Chapter 16 - Thirty Seconds“RUN!”
The basement exploded into chaos.
Dante grabbed Matteo.
Luca grabbed me.
We ran.
The countdown screamed behind us.
Thirty seconds.
Twenty-nine.
Twenty-eight.
The tunnel shook.
Dust rained from the ceiling.
Twenty-four.
Dante shouted:
“Faster!”
Twenty.
A beam collapsed behind us.
Fifteen.
We reached the stairs.
Ten.
Dante pushed Matteo through the exit.
I followed.
Five.
The explosion hit.
I felt myself lifted from the ground.
Then darkness.
When I opened my eyes, Dante was beside me.
Blood covered his face.
“Matteo?”
“Alive.”
Luca was gone.
Dante looked toward the burning estate.
His father was dead.
His brother missing.
His mother wounded.
Everything had collapsed in one night.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
A hospital.
I watched his face.
“What?”
Silence.
He closed his eyes.
“My mother is gone.”
I took his hand.
“I'm sorry.”
He shook his head.
“She wasn't killed.”
“What?”
“She disappeared.”
“What?”
“She left the hospital before the shooting.”
Dante looked at me.
“She knew this was coming.”
He handed me a note.
I opened it.
There were only three words.
Trust Elena.
I stared.
Dante did too.
Then the ground beneath us vibrated.
His phone rang again.
Unknown number.
He answered.
A woman's voice whispered:
“You still don't know who Elena really is.”
Dante's eyes narrowed.
“Who are you?”
The voice laughed.
Then said:
“She isn't your protection.”
I froze.
“She is your heir.”
The call ended.
Dante slowly looked at me.
“What does that mean?”
I shook my head.
“I don't know.”
But somewhere inside me, a locked memory turned.
A room.
A desk.
A vault.
My signature.
And the Moretti family crest.
May you like
I whispered:
“I think I do.”
