Chapter 5 - THE TRAITOR INSIDE HIS HOUSE
The man standing behind us was Luca Moretti.
Adrian's younger brother.
Alive.
Very much alive.
And holding a gun.
“Put it down,” Adrian said.
Luca's gaze moved to me.
“You brought her?”
“She had a right to know.”
“She has a right to survive.”
“Then lower the gun.”
Luca slowly placed it on the table.
I stared between them.
“You're supposed to be dead.”
Luca smiled without humor.
“So is Daniel. Apparently we're forming a club.”
Adrian looked furious.
“What are you doing here?”
“Following Reeves.”
“You knew he was alive?”
“For three weeks.”
Adrian crossed the room in two strides and grabbed his brother by the jacket.
“You knew?”
“I couldn't tell you.”
“Try me.”
“Because someone in your house is listening.”
Adrian released him.
The room went silent.
Luca produced a tiny device from his pocket.
“A tracker. Found it under Claire's grocery bags yesterday.”
My stomach dropped.
“The groceries?”
“Someone knew exactly where she'd be taken.”
Adrian's face became terrifyingly still.
“How many people knew?”
“Six.”
“Names.”
Luca listed them.
Three guards.
The chef.
Adrian's attorney.
And Marco Bellini, Adrian's oldest friend and security chief.
Adrian looked genuinely shaken at the last name.
“No.”
Luca shrugged.
“I didn't say it was Marco. I'm saying he had access.”
I remembered Marco.
He had been polite to me.
Almost fatherly.
He had carried my bags upstairs and found me extra pillows when I complained about my back.
Surely—
Then I stopped.
Nathan had once been kind too.
Appearances meant nothing.
“Where's Daniel?” I asked.
Luca's expression changed.
“He's trying to find evidence linking Nathan to a money network called Black Harbor.”
Adrian cursed under his breath.
“What is Black Harbor?”
I looked between them.
Neither wanted to answer.
Finally, Adrian spoke.
“A laundering network built through construction companies, private lenders, and political donations.”
“Nathan works in real estate.”
“Yes.”
“And you?”
Adrian's gaze held mine.
“My family once did business with some of those people.”
Once.
The word carried weight.
“How once?”
“My father helped create part of the network.”
My stomach tightened.
Adrian continued.
“I dismantled our involvement after he died.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning I inherited things I didn't want.”
“And your reputation?”
“That I earned.”
At least he didn't lie.
Luca checked the window.
“Reeves believes Nathan isn't the real problem.”
“Who is?” Adrian asked.
“Someone above him.”
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
Everyone froze.
Adrian took it.
“No.”
I pulled it back.
“It might be Daniel.”
I answered.
“Hello?”
Nothing.
Then breathing.
Finally, a familiar voice.
“Claire?”
My knees weakened.
“Daniel.”
Adrian moved closer.
“Are you safe?” I asked.
“No.”
“Where are you?”
“I can't tell you.”
“You disappeared.”
“I know.”
“You knew I was carrying your son.”
Silence.
Then Daniel's voice cracked.
“I know.”
Tears filled my eyes.
“Then come back.”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because Nathan isn't trying to kill me anymore.”
“What does that mean?”
“He needs me alive.”
“For what?”
“To find something.”
My hand tightened around the phone.
“What?”
Daniel exhaled.
“The drive you found is incomplete.”
Adrian's eyes sharpened.
“There are two drives,” Daniel said.
“Where's the second?”
Another silence.
Then Daniel whispered, “You have it.”
I looked around.
“I don't understand.”
“Claire, the night I left, I hid it somewhere Nathan would never search.”
My blood turned cold.
“Where?”
“In the nursery furniture I bought for our baby.”
I stopped breathing.
May you like
Because that furniture wasn't in my apartment anymore.
Nathan had taken it when he moved out.
