chapter 5

The grand De Luca estate was usually a place of controlled power—an empire of wealth, status, and danger. But this morning, as Leonardo sat at the long dining table, slicing through his steak, an uneasy tension filled the air.

Across from him, Isabella Russo barely touched her food, her hands resting stiffly on the silverware. Every now and then, she glanced at her mother, Elena Russo, who sat beside Alessandro De Luca, her new husband and the head of the De Luca family.

The clinking of utensils against plates echoed through the vast dining hall until Alessandro's voice shattered the silence.

"I got a message this morning," Alessandro said, his tone firm, controlled. "Our enemies are lurking around."

The moment those words left his lips, Leonardo's hand froze mid-motion. His gaze immediately shifted to Isabella.

Her fingers clenched slightly around her fork, her shoulders stiffened. It was subtle—almost unnoticeable. But Leonardo caught it. And so did her mother.

Elena's brows furrowed. "Is something wrong?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.

Leonardo was quick to respond. "No. Nothing is wrong."

Alessandro wasn't convinced. He set his wine glass down carefully, eyeing both of them. "Why do you both seem uneasy?"

"Nothing, Father," Leonardo repeated, his voice a notch lower, his expression unreadable.

But he wasn't the only one who had picked up on the shift in the air.

Isabella hadn't spoken. That alone was unlike her. She was usually sharp-tongued, full of witty remarks, especially when Leonardo was in the room. But now, she was just silent—and that was what made it obvious something was wrong.

Leonardo leaned back slightly, setting his knife down. "Since you said the enemy is lurking around, it means you have to protect your new wife and her daughter from all danger," he said casually, eyes sharp as he observed Isabella. "Because they might just be the targets this time around."

The room fell into a heavy silence.

Alessandro kept quiet for a moment, considering his son's words. Then, finally, he spoke. "Yes, I think you are right."

Elena reached out, resting her hand over Alessandro's. "Whatever you're doing, please be safe, my love," she said softly, directing her concern toward her husband.

The conversation continued, but Isabella barely heard the words. Her thoughts were too loud.

She barely noticed how Leonardo kept stealing glances at her. He knew. He knew she was shaken.

She felt his gaze lingering, studying her like he was trying to break through the walls she had built.

She swallowed hard. She couldn't stay here. She needed to talk to her mother—alone.

With a deep breath, she finally broke the silence.

"Mom, can I see you for a while?"

Elena turned toward her daughter, eyes filled with warmth. "Of course, darling. But that will be after the meal."

Isabella nodded stiffly and forced herself to sit through the rest of breakfast, her appetite completely gone.

The moment Elena walked into her daughter's room, she knew something was wrong. Isabella was holding an old letter in her hands, gripping it so tightly that the edges of the paper had crumpled.

Elena closed the door behind her. "You wanted to see me, darling?"

Isabella took a deep breath before whispering, her voice shaking, "Mom, they know I'm here."

Elena's heart skipped a beat. "Who?"

Isabella looked up, eyes filled with fear. "The Moretti family."

Elena's expression hardened instantly. "God. How did they find out? Who told them?"

Isabella shook her head, running a hand through her dark hair. "Mom, I can't answer all that. But they know. They know I'm here."

Elena took a deep breath, pacing slightly. Someone must have told them.

Her mind was spinning.

Was it Luca Romano? He had always been close to the Morettis, always lurking in the shadows.

Or was it someone within the De Luca family?

"You have to tell me the truth, Isabella," Elena said, stepping closer. "Are you hiding something? Something more?"

Isabella's grip on the letter tightened. She could barely get the words out. "If they know I'm here... that means they're coming for me."

A storm was brewing, and Isabella knew it was only a matter of time before the past she had been running from finally caught up to her.

Isabella's hands trembled as she gripped the edges of the letter, her breath uneven. They knew she was here. The Moretti family—the very people she had spent years running from—had found her.

Elena sat beside her, concern evident in her soft yet firm gaze. "Do you think I should tell Alessandro about this?" she asked, voice calm but serious.

Isabella hesitated. Telling Alessandro meant involving the entire De Luca family. It meant drawing Leonardo into a battle he had no business fighting.

She shook her head. "Mom, even if your husband knows about it, I don't think he's capable of protecting me. Remember, the Moretti family is one of the strongest mafia families. They will eventually come for me."

Elena exhaled deeply, reaching for her daughter's hand. "I know, darling," she said softly, "but nothing will happen to you, okay? I'll be here for you. And I think Alessandro will never let them get to you."

Isabella tried to believe her. She really did. But the fear in her chest was suffocating.

Just outside the door, Leonardo approached.

He had meant to speak with Isabella, to confront her about her unease at breakfast. But as he neared the room, the soft murmur of voices stopped him.

Then, he heard her.

"I don't know, Mom... I'm so scared. I don't want to go back. I don't want to go back there."

Her voice cracked.

Leonardo stilled. She was crying.

For some reason, that single fact sent an unfamiliar ache through him. Isabella, the fiery woman who challenged him at every turn, the one who never showed weakness—was breaking.

Elena pulled her into a tight embrace. "It's okay, my angel," she whispered, stroking Isabella's hair. "You're never going back there. Not on my watch."

Leonardo clenched his jaw.

Something in him shifted.

He had spent so much time convincing himself that Isabella was just his step-sister, nothing more. That the pull he felt toward her was nothing but misplaced protectiveness.

But now, standing outside her door, listening to the raw fear in her voice—he knew that wasn't true.

He wanted to protect her.

Not just because she was his step-sister.

Not just because she was under the De Luca name now.

But because every part of him—his mind, his body, his soul—yearned for her.

Just as the door handle turned, Leonardo stepped back swiftly, retreating down the hall before they could catch him eavesdropping.

But as he walked away, one thought remained clear in his mind.

He would never let them take her.