Chapter 4 - The Bullet Meant for My Wife
Everything after that happened in seconds.
Victor raised his weapon.
I moved before he fired.
I shoved Sophia behind me.
The first shot struck the stone wall.
Marcus returned fire.
Victor disappeared through the side corridor.
My uncle fell against a pew, clutching his shoulder.
Sophia screamed.
“Adrian!”
“Stay down.”
Another shot echoed outside.
Then silence.
We evacuated through the rear entrance.
Sophia couldn't stop shaking.
Once inside the car, she looked at me.
“You almost got killed.”
“I've had worse mornings.”
“That isn't funny.”
“I know.”
She looked at my shoulder.
“You're bleeding.”
A shard of stone had cut me.
Nothing serious.
But she reached toward it instinctively.
Then stopped.
“Can I?”
I nodded.
Her fingers touched my shoulder.
Carefully.
Her hands were still shaking.
“I don't understand.”
“You don't have to understand tonight.”
“My father knew.”
“Yes.”
“Your uncle knew.”
“Yes.”
“And they still made me marry you.”
I looked out the window.
“They needed both families tied together before Victor could eliminate anyone who might talk.”
Sophia swallowed.
“So our wedding wasn't about peace.”
“It was about control.”
Her face fell.
“I was a shield.”
I turned to her.
“You were supposed to be.”
“But you didn't use me as one.”
“No.”
“Why?”
Because I couldn't explain the feeling.
Because the first night I saw her fear, something inside me had changed.
Because I had spent my life seeing people as allies, enemies, liabilities, assets.
She was the first person I couldn't classify that way.
I said, “Because you're not a shield.”
She looked at me.
“You're my wife.”
The words surprised both of us.
Her expression softened.
We spent the night in a secure apartment.
The next morning, Sophia found a hidden compartment inside the bracelet her grandmother had left behind.
Inside was a tiny key.
And a strip of paper.
“Locker 914.”
Marcus traced the number.
“Penn Station.”
We went at dawn.
Locker 914 contained a recording.
Elena's voice filled the room.
“If Sophia ever hears this, it means I failed.”
Sophia covered her mouth.
Elena explained everything.
Project Harbor wasn't just a money laundering operation.
It was a plan to manipulate both families into eliminating their strongest members so a third group could inherit their territories.
Victor Sanz had been the architect.
But he hadn't acted alone.
There was another name.
Daniel Bellucci.
Sophia's father.
Sophia stared at the recording.
Her father had helped Victor create the fake evidence that started the war.
But later, Daniel had tried to stop the plan.
Elena had discovered him.
She had threatened to expose both men.
That was why she had died.
Sophia couldn't breathe.
“My father helped start the war.”
“Yes.”
She shook her head.
“He told me he was protecting me.”
“He probably believed he was.”
“That doesn't make it okay.”
“No.”
She wiped her tears.
“Are you going to kill him?”
I looked at her.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because justice isn't the same as revenge.”
She stared at me.
Then asked, “Have you always believed that?”
“No.”
That answer made her almost smile.
The recording ended with Elena's final warning.
“Never let them convince you that blood makes a family. Family is the person who stands beside you when everyone else wants you to kneel.”
Sophia looked at me.
Neither of us spoke.
Because we both knew.
That person had become me.
Not because of the marriage contract.
Because when she had been frightened, I had chosen not to take advantage of her.
May you like
That choice had created a loyalty stronger than any treaty.
And Victor knew it.
