Chapter 4 - The Woman Behind the Locked DoorThe rescue began before sunrise.

Lorenzo assembled a team of twelve men.

I was ordered to stay behind.

Naturally, I refused.

He argued.

I argued harder.

Finally, he stared at me for several seconds and said, "You're impossible."

"I've been told."

"You'll stay behind me."

"Fine."

"You will follow every instruction."

"Fine."

"You will not touch a weapon."

"I wasn't planning to."

He stared.

"I don't believe you."

For the first time since the flowers arrived, I saw something almost resembling humor in his expression.

Then we left.

The photograph had been traced to an abandoned warehouse in Brooklyn.

The building looked empty.

That was exactly why Lorenzo didn't trust it.

His men surrounded the structure.

I remained beside him.

"Wait here."

"No."

"Julia."

"You promised."

He sighed.

"Stay behind me."

We entered.

The warehouse was silent.

Too silent.

Then a light flickered overhead.

A voice came through the speakers.

"Lorenzo Greco."

He stopped.

"Who are you?"

"You've been searching for me for twenty years."

Lorenzo's hand moved toward his weapon.

I grabbed his arm.

"Wait."

A door opened.

Inside sat my mother.

Alive.

Bound to a chair.

My heart shattered.

"Mom!"

I tried to run.

Lorenzo caught me.

"Wait."

A second figure appeared behind her.

A man.

Older.

Gray-haired.

Smiling.

Lorenzo's expression changed.

"Matteo."

The man smiled.

"Hello, Lorenzo."

I looked between them.

"Who is he?"

Lorenzo didn't answer.

Matteo did.

"I was your father's closest friend."

My mother lifted her head.

"Julia..."

Her voice broke.

"Don't come closer."

I stared at her.

"Mom, what is happening?"

She cried.

"I was trying to protect you."

"From what?"

Matteo laughed.

"From the truth."

Then he revealed the secret.

Twenty years earlier, Lorenzo's father had discovered that several members of his organization planned to overthrow him.

My mother had discovered the plot.

She tried to warn him.

But before she could, the estate was attacked.

Everyone believed Lorenzo's father had been murdered.

In reality, he survived the initial attack.

He disappeared to protect Lorenzo.

The person who ordered the attack was Matteo.

My mother had helped Lorenzo's father escape.

Then she disappeared.

But Matteo believed she had stolen the family's financial ledger.

The ledger contained the identities of politicians, judges, bankers, and criminal leaders who had secretly worked with the Greco organization.

It was worth billions.

More importantly, it could destroy powerful people.

And my mother had hidden it.

"Where is it?" Matteo demanded.

My mother refused.

Matteo pointed a gun at her.

Lorenzo stepped forward.

"Touch her and you die."

Matteo smiled.

"You still sound like your father."

Then the lights went out.

Gunfire erupted.

Lorenzo pulled me down.

His men returned fire.

I crawled toward my mother.

"Mom!"

Someone grabbed me.

I screamed.

Lorenzo appeared instantly.

He pulled the attacker away.

Then he reached my mother and cut her restraints.

We ran.

Outside, snow began falling.

My mother collapsed into my arms.

"I'm sorry."

I cried.

"You should have told me."

"I wanted you to have a normal life."

I looked toward Lorenzo.

He stood several feet away, watching us.

His face was unreadable.

My mother followed my gaze.

Then she whispered something that changed everything.

"Julia..."

"What?"

"Your father wasn't a victim."

I froze.

"What do you mean?"

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She looked at Lorenzo.

"Your father was the man who betrayed his family."