Chapter 5: The Hidden Alcove
Luca didn’t speak for a long time. The only sound in the underground tunnel was the faint, distant drip of water somewhere deeper in the brick labyrinth and the steady, shallow rhythm of our breathing.
He slowly lowered the flashlight beam, the harsh white light dropping from my face to illuminate the small silver ring swinging gently from the chain in my hand. His hand reached out—hesitating for just a fraction of a second—before his thumb brushed lightly against the edge of the pendant. His skin was warm, a shocking contrast to the freezing dampness of the brick walls around us.
“Daniel walked out of this estate six months before the old man died,” Luca said, his voice hard, though a tremor of uncertainty lingered beneath the surface. “He took a severance package. He disappeared to the coast. That’s what the files say.”
“The files lie,” I snapped back, stepping away from the wall as my frustration boiled over. I turned and pointed down the darker, unlit stretch of the brick tunnel that extended further into the foundation of the estate. “The files say a lot of things to keep your hands clean and your empire running without a stain. But he never made it to the coast, Luca. And you know it, even if you refused to look.”
Luca stared at me, his intense gaze weighing every word, measuring the absolute conviction in my voice against everything he thought he knew about his family name. The polished public glamour of the DeLuca dynasty—the galas, the press releases, the untouchable wealth—felt light-years away from this dark, forgotten brick trench.
Without another word, Luca tightened his grip on the flashlight, his knuckles whitening around the heavy casing. He stepped past me, taking the lead once more, but this time his posture was different. The stern, questioning master of the house was gone. In his place was a man driven by a sudden, terrifying need to know the truth.
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“Show me,” he said quietly, his voice echoing down the dark corridor.
I didn't hesitate. I pulled my collar straight, gripped the silver ring against my chest, and followed him deeper into the dark.
