Chapter 5 - Luca Refused to Leave Emma Behind When the Attackers Came, and My Son’s Innocent Courage Exposed the First Person Inside My House Who Was Helping ThemThe attack happened at 9:43 p.m.
The power went out.
Security alarms failed simultaneously.
Someone had disabled the backup grid.
My house had never experienced a total blackout.
I knew immediately.
“Move the children.”
Guards ran.
I reached the nursery.
Empty.
My heart stopped.
“Luca!”
No answer.
“Emma!”
Silence.
Then I heard footsteps below.
I ran.
The old wine cellar door was open.
Inside, two children were hiding behind barrels.
Luca had Emma's hand.
A security guard lay unconscious nearby.
I pulled them out.
“Are you hurt?”
Luca shook his head.
Emma was crying.
“What happened?”
Luca pointed.
“The guard told us to go downstairs.”
“Which guard?”
He described him.
Not one of mine.
Someone had been wearing a stolen uniform.
I ordered a security sweep.
The attacker escaped.
But he left one thing behind.
A device.
A remote access tool.
My security chief stared.
“Someone gave them our network credentials.”
“Who?”
He looked at the access log.
Then at me.
“Thomas.”
I closed my eyes.
Thomas had access.
I wanted to believe there was another explanation.
There wasn't.
But before I could confront him, Sophia grabbed my arm.
“Wait.”
She pointed at the device.
“That symbol.”
“What?”
“My daughter saw it.”
Emma nodded.
“The man had it on his watch.”
I stared.
The symbol belonged to the old organization.
A black circle.
One of my father's oldest enemies.
Elias.
I finally understood.
Thomas wasn't running the conspiracy.
He was being used.
Elias wanted the ledger.
But he also wanted revenge.
Against my father.
Against me.
The debt was bait.
The voicemail was erased.
The girl was targeted.
Then the children were endangered.
Everything was connected.
And now Elias knew where the ledger was.
I ordered the house emptied.
We moved to a secondary property.
Thomas disappeared.
For the first time, I wondered whether he'd run.
Or whether someone had taken him.
Three hours later, I received a photograph.
Thomas.
Bound to a chair.
A message:
Bring the ledger.
Then another:
Bring the children.
I stared.
No.
They were no longer trying to steal my empire.
May you like
They were trying to break my family.
And I was finished playing defense.
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