
Even Luca, leaning against a pillar with his bandaged side, said nothing.
Alessandro slowly stepped closer to Elena.
"Elena…"
She didn't respond.
Her eyes remained fixed on her mother's face.
Finally she spoke.
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
"He killed her."
Alessandro nodded once.
"Yes."
Elena wiped the tears from her cheeks.
Then she looked up at him.
"Good."
Adrian frowned slightly.
"Good?"
Elena's expression hardened.
"Because now I have nothing holding me back."
The Last Words
She knelt beside her mother one last time.
Her fingers gently closed her mother's eyes.
"I'll finish it," she whispered.
Then she stood again.
Stronger.
Colder.
More dangerous.
Alessandro studied her carefully.
"You heard what she said."
Elena nodded.
"Yes."
Adrian looked confused.
"Wait… what did she say?"
Elena hesitated for a moment.
Then answered.
"She said my father wasn't protecting me from Orlov."
Luca frowned slightly.
"Then who?"
Elena's eyes darkened.
"My real father."
The Hidden Truth
The room fell silent again.
Adrian blinked.
"…hold on."
"You're saying the man who raised you wasn't your real father?"
Elena nodded slowly.
"Yes."
Alessandro crossed his arms.
"And your mother never told you?"
"No."
Luca muttered under his breath.
"That's never a good sign."
Elena's mind raced.
"My father worked with the De Luca family."
"Yes," Alessandro confirmed.
"He ran one of our shipping networks."
"So if he was protecting me…"
Elena's stomach tightened.
"…then my real father must be someone far more dangerous."
Adrian sighed.
"I really don't like where this conversation is going."
The Escape Route
Suddenly Valentina's voice crackled through the radio again.
"Everyone listen carefully."
Adrian grabbed the device.
"Please tell me you found Orlov."
"I did."
Elena stepped closer.
"Where?"
Valentina paused briefly.
"He hasn't left the estate."
Adrian frowned.
"That's impossible."
"No," Valentina replied calmly.
"He used the underground passage."
Alessandro's eyes narrowed.
"What passage?"
"The old smuggling tunnels beneath the mansion."
Luca laughed weakly.
"Of course."
Adrian looked around.
"You people have tunnels under your house?!"
Alessandro ignored him.
"Where is the entrance?"
Valentina pulled up the estate blueprint again.
"It's behind the staircase Orlov used."
The Hunt Begins
Without another word, Alessandro walked toward the hidden doorway behind the staircase.
The wall panel had been left partially open.
A narrow stone corridor descended into darkness below.
Adrian peered down the stairs.
"Oh good."
"A creepy underground tunnel."
"My favorite."
Luca pushed himself away from the pillar.
"I'm coming."
Alessandro looked at him.
"You're injured."
"I'll survive."
Elena stepped forward as well.
Alessandro immediately shook his head.
"No."
Her eyes flashed.
"Yes."
"It's too dangerous."
"He killed my mother."
Her voice dropped into something icy.
"I'm not staying behind."
Alessandro studied her face for a long moment.
Then nodded once.
"Stay close."
Into the Darkness
They descended into the underground tunnel.
The air was cold.
Damp.
The walls were old stone, built decades ago when the De Luca empire relied on smuggling routes beneath the city.
Their footsteps echoed quietly through the narrow corridor.
Adrian whispered,
"This place feels like a horror movie."
Luca replied,
"That's because it usually ends badly."
The tunnel stretched for nearly fifty meters.
Then it opened into a large underground chamber.
But Orlov wasn't alone.
The Surprise
Dozens of armed soldiers stood waiting.
Orlov stood in the center of the chamber.
Calm.
Prepared.
Like he had expected them.
Adrian groaned.
"Another trap."
Orlov smiled slowly.
"I was wondering how long it would take you."
Alessandro raised his weapon.
"This ends now."
Orlov shook his head.
"No."
His eyes moved toward Elena.
"This is where it begins."
Elena stepped forward.
"What are you talking about?"
Orlov's smile widened.
"Your mother told you the truth before she died."
Elena felt a chill crawl down her spine.
"You know about that?"
"Yes."
Orlov nodded calmly.
"I should."
"Why?"
Orlov leaned slightly closer.
"Because I'm the one who killed your real father."
The room went silent.
Elena's breath caught.
"What?"
Orlov continued.
"And the reason I killed him…"
"…was because he tried to take you away from me."
Elena's voice trembled.
"Away from you?"
Orlov's eyes gleamed.
"Yes."
"Why?"
Orlov's answer came slowly.
Calmly.
Terrifyingly.
"Because…"
"…I'm your father."