Chapter 5 - The Woman Who Returned From The Dead
The city believed Elena Moretti was dead.
That was exactly what Marco Duca wanted.
For twenty-four hours, Elena had watched the world mourn a woman who was still alive.
News reports spread quickly.
The missing daughter of Cassian Moretti.
The abandoned wedding.
The possible kidnapping.
The accusations.
Everyone had a theory.
Everyone had an opinion.
But nobody knew the truth.
Nobody except the people standing inside Adrien Volkov’s hidden estate.
Elena stood in front of the television screen, watching her own face appear on the news.
A photograph from her engagement party.
A smiling version of herself.
A woman who still believed love was real.
The reporter’s voice filled the room.
“Authorities are investigating the disappearance of Elena Moretti, daughter of businessman Cassian Moretti. Sources close to the family suggest she may have been targeted because of the long-standing conflict between powerful organizations in the city.”
Elena stared at the screen.
Targeted.
That was the word they used.
Not betrayed.
Not hunted.
Not almost murdered by the man she was supposed to marry.
Just targeted.
A headline.
A story.
A tragedy people would discuss for a few days before moving on.
She turned the television off.
“I hate that picture.”
Adrien, standing near the window behind her, looked over.
“Why?”
“Because she looks happy.”
The answer was quiet.
Adrien said nothing.
Elena looked at the dark screen.
“She looks like someone who trusted the wrong person.”
For a moment, the room was silent.
Then Adrien spoke.
“Everyone trusts someone at the wrong time.”
Elena turned toward him.
The words sounded personal.
“You did.”
Adrien looked at her.
“What?”
“You trusted someone who hurt you.”
His expression immediately became guarded.
Elena noticed.
Again, there was something behind the walls.
Something he refused to show.
But before she could ask, Luca entered.
“We have movement.”
Adrien turned.
“Where?”
“The Duca family is meeting tonight.”
Elena immediately focused.
“Marco?”
“Yes.”
Adrien walked toward the table.
“Location.”
Luca placed a file down.
“A private club owned through one of his shell companies.”
Elena looked at the information.
“What is he planning?”
“We don’t know yet.”
Adrien opened the file.
“But we know he is confident.”
Elena understood.
Because Marco believed he had already won.
He believed Elena was gone.
He believed the war had started.
And most importantly...
He believed nobody could stop him.
Adrien looked at her.
“We need confirmation before we move.”
Elena nodded.
“What do you need?”
“Nothing from you.”
She immediately frowned.
“That’s not an answer.”
“It is.”
“Adrien.”
He looked at her.
“You are the reason this works. Marco believes you are a weakness. He believes removing you removes the problem.”
A pause.
“We need him to keep believing that.”
Elena crossed her arms.
“So you want me hidden.”
“Yes.”
“And you go after him.”
“Yes.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
Adrien’s expression hardened.
“No?”
“You keep treating me like someone you need to protect.”
“Because you are.”
Elena stepped closer.
“I am someone who was almost killed because I underestimated a person.”
Her voice became stronger.
“I will not make the same mistake twice.”
Adrien studied her.
“You think revenge makes you stronger?”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“I think knowing the truth does.”
The room became quiet.
Luca looked between them, wisely saying nothing.
Because this was no longer an argument about safety.
It was about trust.
Adrien finally spoke.
“You want to face the man who tried to murder you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Elena looked at the engagement ring still on her finger.
For a moment, she hated that she had not removed it yet.
Then she slowly pulled it off.
The ring landed on the table.
A small sound.
But it felt like a door closing.
“Because he took my choice away.”
She looked at Adrien.
“I want it back.”
Something in Adrien’s expression softened.
Only slightly.
But enough.
“Fine.”
Elena looked surprised.
“Fine?”
“You come.”
Luca looked at him.
“Adrien.”
Adrien raised a hand.
“But you follow my instructions.”
Elena nodded.
“Agreed.”
That night, the city looked different.
From the outside, everything appeared normal.
Cars moved through the streets.
People laughed in restaurants.
Music played inside expensive clubs.
Nobody knew that powerful families were preparing for a war.
Elena sat inside the vehicle beside Adrien.
This time, she was not wearing a wedding dress.
She wore a black coat and simple clothing.
No Moretti princess.
No bride.
Just a woman searching for justice.
Adrien noticed her looking at the ring box in her hand.
“You kept it.”
Elena looked down.
“I needed to remember.”
“Remember what?”
“What he was.”
She closed the box.
“And what I survived.”
Adrien looked forward.
“That is not the same thing.”
Elena turned.
“What do you mean?”
“Sometimes people spend so much time remembering who hurt them that they forget who they became afterward.”
The words stayed with her.
Because Adrien understood something she had not.
Her story could not end with Marco.
It had to continue with her.
The vehicle stopped near the club.
Adrien’s team moved into position.
Elena and Adrien entered through a private entrance.
Inside, the atmosphere was expensive and quiet.
The kind of place where powerful people made dangerous decisions while pretending they were having ordinary conversations.
Adrien and Elena watched from a hidden room connected to the main hall.
Then she saw him.
Marco Duca.
Her heart stopped.
Not because she still loved him.
Because she finally saw him clearly.
He was laughing.
Relaxed.
Happy.
Like a man who had never tried to destroy another person’s life.
“He doesn’t look worried,” Elena whispered.
Adrien watched him carefully.
“That is because he thinks he won.”
Marco raised a glass.
Several men around him listened.
The audio was activated.
His voice came through.
“Everything is moving exactly as planned.”
Elena felt cold.
Marco continued.
“The Moretti family is already looking for someone to blame.”
One of the men asked:
“And Volkov?”
Marco smiled.
“He will react exactly how I expect.”
Elena looked at Adrien.
He remained still.
But his eyes changed.
Marco continued.
“Once Volkov makes his move, Cassian Moretti will believe he killed Elena.”
A pause.
“Then the war begins.”
Elena felt anger rise inside her.
Not the kind that made her lose control.
The kind that made her focused.
Marco continued speaking.
“And when both sides weaken each other, we take everything.”
Adrien quietly reached for his phone.
Recording.
Evidence.
Everything they needed.
Then Marco said something that made Elena freeze.
“The only thing I regret is that Elena never understood how useful she was.”
Her hand tightened.
Adrien noticed.
But he did not interrupt.
Marco smiled.
“She always thought she was a person.”
Elena felt her chest tighten.
“She was just a piece.”
The silence that followed was unbearable.
Then Adrien leaned slightly toward her.
“Stay here.”
Elena looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because I need you calm.”
She almost laughed.
“Calm?”
Adrien looked at her.
“Yes.”
A pause.
“Because the moment Marco sees you alive, everything changes.”
Elena understood.
This was the moment they had been waiting for.
But before they could move, something happened.
One of Marco’s men looked toward their hidden location.
Not directly.
Just enough.
Adrien noticed.
“Someone knows we’re here.”
Elena’s heart jumped.
“How?”
Adrien’s expression became serious.
“Because Marco expected us.”
The lights suddenly went out.
The entire club fell into darkness.
People shouted.
Footsteps moved quickly.
A trap.
Adrien grabbed Elena’s hand.
“Stay close.”
For the first time, she did not argue.
Because she understood.
They were no longer hunting Marco.
They had walked into his battlefield.
Emergency lights turned on.
And from the center of the club, Marco Duca slowly stepped forward.
He looked directly toward their hidden position.
Then he smiled.
A smile Elena knew too well.
The same smile from their wedding morning.
The same smile before betrayal.
“Hello, Elena.”
The entire room froze.
May you like
Because the dead woman had just returned.
And this time, Marco Duca was the one who looked afraid.
