Chapter 4 - The House Behind the Iron Gates
Three days later, Emma was discharged.
The doctors wanted her to rest, avoid strenuous activity, and return immediately if her condition worsened.
Emma intended to return to her apartment.
Damian had other plans.
"Someone knows where you live," he explained. "Until we identify them, you and Daniel should stay somewhere secure."
"My apartment is my home."
"And I respect that. But your building has one entrance, no security cameras, and a broken lock on the back door."
Emma stared at him.
"You had someone inspect my apartment?"
"Yes."
"You really don't understand boundaries, do you?"
"I'm learning."
The admission surprised her.
He offered to arrange temporary security at her building instead.
After speaking with Daniel and considering the threats, Emma reluctantly agreed to stay at Damian's estate for several days.
The property stood behind iron gates on the outskirts of Chicago. Inside, everything was immaculate: polished floors, towering windows, carefully arranged flowers.
Yet the house felt strangely empty.
Luca changed that within minutes.
He rushed down the staircase and threw his arms around Emma's waist before remembering her injury.
"Sorry!"
She laughed softly.
"Careful, little man."
He showed her his bedroom, his collection of dinosaurs, and a drawing of a family he had made at school.
Three people stood beneath a yellow sun.
Luca.
His father.
And a woman whose face he had drawn without a mouth.
"Who is this?" Emma asked gently.
"My mama."
"Why didn't you draw her mouth?"
He shrugged.
"I don't remember her voice."
Emma's chest tightened.
That evening, she found Damian sitting alone in the library.
"Does he talk about his mother often?"
"Less than he used to."
"What happened to her?"
Damian stared into the dark fireplace.
"Her name was Isabella. She died in a car crash when Luca was two."
"I'm sorry."
"I was away on business. By the time I arrived at the hospital, she was gone."
For the first time, Emma saw the grief beneath his controlled expression.
"Do you blame yourself?"
"Every day."
"That doesn't bring her back."
"No."
"But Luca still has you."
Damian looked at her.
"You make it sound simple."
"It isn't. But children don't need perfect parents. They need parents who show up."
The words seemed to reach somewhere he had spent years protecting.
Before he could respond, Marco entered carrying an old document.
"We found Catherine's personnel file."
Emma took it with trembling hands.
Her mother had worked for Vescari Maritime until the week she disappeared. Attached to the file was a handwritten note.
If anything happens to me, find the ledger.
Below it was a name.
Isabella Vescari.
Emma looked up.
"Your wife knew my mother."
Damian took the paper.
"Apparently."
"Then her death might be connected to this."
His face hardened.
"Possibly."
Marco hesitated.
"There's something else. Anthony has requested an emergency meeting with the family board. He's claiming Damian's judgment has become compromised."
"Because of me?" Emma asked.
"Because of everything," Damian replied.
That night, Emma received a message from an unknown number.
A photograph showed Daniel leaving his apartment.
The message beneath it read:
YOUR BROTHER ISN'T AS SAFE AS YOU THINK.
Emma rushed to find Damian.
He was already waiting in the hallway, phone in hand.
"Marco has Daniel," he said. "He's safe."
"How did you know?"
"Because I received the same message."
Emma's fear turned to anger.
"Your family is using my brother to get to me."
"Someone is."
"Then I want the truth. All of it."
Damian nodded.
"Tomorrow, we find the ledger."
May you like
But before dawn, someone broke into the estate.
And the only thing missing from Emma's room was the photograph of her mother.
