Mag-log inThe words echoed through the mansion. "I trust you." For the first time in weeks, Mark and Mia stood on the same side without doubt standing between them. But outside their room... The Romano family was beginning to crack. The weekly captains' meeting began at exactly nine. Every captain took his usual seat. Don Romano sat at the head of the table. Mark sat on his right. The silence was heavier than usual. Everyone felt it. No one acknowledged it. Don Romano opened the meeting. "Our western supply routes have recovered." A few captains nodded. "Our allies remain cautious, but loyal." More nods. Then he looked around the room. "We proceed as planned." Usually, that ended every discussion. Today... It didn't. Captain Rinaldi slowly raised his hand. "Don." The old man looked at him. "Speak." The captain hesitated. Then continued. "With respect... perhaps we should strengthen security around the eastern ports first." Several captains exchanged glances. It wasn
The sealed file sat untouched on Mark's desk. It had become a silent reminder of the promise he had almost broken. No more secrets. No more protecting Mia with half-truths. No more deciding what she deserved to know. He had promised her that night on the balcony. Now it was time to keep that promise. The mansion was quiet after dinner. Most of the family had retired for the night. Luca had somehow convinced three guards to play cards with him. Their arguments echoed faintly down the hallway. "You cheated." "I won." "You definitely cheated." "Prove it." Mark smiled to himself. Some things never changed. He knocked softly on Mia's bedroom door. "Come in." She was sitting by the window with a book in her lap. She wasn't reading it. She looked up and smiled, though there was still a trace of uncertainty in her eyes. Mark noticed. It was the reason he had come. "I need to tell you something." She closed the book immediately. "What happened?" He didn't answer right
The secret was getting harder to hide.Valentina knew it.Mark knew it.And soon, Mia would too.But fate had something else planned first.The Romano mansion was unusually busy that afternoon.Several guests had arrived for alliance discussions.Lawyers moved through hallways.Security teams doubled patrols.Everyone looked stressed.Everyone except Luca.Which was suspicious.Very suspicious.Mia found him smiling to himself in the main hall."What did you do?"Luca looked offended."Why does everyone assume I've done something?""Experience.""Fair."Before Mia could continue, the front doors opened.A woman stepped inside.She looked to be in her early thirties.Elegant.Confident.Bright-eyed.Unlike most people who entered the mansion, she wasn't intimidated.At all.In fact...She looked amused.Very amused.The moment her eyes landed on Mark, she grinned."Oh no."Mark froze.Actually froze.Mia blinked.She had seen Mark face armed enemies.Assassins.Politicians.Her father.
The next morning arrived too quickly.For the first time in days, Mia seemed lighter.The conversation on the balcony had helped.Not fixed everything.But helped.And in their world, that mattered.Unfortunately, peace never lasted long in the Romano mansion.Mia was searching for an old sketchbook in one of the storage rooms when Luca appeared.As usual.Uninvited."What are you doing?""Looking for something.""Exciting.""It isn't.""Then why am I here?""You followed me."Luca considered this."That's a good point."Neither noticed Mark walking into the hallway nearby.Inside the storage room, boxes covered several shelves.Old books.Photo albums.Childhood keepsakes.Things nobody had touched in years.Mia eventually found her sketchbook."Finally."Then another box shifted.A small package fell out.Landing at her feet.Mia froze."Oh."Immediately.Mark noticed.Luca noticed too.Which was unfortunate.Because Luca noticing things usually led to problems."What is it?""Nothi
Luca's scream echoed through the mansion. Followed by laughter. Then another scream. Then someone shouting, "Stop throwing things at him!" For a brief moment, the Romano mansion almost felt normal again. Almost. Three nights later, the illusion shattered. The mansion suddenly went dark. Every light died at once. The chandeliers. The hallway lamps. The security systems. Everything. A collective groan echoed through the building. Then came Luca's voice from somewhere downstairs. "IF THIS IS AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, I'M OFFENDED BY THE TIMING." Mia laughed despite herself. She had been walking through the second-floor hallway when the power failed. The only light came from the moon outside. A familiar hand found hers in the darkness. Mark. Of course. "There you are." His voice immediately calmed her. "You make it sound like I wandered into another country." "You get lost in libraries." "One time." "It was memorable." She rolled her eyes. Even though he coul
The message sat in the back of Mia's mind all morning.Valentina.The secret phone calls.Mark is hiding things.The war.Everything felt complicated again.And when things became complicated, there was unfortunately one person who always appeared.Luca.Mia found him in the kitchen stealing pastries.Not eating them.Stealing them.There was a difference."You look troubled."Luca took a bite.Mia sighed."I'm not troubled.""You just sighed like a widow in a historical drama."She grabbed a cup of coffee."I'm fine."Luca nodded.Then nodded again.Then nodded a third time."What are you doing?""Waiting.""For what?""For the jealous confession."Mia almost threw the coffee at him."I'm not jealous."Luca laughed so hard he inhaled pastry crumbs.Five minutes later, after surviving the near-death experience of choking on a croissant, he pointed at her dramatically."That's your problem.""I have many problems.""No."He stood."You have one problem."Mia immediately regretted askin
Luca's laughter was still echoing through the hallway when Mia finally pushed Mark away."Don't smile.""I'm not.""You are.""I'm breathing.""Suspiciously."Mark looked completely innocent.Which somehow made it worse.Before Mia could argue again, her phone vibrated.An invitation.A charity auc
"Watch carefully.""Soon, she'll choose where innocent people die."The message refused to leave Mia's mind.She read it once.Then twice.Then locked the phone away.But the words stayed.Mark doubled her security.Luca argued that she shouldn't leave the mansion.Don Romano silently agreed.For t
The words hit the room like a gunshot.Silence followed.Sharp.Dangerous.Every person at the table immediately looked at someone else.Exactly what the enemy wanted.Don Romano stood."Details."The security officer swallowed."We intercepted communications.""From who?""We don't know yet."The
The realization hung over the mansion like a storm cloud.Nobody trusted anyone.Not completely.Not anymore.For the next three days, the war intensified.Another route was compromised.Two suppliers switched sides.One safehouse was exposed.Nothing catastrophic.Nothing fatal.But the damage kep







