Chapter 2 - THE MAFIA BOSS CAUGHT HIS MAID CRYING OVER A THREATENING MESSAGE—THEN DISCOVERED SOMEONE INSIDE HIS OWN HOUSE WAS USING HER FAMILY TO BLACKMAIL HIM
Emily did not sleep.
She sat on the edge of her narrow bed until dawn, holding her phone with both hands.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Noah outside the rehabilitation clinic.
His blue jacket.
His crutches.
The familiar crooked smile he always wore when he pretended the pain wasn't bothering him.
Someone had been watching him.
Someone knew where he received treatment.
Someone knew she worked for Luca Conti.
At six, Emily called her mother.
"Mom?"
"Emily? Honey, why are you calling so early?"
"Is Noah home?"
"He's sleeping."
Emily swallowed.
"Did anything unusual happen yesterday?"
Her mother hesitated.
"Unusual how?"
"Anyone asking questions?"
"No."
Emily closed her eyes.
"Okay."
"Sweetheart, are you all right?"
"Yes."
The lie tasted bitter.
Her mother sighed.
"You sound tired."
"Just a long week."
"Come home Sunday. I'll make your favorite dinner."
Emily looked at the threatening note on her bed.
"I'll try."
When the call ended, she stared at the wall.
She could leave.
She could pack her things, take the next bus, and disappear from the estate.
But the photograph made one thing clear.
Leaving would not necessarily protect Noah.
Whoever sent the message already knew where to find him.
***
Luca noticed something was wrong at breakfast.
Emily entered carrying a silver tray.
Her uniform was immaculate.
Her hair was neatly pinned.
But her face was pale.
She placed his coffee beside the newspaper.
"Good morning, sir."
Luca looked up.
"Did you sleep?"
She froze.
"I'm sorry?"
"You look tired."
"I'm fine."
He studied her.
"That's not what I asked."
Emily straightened.
"Is there anything else you need?"
Luca leaned back.
There it was again.
That wall.
Not fear exactly.
Something more deliberate.
She was hiding something.
Before he could speak, Ryan entered.
"Morning, boss."
Emily turned toward the door.
Ryan smiled at her.
"Morning, Emily."
She managed a faint smile.
"Good morning."
Luca saw it.
The way her shoulders relaxed slightly around Ryan.
The way she answered him without hesitation.
Jealousy rose before Luca could stop it.
But this time, he recognized the emotion.
And disliked himself for it.
Emily left.
Ryan watched her go.
Then looked at Luca.
"Something's wrong."
Luca nodded.
"I know."
Ryan raised an eyebrow.
"You're agreeing with me?"
"Don't make it a habit."
Ryan smiled faintly.
Then became serious.
"She's frightened."
Luca looked toward the door.
"Find out why."
Ryan shook his head.
"No."
Luca's eyes narrowed.
"What?"
"Talk to her yourself."
Luca stared.
Ryan continued.
"If she's in trouble, she needs someone to trust. Not someone investigating her behind her back."
Luca said nothing.
Ryan left him with the uncomfortable truth.
***
That afternoon, Emily was cleaning the upstairs gallery when Luca approached.
She heard his footsteps before she saw him.
"Emily."
She turned.
"Sir."
He stopped a few feet away.
"Are you in trouble?"
Her heart lurched.
"No."
Luca studied her.
"Someone threatened you?"
Emily's breath caught.
He noticed.
"Who?"
She shook her head.
"No one."
"Emily."
She looked away.
He lowered his voice.
"I'm not asking because you're in trouble with me."
She swallowed.
"Then why?"
The question surprised him.
Why?
Because he had noticed the dark circles beneath her eyes.
Because she had stopped laughing.
Because he had spent the morning wondering whether she was safe.
Because the thought of someone frightening her made him angrier than he wanted to admit.
He chose the simplest truth.
"Because you look scared."
Emily stared at him.
For a moment, she almost told him everything.
Then she remembered Noah.
The photograph.
The threat.
She shook her head.
"I'm fine."
Luca looked at her for a long moment.
Then nodded.
"All right."
She blinked.
"That's it?"
"Yes."
He stepped aside.
"You can go."
Emily hesitated.
Then walked away.
But halfway down the corridor, she heard him speak.
"Emily."
She stopped.
"If someone threatens your family, you don't have to handle it alone."
Her blood turned cold.
She turned.
"How did you know?"
Luca's expression changed.
He had been guessing.
Now he knew.
***
Twenty minutes later, Emily sat in Luca's private office.
Ryan stood near the door.
Mrs. Russo sat beside her.
The threatening note lay on the desk.
Luca read it once.
Then again.
His expression became frighteningly still.
"Who gave you this?"
Emily shook her head.
"I don't know."
"And the photograph?"
She handed him her phone.
Luca studied the image.
Noah.
The clinic.
The timestamp.
Ryan leaned forward.
"That's a surveillance photo."
Emily's hands trembled.
Luca looked at her.
"Why didn't you tell anyone?"
She stared at him.
"Because whoever sent it knows where my brother lives."
Luca nodded.
"Understood."
She looked up.
He continued.
"We're going to contact the police. Your family needs to know what's happening."
Emily's eyes widened.
"No. Please. They'll panic."
"They deserve to know they're being watched."
She looked down.
He softened his voice.
"We can help you tell them."
For a moment, Emily said nothing.
Then she whispered:
"Why would someone do this?"
Ryan looked toward Luca.
Luca stared at the note.
"That's what we're going to find out."
***
The investigation began with the estate's security system.
Vincent Russo, Mrs. Russo's nephew and the head of residential security, reviewed footage from the staff corridor.
At 1:58 a.m., a figure appeared.
Dark clothing.
Baseball cap.
Face turned away.
The person walked directly to Emily's door.
Slid the note underneath.
Then disappeared through the east stairwell.
Vincent frowned.
"That's strange."
Luca leaned forward.
"What?"
"The east stairwell camera went offline for six minutes."
Ryan looked at him.
"Technical problem?"
Vincent shook his head.
"Manual override."
Silence.
Luca's jaw tightened.
"Who has access?"
Vincent hesitated.
"Senior staff. Security supervisors. And certain members of the organization."
Ryan crossed his arms.
"Names."
Vincent opened a file.
There were twelve.
One stood out.
Victor Salerno.
The same man who had authorized the suspicious shipment route.
Luca stared at the name.
"Where is Victor?"
Ryan checked his phone.
"At the Newark warehouse."
Luca stood.
"Get him here."
***
By evening, Victor Salerno sat across from Luca.
His suit was expensive.
His expression was confident.
But his hands betrayed him.
Luca placed the note on the desk.
"Recognize this?"
Victor frowned.
"No."
Luca showed him the photograph of Noah.
Victor looked at it.
Then away.
Too quickly.
Ryan noticed.
Luca leaned forward.
"Someone entered my house and threatened an employee's family."
Victor shrugged.
"That's unfortunate."
Luca's eyes hardened.
"Unfortunate?"
Victor swallowed.
"I mean, obviously it's serious."
Luca studied him.
"Your access code was used to disable the east stairwell camera."
Victor froze.
Then laughed nervously.
"Someone must have copied it."
"Maybe."
Luca leaned back.
"Then you won't mind explaining why your phone contacted a number registered to a shell company near Noah Carter's clinic."
Victor went pale.
Ryan looked at Luca.
The room became silent.
Victor stood.
"I want a lawyer."
Luca nodded.
"That's your right."
Victor stared.
He had expected threats.
Violence.
An interrogation.
Instead, Luca looked toward Ryan.
"Preserve the records. Contact our attorney. Then call the authorities."
Victor's expression changed.
"You're involving the police?"
Luca stood.
"You threatened an innocent family."
Victor's face twisted.
"You think this ends with me?"
Luca stopped.
"What does that mean?"
Victor smiled bitterly.
"You have no idea what's happening inside your own house."
***
That night, Emily sat in the library.
Mrs. Russo had arranged for her mother and Noah to stay temporarily with relatives while police investigated the threat.
Noah had been furious.
Not at Emily.
At the people frightening her.
He had insisted he could take care of himself.
Emily had cried after hanging up.
Now she sat alone, exhausted.
Luca entered quietly.
She looked up.
"Sir."
He stopped.
"May I sit?"
Emily blinked.
It was the first time he had asked permission to sit in his own house.
She nodded.
"Of course."
He sat across from her.
For a while, neither spoke.
Then Luca said:
"I'm sorry."
Emily stared.
"For what?"
"For what happened here."
She looked down.
"You didn't send the note."
"No."
He paused.
"But it happened in my home. Under my security. To someone who trusted us enough to work here."
Emily swallowed.
"I didn't know what to do."
Luca nodded.
"I know."
She looked at him.
He continued.
"You did what you thought would protect your brother."
Tears filled her eyes.
"I was so scared."
Luca's expression softened.
"I know."
She began crying.
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
Just quiet tears she had been holding back for too long.
Luca reached for a tissue box and placed it beside her.
He did not touch her.
He did not tell her to stop.
He simply stayed.
After a while, Emily wiped her eyes.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize."
She laughed weakly.
"I must look terrible."
Luca studied her.
"No."
The word came too quickly.
Emily looked up.
For one moment, the air between them changed.
Then Luca looked away.
He stood.
"You should rest."
Emily nodded.
"Good night."
He paused near the door.
"Emily."
She looked up.
"Yes?"
His voice softened.
"Call me Luca."
She stared.
Then smiled faintly.
"Good night, Luca."
He left before she could see what that smile did to him.
***
Across the city, Victor Salerno sat in a private holding room waiting for his attorney.
A man entered.
Not a lawyer.
A stranger in a gray coat.
Victor frowned.
"Who are you?"
The man placed a photograph on the table.
Emily Carter.
Standing beside Noah outside their childhood home.
Victor went still.
The stranger spoke quietly.
"You failed."
Victor swallowed.
"I did what I was told."
"Not enough."
Victor leaned forward.
"Tell him Conti knows."
The stranger smiled.
"He already does."
Victor's blood turned cold.
"Then what happens now?"
The stranger stood.
May you like
"Now we find out whether Luca Conti loves the maid enough to destroy himself."
And miles away, Emily Carter slept for the first time in two nights, unaware that the danger had only begun.
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