Chapter 7 - THE PRICE OF A SECRET
Sophia stopped.
“Lorenzo!”
Valentina dragged her.
“If you go back, we all die.”
“He’s Emma’s father.”
“And Mia is your daughter.”
That was enough.
Sophia kept moving.
They reached the chapel.
Smoke filled the corridor.
Two security officers were unconscious near the foyer.
Valentina opened a hidden panel beside the organ.
A narrow servant passage appeared.
“You knew about this?”
“I know everything about this house.”
“Except how to survive it.”
Valentina glared at her.
“Keep moving.”
They entered the passage.
Sophia hated being beside the woman who had beaten her less than an hour earlier.
But Mia’s life had changed the rules.
Temporary allies.
Nothing more.
Halfway through the tunnel, Sophia stopped.
“Why does Victor want you?”
Valentina kept walking.
“Because I made copies.”
“Copies of what?”
“His payment records.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m not stupid.”
Sophia almost laughed.
“You threatened to kidnap a child.”
“That was Carlo.”
“You stood there.”
Valentina stopped.
For the first time, shame flickered across her face.
“Yes.”
Sophia waited.
Valentina’s voice became quieter.
“I told myself nobody would really hurt her.”
“Daniel is dead because people like you tell themselves that.”
Valentina looked away.
Then a sound came behind them.
Footsteps.
They ran.
The tunnel ended near an old greenhouse behind the estate.
Valentina pushed the door open.
An SUV waited outside.
Sophia froze.
“Whose car?”
“Mine.”
“You expect me to trust you?”
“No. I expect you to want Mia back.”
They climbed in.
Valentina started the engine.
A second later, bullets shattered the rear window.
Sophia ducked.
“Drive!”
Valentina slammed the accelerator.
The SUV tore across the garden.
Men ran from the trees.
One fired again.
The side mirror exploded.
Sophia looked back.
Carlo emerged from the greenhouse.
Alive.
Bleeding.
Furious.
Then another figure stepped from behind him.
Lorenzo.
Sophia gasped.
His shoulder was covered in blood.
But his gun was pressed against Carlo’s neck.
“Stop the car!” Sophia shouted.
Valentina looked in the mirror.
Then accelerated.
“What are you doing?”
“If we stop, Carlo’s men surround us.”
“Lorenzo is alive!”
“And he’s buying us time.”
Sophia twisted in her seat.
Lorenzo met her eyes from across the lawn.
He raised one hand.
Go.
Then Carlo elbowed him.
The two men fell behind the hedge.
Sophia faced forward, sick with fear.
Her phone buzzed.
Another message.
A video.
Mia sat tied to a chair.
Behind her stood a giant digital clock.
00:59:48.
Below it:
ONE HOUR.
BRING THE RECORDS.
May you like
OR WATCH HER DIE.
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