Chapter 5 - The Person Hunting Enzo Wasn't Trying to Kill Him—They Needed Him Alive Long Enough to Open a Vault Only His Family Could AccessWe escaped through an underground passage.
The estate had more hidden corridors than I knew.
Enzo moved fast in the wheelchair.
Too fast.
“You knew this existed.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because trust is expensive.”
“That isn't an answer.”
“It is in my world.”
We reached a reinforced room.
Inside was a safe.
Biometric.
Enzo placed his hand against it.
Nothing.
I looked at him.
“Try again.”
He did.
Still nothing.
Then I noticed something.
His right thumb.
The scar.
A small crescent.
I touched it.
“Blood.”
“What?”
“The scanner requires a fresh sample.”
I pricked his finger.
The safe opened.
Inside were files.
Gold.
Cash.
And a list of names.
Mine.
Enzo's.
Thomas.
Marco.
Victor.
At the bottom:
Project Lazarus.
“What is this?”
Enzo stared.
“My father used to talk about it.”
“What?”
“A plan to transfer control of the Marchetti empire to a person with a specific genetic marker.”
I looked at the file.
My name was highlighted.
“Me?”
Enzo shook his head.
“I don't understand.”
I read.
The genetic marker belonged to my mother's family.
She had been related to Enzo's mother.
Distantly.
But enough.
The company wanted to create a successor.
Someone outside the family who could legally control certain assets.
I was that person.
My blood could activate the trust.
My presence could unlock the inheritance.
But Enzo stood between the trust and whoever wanted it.
He had to die.
Or become disabled.
Then I would be manipulated into taking control.
I felt sick.
“All these years.”
They had been waiting for me.
Enzo stared.
“Who authorized this?”
The final page contained a signature.
Victor Salvatore.
I looked at him.
My former employer.
The man who had supposedly disappeared.
He was behind everything.
But why?
Then a recording played automatically.
Victor's voice.
“Enzo will never cooperate while he believes he is strong.”
A second voice answered.
“I'll break his body.”
Victor:
“And the nurse?”
“Her brother will bring her.”
My stomach dropped.
Gabe.
My brother.
He had been part of the plan.
The gambling debts.
The diner meeting.
The desperation.
All of it.
I felt betrayed.
Enzo saw my face.
“Lena.”
“Gabe knew.”
“Yes.”
“He sold me.”
Enzo's voice softened.
“We'll deal with him later.”
“No.”
I stared at the recording.
“I want to hear the rest.”
Victor spoke again.
“Once Enzo opens the vault, eliminate him.”
A pause.
“And the girl?”
“Afterward.”
I went cold.
“The girl” meant me.
Someone wanted me dead too.
Not because I knew too much.
Because I knew enough to become dangerous.
Enzo rolled closer.
“You're not leaving this house.”
I looked at him.
“Neither are you.”
He smiled.
May you like
“Then we're trapped together.”
“For now.”
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