Chapter 4 - The Woman Beneath the Black Dress
A soft metallic click came from the hallway.
Luca moved.
Sophia caught his wrist.
"No."
He looked at her.
"How do you know?"
"Because your security system just went offline."
He stared.
She pointed toward the ceiling.
"The cameras are blinking in sequence."
Luca listened.
Footsteps.
Then silence.
He moved toward the kitchen.
Sophia followed.
They reached a hidden service door.
She stopped.
"That's not on the blueprint."
"Correct."
Luca opened it.
A narrow passage led downstairs.
"Your house has secret tunnels?"
"Apparently."
They entered.
At the bottom, they found a control room.
Someone was inside.
A woman.
She raised her hands.
"Don't shoot."
Luca recognized her.
His head of intelligence.
"Isabella?"
She looked at Sophia.
"You're alive."
Sophia stared.
"You know me?"
"I've been looking for you for three years."
"Why?"
"Because your evidence disappeared."
Isabella explained.
She had been investigating Nathan's network.
She believed Sophia had the original records.
But now she knew Sophia had only the key.
"Where is the evidence?"
Sophia pulled out the drive.
"It opens something."
"Where?"
She hesitated.
"Arbor Warehouse."
Luca frowned.
"The old warehouse?"
"Yes."
"That building belongs to me."
"That's why Nathan wants it."
They went there at dawn.
The warehouse was enormous.
Empty on paper.
But underneath it was another world.
Hundreds of boxes.
Records.
Photographs.
Passports.
Names.
The full network.
Sophia stood frozen.
"So many."
Luca walked beside her.
"We're ending it."
They found a computer.
A password prompt.
Sophia entered the code.
The screen opened.
A list appeared.
Among the names was Evan Cole.
Sophia's face changed.
"Ethan."
Luca read the file.
Ethan's sister wasn't dead.
She had escaped.
She had been living under another name.
The photograph showed her alive.
Sophia covered her mouth.
"He thinks I'm responsible."
"So tell him."
"No."
"Why?"
"Because if he goes looking, Nathan will find her."
Luca stared.
"You're protecting her."
"Yes."
"Even though she hates you?"
"I don't care."
Something shifted between them.
Luca stepped closer.
"Why?"
"Because she doesn't deserve to die for my mistake."
"What mistake?"
"I trusted the wrong people."
He looked at her.
"So did I."
Sophia lifted her eyes.
"Your father?"
"My whole family."
Silence.
Then Luca said,
"Maybe that's why I chose you."
She whispered,
"Why?"
"Because you know what it's like to inherit something you never asked for."
She stared at him.
"I didn't choose you."
"No."
"Then why does it feel like I did?"
He didn't answer.
Because he felt it too.
The fake relationship had become something neither had expected.
That afternoon, men arrived at the warehouse.
Nathan had found them.
Gunfire erupted.
Luca pulled Sophia behind a concrete pillar.
"Stay here."
She shook her head.
"I can help."
"How?"
She pointed toward a side corridor.
"There are six men."
"How do you know?"
"Three are wearing boots."
Luca stared.
"What?"
"Listen."
He did.
Three sets of heavy footsteps.
Three lighter.
Sophia grabbed a metal pipe.
"You really aren't just a secretary."
"No."
They moved together.
Luca took the first two.
Sophia knocked the third weapon away.
The fight ended quickly.
When silence returned, Luca looked at her.
"You've done this before."
"Once."
"You're terrifying."
She smiled.
"Thank you."
Then Ethan appeared.
Gun raised.
He pointed at Sophia.
"You killed my sister."
Sophia froze.
"No."
"You worked for Nathan."
"I escaped."
"You lied."
Luca stepped between them.
"Lower the gun."
Ethan looked at him.
"You believe her?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Luca turned toward Sophia.
"Because I know what it looks like when someone is trying to survive."
Ethan lowered the gun.
"Then prove it."
Sophia stepped forward.
"Your sister is alive."
Ethan stopped.
"What?"
"She survived."
Sophia handed him the photograph.
Tears filled his eyes.
"Where?"
"I can't tell you yet."
"Why?"
"Because Nathan is watching."
Ethan looked at her.
After a long silence, he lowered his weapon.
"Then help me find her."
Sophia nodded.
"I will."
Nathan's voice echoed from a speaker.
"Touching."
Everyone froze.
"I'm glad you're all together."
The warehouse doors locked.
Fuel began pouring onto the floor.
Luca looked at Sophia.
"Nathan wants us dead."
May you like
Sophia grabbed his hand.
"Then let's disappoint him."
