CHAPTER 26

The Moretti estate seemed to hum with unspoken tension the following morning, the air thick with a sense of unease. Maya awoke to find Zane already gone, his side of the bed cold and empty. A note on the nightstand simply read:

“I’m handling it. Stay in the suite. Alex will update you.”

But staying put was the last thing Maya wanted to do. The message left on her pillow the night before—“You’re running out of time”—had stolen what little sleep she’d managed to find.

She couldn’t ignore the warning. Whoever had placed the note was becoming bolder, their presence almost taunting.

But the question remained: Was it a direct threat, or a calculated distraction?

Despite Zane’s insistence that she stay confined to the suite, Maya found herself wandering the estate once again. There was too much happening for her to sit idly by.

She returned to the western wing, retracing her steps to the surveillance room she’d discovered earlier. To her surprise, the room had been emptied. The corkboard, photographs, and scattered notes were all gone, the space eerily pristine.

Her stomach twisted. Someone knew I’d found it.

A single piece of paper was pinned to the now-empty corkboard, its bold handwriting unmistakable:

“Curiosity is dangerous, Maya. You’re playing with fire.”

Maya tore the note down, crumpling it in her fist. Fear bubbled under her skin, but it was quickly overtaken by frustration. She was tired of being watched, manipulated, and threatened.

She turned to leave but stopped short when a faint sound caught her attention. It was a soft click, barely audible, coming from the far corner of the room.

Maya approached cautiously, her eyes scanning the walls. Her fingers brushed against a seam in the paneling, and she realized it wasn’t a wall at all—it was a hidden door.

The hidden door creaked open, revealing a narrow passageway that seemed to stretch deep into the estate. A dim light flickered from somewhere within, casting eerie shadows on the stone walls.

Maya hesitated, her heart pounding. She knew this was reckless, but the pull of answers was stronger than her fear. Taking a deep breath, she stepped inside.

The passage was cold and damp, the faint scent of earth and mildew filling the air. Her footsteps echoed softly as she moved forward, her hand brushing against the rough stone for balance.

After what felt like an eternity, the passage opened into a small chamber. A single desk sat in the center, its surface cluttered with papers, maps, and what looked like a ledger.

Maya approached cautiously, her eyes scanning the items. One map caught her attention—it was a detailed blueprint of the Moretti estate, complete with markings indicating key security points.

Her blood ran cold. Someone had been planning this for a long time.

As she rifled through the papers, one name stood out repeatedly: Donovan Scott. The ledger contained lists of transactions, many of them linking directly back to him.

But it was the final document that made her breath hitch. It was a contract—signed and dated—between Donovan and Luca.

The terms were clear: “Destabilize Zane Moretti’s empire by any means necessary.”

Maya’s hands shook as she folded the contract and stuffed it into her pocket. This wasn’t just a power play—it was a calculated war.

As Maya turned to leave, the faint sound of voices echoed down the passage. Her heart leapt into her throat as she realized she wasn’t alone.

She quickly extinguished the light in the chamber, plunging herself into darkness. Pressing herself against the wall, she held her breath, straining to hear the conversation.

“…she’s getting too close,” a man said, his voice low but agitated.

Another voice responded, calm and cold. “Let her. It’s Zane who needs to break, not her. She’s just the bait.”

Maya’s blood turned to ice.

The voices grew louder, their footsteps echoing through the passage. Maya scanned the room frantically, searching for another exit. Her fingers brushed against a stack of crates in the corner, and she realized there was a narrow gap behind them.

Without hesitation, she squeezed into the space, her body pressed tightly against the cold stone.

The voices entered the chamber, their words now unmistakable.

“Donovan’s losing patience,” one of them said. “He wants results.”

“He’ll get them,” the other replied. “But we need to move carefully. Zane’s no fool.”

Maya’s breath came in shallow gasps as the men rummaged through the desk. She prayed they wouldn’t notice the missing contract.

After what felt like an eternity, the voices began to fade as the men exited the chamber. Maya waited until the silence was absolute before slipping out of her hiding spot.

Her hands trembled as she made her way back through the passage, the stolen contract clutched tightly against her chest.

Maya burst into Zane’s study, her chest heaving with adrenaline. He looked up from his desk, his silver eyes narrowing at her disheveled state.

“What happened?” he demanded, rising to his feet.

She didn’t speak immediately, instead pulling the crumpled contract from her pocket and slamming it onto his desk.

“Luca and Donovan,” she said, her voice trembling. “They’re working together. They’re planning to destroy you.”

Zane’s jaw tightened as he picked up the contract, his gaze scanning the words. His expression darkened with each line he read.

“This isn’t just about me,” he muttered, his voice low and dangerous. “They’re targeting everything—the business, the family… you.”

Maya nodded, her throat tight. “I overheard them in the passage. They said I’m just the bait. They think breaking me will break you.”

Zane’s hands clenched into fists, his silver eyes blazing with fury. “They’ve underestimated both of us.”

“What do we do?” Maya asked, her voice wavering.

Zane stepped around the desk, his presence commanding as he placed his hands on her shoulders. “We fight back. But first, I need you to promise me something.”

“What?”

“Stay out of this,” he said firmly. “Let me handle Luca and Donovan. I can’t risk you getting hurt.”

Maya’s chest tightened. “Zane, I’m already in this. They’ve made me a target. Hiding won’t change that.”

His gaze softened, but his determination didn’t waver. “I know. But I need you to trust me. I’ll protect you—no matter what.”

Later that evening, Zane convened a meeting with Alex and his closest advisors. The stolen contract was spread out on the desk, its damning words a clear declaration of war.

“We need to hit back,” Zane said, his voice cold and decisive. “But we do it strategically. Luca and Donovan are counting on us to make a mistake. We can’t give them that satisfaction.”

Alex nodded. “What’s the move?”

“First, we leak just enough information to throw them off balance,” Zane said. “Make them think we know less than we do. Then, we take out their key players—quietly.”

Maya listened from the corner of the room, her heart pounding. Zane’s calculated ruthlessness was both terrifying and awe-inspiring.

But as the men strategized, a nagging thought tugged at the back of her mind. Luca and Donovan weren’t just targeting Zane—they were targeting her. And she couldn’t shake the feeling that the next move would be even more personal.

That night, as Maya prepared for bed, another envelope was slipped under the suite door. Her stomach twisted as she opened it, revealing a single photograph.

It was……