Then went out.
Emergency lighting turned the room red.
Marco sat up.
“That’s not normal.”
Serena’s blood went cold.
The Rinaldi estate had industrial generators. The power should not fail.
A distant sound cracked through the storm.
Gunfire.
Part 3
For one frozen second, none of the children moved.
Then Nico whispered, “Was that thunder?”
Serena knew it wasn’t.
She rose slowly.
“Everyone stay here.”
Marco’s face had gone pale, but his chin lifted.
“Where are you going?”
“To find your father.”
“I’m coming.”
“No. You’re in charge.”
That stopped him.
Serena knelt in front of him.
“Lock this door after me. Do not open it for anyone except me or your papa. Keep your brothers and Lucia together. Understand?”
Marco swallowed.
For the first time since she met him, he looked like a child.
“I understand.”
Serena kissed Lucia’s forehead.
“I’ll be right back.”
Lucia grabbed her sleeve.
“You promise?”
Serena looked at her daughter, then at the boys.
“I promise I will do everything I can.”
It was the only honest answer.
She stepped into the hallway.
Victor was already there with two guards, moving fast toward the security room. His face had become cold, sharp, and terrifying.
“The generators should have kicked in,” he said. “Something is wrong.”
“I found proof,” Serena said quickly. “Hargreaves. He was in the security room. I saw a USB drive.”
Victor stopped.
“What?”
“I took a photo. Last Tuesday. I should have told you sooner, but you didn’t believe me, and I thought—”
Another burst of gunfire sounded, closer this time.
A guard cursed.
Victor looked at Serena’s phone. His face changed.
Not anger.
Not at her.
Horror.
“Hargreaves gave them the system.”
The security room monitors showed static on most cameras. The few remaining screens showed dark figures climbing the east wall.
Men in tactical gear.
No alarms.
No lights.
No warning.
One guard said, “Carvelli.”
Victor’s jaw hardened.
The Carvelli family. Rivals. Enemies. Men who would never dare attack Victor directly unless they had leverage.
Serena thought of the five children in the media room.
Victor did too.
“They’re coming for the kids,” he said.
The words sliced through her.