Chapter 5 - The Night the Mafia Boss Came for Me
Marco Bellandi was not a ghost.
He was worse.
He was a man who understood patience.
According to the information Adrian received, Marco had spent eleven years moving through different countries and using different identities.
He did not attack openly.
He observed.
He recruited.
He waited.
That was why Adrian became increasingly protective of Norah.
She hated it.
He hated that she hated it.
The tension between them became impossible to ignore.
One evening, Norah confronted him.
“You're following me.”
“I assigned security.”
“That's the same thing.”
“You've been threatened.”
“You don't get to control my life.”
“I know.”
“Then stop.”
He stared at her.
“I can't.”
“Why?”
His answer came quietly.
“Because I care about you.”
Norah stopped.
He looked away.
“I care about Elena.”
“I know.”
“I care about keeping promises.”
“I know.”
He stepped closer.
“And somewhere along the way, I started caring about you for reasons that have nothing to do with my mother.”
Norah's heartbeat became loud.
She whispered:
“Adrian.”
He stopped.
“I don't expect anything from you.”
She looked at him.
“Good.”
Then she kissed him.
It was brief.
Soft.
Unexpected.
When they separated, Adrian looked stunned.
Norah smiled.
“You talk too much.”
He laughed.
“I've been told.”
But happiness lasted only until midnight.
The security alarm sounded.
Norah woke to shouting downstairs.
She ran into the hallway.
Adrian was already there.
“Stay back.”
“What happened?”
“Someone breached the outer gate.”
Elena appeared behind them.
Adrian turned.
“Mother, go to the safe room.”
“No.”
“Please.”
“I am not hiding.”
He looked furious.
“I'm asking you.”
Elena stared at him.
Then nodded.
Two men escorted her away.
Norah followed Adrian.
“What about me?”
“You stay here.”
“No.”
“Norah.”
“I know what your mother would say.”
“What?”
“She'd say I have a stubborn streak.”
He almost smiled.
Then the lights went out.
Darkness swallowed the hallway.
A crash came from downstairs.
Adrian pulled Norah behind him.
“Don't move.”
A man's voice floated through the house.
“Adrian.”
He recognized it.
“Marco.”
The voice laughed.
“You've grown up.”
“You should have stayed gone.”
“I tried.”
Footsteps.
Slow.
Confident.
Then a light flickered on.
A man stood at the end of the hall.
Gray hair.
Elegant black suit.
A thin scar across his cheek.
Norah knew immediately.
Marco smiled.
“So this is Claire's daughter.”
Adrian stepped forward.
“You don't go near her.”
Marco's eyes stayed on Norah.
“Your mother was a clever woman.”
“My mother is dead.”
“Yes.”
Marco smiled.
“Such a shame.”
Norah felt no fear.
Only anger.
“You knew my mother.”
“Better than you think.”
“What do you want?”
“You.”
Adrian moved.
Marco's men raised weapons.
Everything stopped.
Marco continued.
“Your mother had records.”
“What records?”
“Evidence.”
“About you?”
“About an entire network.”
Norah stared.
“Where are they?”
Marco smiled.
“Nowhere.”
He looked at her.
“Because your mother hid them.”
Norah's mind raced.
“Where?”
Marco's expression changed.
“She never told me.”
He laughed softly.
“But I knew eventually.”
He pointed at Norah.
“She gave them to you.”
Norah froze.
“I don't have anything.”
“Not consciously.”
Marco stepped back.
“Your mother was smarter than anyone understood.”
Then one of Adrian's men attacked.
The hallway erupted.
Adrian pushed Norah toward a doorway.
“Run!”
She ran.
Behind her came shouts.
Doors slammed.
Glass shattered.
Norah entered the safe room.
Elena was inside.
She grabbed Norah's hands.
“Did he see you?”
“Yes.”
“What did he say?”
“He thinks Mom gave me something.”
Elena's face changed.
“Of course.”
“What?”
“You have it.”
“Have what?”
“Your mother's necklace.”
Norah touched the chain around her neck.
She had worn it since childhood.
“It was the only thing Dad gave me after she died.”
Elena stared.
“Open the pendant.”
Norah froze.
“There is no opening.”
“There is.”
Elena took it.
She pressed a tiny notch near the edge.
The pendant clicked.
Inside was a miniature memory card.
Norah stared.
“My God.”
Adrian entered moments later, bruised but standing.
“Are you all right?”
Norah held up the pendant.
His expression changed.
“That's it.”
“The records?”
“Probably.”
Elena closed her eyes.
“Claire kept the evidence all these years.”
Norah looked at Adrian.
“What is on it?”
“We don't know.”
He took a secure device from one of his men.
They copied the card.
Folders appeared.
Bank records.
Names.
Dates.
Payments.
Political donations.
Shell companies.
Then one folder labeled:
BELLANDI.
Marco's face appeared on the screen.
So did dozens of others.
Adrian stared.
“This could destroy everything.”
Norah asked:
“Can it end your organization?”
He looked at the files.
“It could.”
She stared at him.
“Would you do it?”
Adrian looked at his mother.
Then at Norah.
“Yes.”
“But your people?”
“We build something legal.”
“You think they'll let you?”
“I don't care.”
He looked at the evidence.
“For the first time, I have a way out.”
Norah smiled.
“Then take it.”
Before they could continue, the screen went black.
The building's power had been cut.
A message appeared.
I know where the files are now.
Adrian looked toward the door.
“How?”
May you like
Then Elena spoke.
“Because there is a traitor in this house.”
