Chapter 4 SHADOWS CLOSING IN....

004

(Part 1)

The darkness swallowed the room whole, broken only by the faint hum of the city outside. Alessia's pulse hammered in her ears as the footsteps grew louder, deliberate, each one a countdown closer to the unknown.

Lucien's hand found hers, steadying, grounding.

"Stay close," he whispered.

The front door creaked open.

A figure stepped into the flickering light - someone Alessia never expected to see here.

It was Elena, her father's trusted advisor - but tonight, her eyes held something far colder than loyalty.

"Elena?" Alessia's voice trembled.

The woman smiled thinly, stepping forward, "You're in over your head, Alessia. Your family doesn't just want you gone - they want everything you stand for destroyed."

Lucien's fingers curled into a fist. "Why are you here?"

Elena's gaze flicked to him, calculating. "Because I'm the one who controls the next move. And trust me - it won't be pretty."

Before Alessia could react, the lights blinked back on.

And the room was no longer empty.

---

(Part 2)

The sudden flood of light revealed a dozen figures lining the room's perimeter - masked men in black, their weapons gleaming cold under the chandelier.

Alessia's heart sank. The betrayal wasn't just a whisper in the dark; it was a storm breaking over her.

Elena's smile deepened as she stepped between Alessia and Lucien. "Your father sent them. Said you needed to learn what it means to cross the Romano name."

Lucien's voice was sharp, full of warning. "They'll regret this."

The masked men advanced. Lucien shoved Alessia behind him, pulling a gun from his jacket.

"Get ready," he growled.

But Alessia's eyes caught something - a flicker of hesitation in one of the masked men's stance.

A crack in the armor.

Her mind raced. Could there be an ally hidden among the enemy?

Suddenly, the leader of the masked men barked a command in Italian, and the men split - some moving forward, others stepping back.

Elena's voice cut through the chaos. "You'll never leave here alive."

---

(Part 3)

The room was a powder keg waiting to explode. Alessia's breath caught as the tension coiled tighter than ever.

Lucien's gun never wavered, finger poised on the trigger. The masked men advanced, their footsteps echoing like a death march.

Then, just as the first shot rang out, chaos exploded.

One of the masked men suddenly turned his weapon away, firing a warning shot into the ceiling. The others froze, confusion rippling through their ranks.

A voice shouted in rapid Italian.

"Stop! She's under my protection!"

Alessia's eyes widened as the man stepped forward - unmasked.

It was Marco, her father's estranged lieutenant, believed to be loyal to Vittorio but now defying orders.

The room fractured in an instant. Some masked men dropped their weapons, others hesitated.

Lucien seized the moment.

"Get Alessia out of here!" he commanded.

Alessia stumbled through the door, heart pounding, but a sharp pain exploded in her side - a bullet grazed her.

Behind her, Lucien and Marco fought back-to-back against the remaining attackers.

Alessia's vision blurred as she fled into the shadows.

---

The safe house was a cold, dim bunker beneath Lucien's villa. Alessia collapsed onto the floor, clutching her side.

Lucien appeared moments later, bandaging her wound with swift efficiency.

"You should've told me sooner," he murmured, concern lacing his voice.

Alessia shook her head weakly. "There's more... I found something in the documents. Something that changes everything."

Lucien's eyes darkened. "What?"

She hesitated, then handed him a photo - a faded image of her mother with a man Alessia didn't recognize.

"Who is he?" Lucien asked.

Alessia's voice cracked. "My real father."

---

The room fell silent, the weight of the revelation sinking in.

Lucien's jaw tightened. "This changes the game. If your mother hid this secret, it means Vittorio isn't the only enemy."

Alessia nodded, fighting to stay conscious.

Outside, a storm raged, lightning flashing like the battles yet to come.

Lucien leaned close, voice low and fierce.

"We're running out of time. And soon, the whole world will know the truth."

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