Chapter 7 - The Night She Disappeared
The safest place was supposed to be the Fontana estate.
Instead, it became the battlefield.
Stahl attacked just before dawn.
The power failed.
Security gates opened.
A convoy entered.
Gunfire echoed across the property.
Luca moved Giana into the panic room.
"You stay here."
"No."
"Please."
She looked at him.
He had never said please.
That scared her more.
She kissed him.
"Come back."
"I will."
He left.
Minutes became hours.
Then silence.
Giana sat in the dark.
Her mother beside her.
The baby kicked.
Then a hidden door opened.
A man entered.
Rafael.
Giana raised the weapon.
"Stop."
"Lower it."
"No."
He smiled.
"You have your father's courage."
"You don't deserve to say his name."
Rafael's smile vanished.
"I came to warn you."
"Why?"
"Stahl is here."
"I know."
"No."
He shook his head.
"Stahl isn't attacking the estate."
Giana frowned.
"Then what is this?"
"A distraction."
Her blood chilled.
"For what?"
Rafael looked at her stomach.
"The baby."
Giana's heart stopped.
She understood.
The hospital.
The safe house.
Every location was compromised.
Someone had leaked everything.
The panic room door burst open.
Smoke flooded the chamber.
Giana grabbed her mother.
Rafael shouted,
"Run!"
They escaped through the service tunnel.
But outside, Stahl waited.
Giana fired.
He ducked.
A man grabbed her.
She kicked.
Another grabbed her mother.
Rafael fought them.
Then Stahl drew a gun.
"Enough."
Everything stopped.
He pointed at Giana.
"Your husband is upstairs."
Giana stared.
"What did you do?"
"Nothing."
He smiled.
"He chose the archive over you."
Her heart cracked.
"What?"
Stahl held up a phone.
A live video.
Luca stood in the archive room.
The original ledger was in front of him.
Stahl's men surrounded him.
"One choice," Stahl said.
"The ledger or your wife."
Giana screamed,
"Luca, don't!"
The video froze.
Stahl smiled.
"He has thirty seconds."
Giana understood.
This was no longer about defeating Stahl.
It was about destroying Luca.
Because every answer was a trap.
If Luca chose the ledger, Stahl could claim Giana meant nothing.
If Luca chose Giana, the evidence disappeared.
Either way, Stahl won.
Giana looked at Rafael.
"Give me the gun."
He hesitated.
"Why?"
"Because I'm done being someone's leverage."
He handed it to her.
Giana pointed it at Stahl.
"Let her go."
Stahl laughed.
"You think a pregnant baker scares me?"
"No."
She looked at the ceiling.
Then at the surveillance camera.
"I think my husband does."
Stahl frowned.
Giana smiled.
Because she realized something.
The live video was delayed.
The image on the screen wasn't real time.
She looked at the clock.
Three seconds.
Four.
Five.
It was a loop.
Luca wasn't choosing anything.
He was already moving.
A massive explosion shook the building.
Stahl stumbled.
The walls trembled.
Luca crashed through the doorway.
Blood ran down his face.
His eyes found Giana.
She ran to him.
He caught her.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes."
"My mother?"
"Safe."
"My baby?"
"Kicking."
Luca closed his eyes.
"Thank God."
Stahl ran.
Luca started after him.
Giana caught his arm.
"No."
He turned.
"Why?"
"Because that's what he wants."
Luca stopped.
She whispered,
May you like
"We don't chase him."
"We make him come to us."
