Thunder rolled across the night sky.
From the penthouse windows, lightning briefly illuminated the sprawling city below, casting silver streaks across the dark skyline.
Inside the Romano penthouse, the atmosphere had grown tense.
Marcus Virelli.
The name still hung in the air like a shadow that refused to disappear.
Elena leaned against the edge of the large marble table, arms crossed.
"So let me get this straight."
Adrian glanced up from his tablet.
"Yes?"
"Seven years ago, this Marcus Virelli guy was a powerful criminal boss."
"Yes."
"And Alessandro destroyed him."
Adrian nodded slowly.
"Correct."
"And now he might be back… trying to kill me."
"Possibly."
Elena sighed.
"Your life is exhausting."
Across the room, Alessandro stood near the window.
His reflection stared back at him from the dark glass.
His mind wasn't in the room anymore.
It was seven years in the past.
Back when Marcus Virelli had ruled the underworld like a king.
Back when Alessandro had made the decision to destroy him.
Adrian broke the silence.
"Are you sure it's him?"
Alessandro didn't answer immediately.
Finally he spoke.
"The bank account traces back to his old network."
"That doesn't prove he's alive."
"No."
Alessandro turned slowly.
"But it proves someone wants us to believe he is."
Elena raised an eyebrow.
"Which might be even worse."
Adrian nodded slightly.
"Psychological warfare."
Elena groaned softly.
"I preferred the assassin."
The room went quiet again.
Then suddenly—
Buzz.
Alessandro's phone vibrated on the table.
Everyone looked at it.
Unknown number.
Adrian frowned.
"That's suspicious."
Alessandro picked it up calmly.
"Hello."
For several seconds he didn't speak.
He just listened.
Elena watched his expression carefully.
Something in his eyes changed.
Cold.
Dangerous.
Finally he spoke.
"You're brave to call me."
A faint voice came through the phone.
Too quiet for Elena to hear.
But Adrian's attention sharpened immediately.
Alessandro's jaw tightened.
"Where are you?"
More silence.
Then Alessandro laughed once.
But there was no humor in it.
"Running again."
Another pause.
Then he spoke three words.
"You should have stayed dead."
The call ended.
Elena blinked.
"Well that sounded dramatic."
Adrian stepped forward.
"Who was it?"
Alessandro placed the phone slowly on the table.
"Marcus Virelli."
The room froze.
Elena stared at him.
"Seriously?"
"Yes."
Adrian frowned deeply.
"What did he say?"
Alessandro leaned back slightly in his chair.
"He congratulated me."
Elena blinked.
"For what?"
"My marriage."
"That's creepy."
Adrian nodded.
"What else?"
Alessandro's eyes darkened slightly.
"He said Elena is… an interesting choice."
Elena groaned.
"I hate this man already."
Adrian crossed his arms.
"And the contract?"
Alessandro's voice dropped lower.
"He confirmed it."
Elena's stomach tightened slightly.
"He hired the assassin?"
"Yes."
Adrian cursed quietly.
"So the ghost is real."
Elena pushed away from the table and began pacing slowly.
"This makes absolutely no sense."
Both men looked at her.
She pointed toward Alessandro.
"You destroyed his empire."
"Yes."
"And instead of killing you…"
She pointed at herself.
"…he targets your wife?"
Adrian nodded slightly.
"That's exactly why."
Elena frowned.
"That logic is broken."
Adrian shook his head.
"No."
He looked serious now.
"Marcus Virelli was known for psychological revenge."
"What does that mean?"
"He doesn't attack his enemies directly."
Elena crossed her arms.
"He destroys everything they care about."
Silence filled the room.
Elena slowly turned toward Alessandro.
"You care about me now?"
Alessandro didn't answer immediately.
Their eyes met.
Something unreadable passed between them.
Finally he said quietly,
"You're my wife."
Elena sighed.
"That wasn't the question."
Adrian coughed awkwardly.
"I'm still here."
Elena waved him off.
"Focus."
She looked back at Alessandro.
"So Marcus thinks killing me will hurt you."
"Yes."
"And will it?"
The question hung in the air.
For the first time since the call, Alessandro's calm mask cracked slightly.
His voice came out quieter.
"Yes."
Elena blinked.
The honesty surprised her.
Adrian noticed it too.
He cleared his throat.
"Well… that's inconvenient."
Elena ran a hand through her hair.
"Fantastic."
She walked over to the bar and poured herself a glass of water.
"So we have a psychopath with a revenge obsession."
Adrian nodded.
"And a professional assassin contract."
She drank the water quickly.
"And I'm the target."
"Correct."
She placed the glass down.
"Great."
Then she turned to Alessandro.
"So what's the plan?"
His eyes hardened again.
"The same as always."
"Which is?"
"We destroy him."
Adrian nodded slowly.
"That will take time."
"Yes."
Elena sighed.
"And until then?"
Alessandro looked directly at her.
"You stay close to me."
She raised an eyebrow.
"That sounds suspiciously like prison."
"It's protection."
"Same thing."
Adrian suddenly looked at his tablet again.
"Wait."
Both of them turned toward him.
"What?"
Adrian frowned.
"I just received something."
He turned the screen toward them.
A message.
Just three words.
"Round one begins."
Below the message was a photo.
Elena stared at it.
Her stomach dropped.
It was a picture of her.
Taken earlier that night at the gala.
From a distance.
From the shadows.
The message timestamp read:
Five minutes ago.
Adrian's voice turned cold.
"He's watching."
Elena slowly looked toward the dark windows of the penthouse.
The city stretched endlessly beyond the glass.
Thousands of buildings.
Millions of people.
Somewhere out there…
Marcus Virelli was alive.
And he had just declared war.