Chapter 7 - The Enemy Had Been Living Inside The House
The sentence haunted us.
He is sleeping under your roof.
Luca returned to the estate and called everyone.
Every person.
Every employee.
Every guard.
Nobody left.
The mansion became a fortress.
Mia stayed beside me.
Teddy never left her hands.
Julian stood across the room with his shoulder bandaged.
Luca looked at him.
“Who is Victor?”
“My father's old security chief.”
“He supposedly died.”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“Exploded car.”
“Body?”
“Burned.”
Luca stared.
“Convenient.”
Julian nodded.
“Too convenient.”
We reviewed old security records.
Victor appeared in the background constantly.
Always near important meetings.
Always carrying files.
Always standing beside Luca's father.
But there was something else.
A strange detail.
Mia's nursery camera had been accessed every night.
For three years.
Someone had watched her sleep.
Someone inside the house.
I felt sick.
“Who has access?”
Julian answered.
“Seven people.”
“Who?”
“Me.”
“Security chief.”
“Housekeeper.”
“Head nanny.”
“Accountant.”
“Doctor.”
“And Victor.”
“But Victor is dead.”
Luca looked at me.
“What about the doctor?”
I shook my head.
“He treated Mia when she had pneumonia.”
“Would he hurt her?”
“I don't know.”
We checked the recordings.
At 11:14 p.m., the nursery door opened.
A shadow entered.
A hand placed something beneath Mia's pillow.
Then left.
We zoomed in.
A silver cufflink.
Luca stared.
He recognized it.
“Victor.”
“Where is he now?”
Julian checked the system.
“Still listed as dead.”
Luca smiled coldly.
“Find him.”
Three hours later, the housekeeper disappeared.
The nanny disappeared.
The doctor was found dead in his car.
The message was clear.
Someone was cleaning up witnesses.
And they were moving fast.
Luca came to my room.
“We need to leave.”
I shook my head.
“Mia won't go.”
“I can carry her.”
“She'll wake up.”
“She can sleep in the car.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because this is our home.”
He looked at me.
“No.”
His voice softened.
“It isn't.”
I knew what he meant.
Home was not the building.
It was the people.
And someone was trying to destroy them.
Mia walked in holding Teddy.
“Mommy?”
“Yes?”
“Can Mr. Luca sleep here?”
Luca froze.
I almost laughed.
“Why?”
“He gets scary dreams.”
Luca looked at me.
I knew.
He had nightmares.
Everyone in the house knew.
But nobody talked about them.
I nodded.
“He can.”
He looked away.
“I'm fine.”
Mia frowned.
“Mommy says people who say they're fine sometimes aren't.”
I smiled.
“She is very observant.”
Mia climbed into bed.
“Tell Mr. Luca the story.”
“What story?”
“The mountain.”
Luca went still.
I looked at him.
“You know it?”
He nodded.
“My father told it.”
Mia waited.
He sat beside the bed.
“There was a mountain.”
“And?”
“A man climbed it because he wanted to prove he was strong.”
“Was he strong?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because he didn't know how to ask for help.”
Mia smiled.
“Then he learned.”
Luca looked at me.
“Maybe.”
Mia closed her eyes.
Within minutes, she was asleep.
Luca remained there.
Silent.
I sat beside him.
“You love her.”
He looked at me.
“She's a good kid.”
“That wasn't my question.”
He was quiet.
Then:
“Yes.”
My heart shifted.
“She isn't mine.”
“No.”
“She should never have to pay for my mistakes.”
I stared at him.
“What mistakes?”
“All of them.”
The next morning, we found Victor.
He was standing in Luca's office.
Waiting.
No disguise.
No weapon.
Just smiling.
Silver cufflinks.
“Hello, Luca.”
Luca stopped.
“Victor.”
Victor looked at me.
Then Mia.
His smile widened.
“The little girl.”
Luca stepped in front of them.
“You've been inside this house.”
“Yes.”
“You watched my family.”
“Yes.”
“You tried to kill them.”
“No.”
“Then what did you do?”
“Protected them.”
Luca laughed.
“You call that protection?”
Victor's expression remained calm.
“I killed the people who wanted them dead.”
“Who?”
Victor looked at me.
“Elias.”
My heart stopped.
“You're working for him?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
May you like
Victor answered softly.
“Mason.”
