Chapter 6: The Enemy Inside The Mansion
Darkness covered the Falcone estate.
For a few seconds, nobody moved.
Then alarms began ringing.
Not the loud emergency alarms.
The silent ones.
The alarms only my security team knew about.
Someone had entered a restricted area.
I immediately moved toward the stairs.
“Ruby.””
Lucia grabbed my arm.
“Domenico, wait.””
I looked at her.
“My daughter is upstairs.””
“I know.””
Her voice shook.
“But that is exactly what someone wants you to do.””
I stopped.
Because Lucia was right.
A distraction.
A threat.
A trap.
I turned toward my guards.
“Find Ruby.””
Two guards ran upstairs.
Marcus moved beside me.
“Boss.””
I looked at him.
“Do not call me that right now.””
His expression fell.
For years, Marcus had been family.
Tonight, he was a question mark.
The security chief rushed in.
“Sir, the cameras near the west hallway went offline.””
I narrowed my eyes.
“Who has access?””
He hesitated.
“Only family-level clearance.””
The room went quiet.
Family.
That word had become dangerous tonight.
I looked at Valentina.
She looked terrified.
Not angry.
Not defensive.
Terrified.
“Domenico…”
I raised my hand.
“Not another excuse.””
She looked down.
“I never wanted Ruby hurt.””
“Then why did you pack her room?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Because I was afraid.””
“Of what?””
She whispered:
“Of losing Ethan.””
I stared at her.
“What does Ruby have to do with Ethan?””
Valentina wiped her face.
“You do not understand what people will do for power.””
I stepped closer.
“Then explain.””
She looked at Marcus.
He nodded slightly.
And I realized something.
They had not planned this conversation.
They had planned to hide everything.
But the truth had forced itself into the open.
Valentina finally spoke.
“Three months ago, someone sent me a warning.””
“What warning?””
“That if Ruby remained the center of the Falcone family, Ethan would disappear.””
The room became silent.
I looked at Ethan.
The boy was standing near the doorway.
He had been listening.
“Disappear?””
His face became pale.
Valentina immediately moved toward him.
“I’m sorry you heard that.””
I looked at her.
“You let fear make decisions for you.””
She cried quietly.
“I thought I was saving my son.””
“And you sacrificed my daughter.””
Nobody spoke.
Because it was true.
Then Marcus suddenly looked toward the window.
“Wait.””
I followed his eyes.
A small movement outside.
Someone was standing near the garden.
Marcus reached for his radio.
But I stopped him.
“Who is it?””
The security chief looked at the monitor.
“The system is damaged.””
I walked toward the glass.
The figure outside stepped forward.
A woman.
Holding something in her hand.
Lucia gasped.
“No…”
I turned.
“What?””
She stared at the window.
“That is impossible.””
The woman slowly entered the light.
And I saw her face.
Another person I believed was gone.
Another person connected to Ruby’s past.
Marcus whispered:
“She found us.””
I looked at him.
“Who?””
He did not answer.
Because the woman outside spoke first.
Her voice carried through the open doorway.
“Domenico Falcone.””
Everyone froze.
She looked directly at me.
“I know why Ruby was targeted.””
I stepped forward.
“Who are you?””
The woman smiled sadly.
Then she said the name that changed everything.
“I am the woman who knows who Ruby’s real enemy is.””
May you like
She looked toward Valentina.
“And I know why she started removing your daughter from this family.””
