Chapter 4 - The Truth My Mother Left Behind
The darkness felt different this time.
Before, it had been an inconvenience.
A broken light.
A storm.
A strange moment inside a luxury apartment.
Now it felt intentional.
Like the darkness itself had become part of the threat.
I could hear everything.
The rain against the windows.
The sound of my own breathing.
The quiet movement of Dominic standing beside me.
And somewhere beyond the apartment door…
Footsteps.
Multiple people.
Coming closer.
My hand was still in Dominic’s.
I noticed that before anything else.
Not the danger.
Not the people approaching.
His hand.
Warm.
Steady.
Protective.
A few minutes ago, I would have pulled away.
I would have reminded myself that trusting Dominic Costa was dangerous.
That he had lied.
That he had secrets.
But standing in the darkness with strangers coming for me, I realized something uncomfortable.
The person I feared might also be the only person who was trying to keep me alive.
“Tessa.”
His voice was barely audible.
I looked toward him.
“What?”
“When I tell you to move, you move.”
I almost smiled.
“Still giving orders?”
“No.”
A pause.
“Trying to keep you alive.”
The honesty in his voice made it impossible to argue.
A faint light appeared near the hallway.
Someone outside had opened a flashlight.
Dominic immediately moved.
He positioned himself between me and the door.
Adrian stood on the other side of the room, watching him.
For the first time since he arrived, Adrian didn’t look amused.
He looked worried.
That caught my attention.
Because if Adrian was afraid…
Then whoever was coming was worse.
“How many?”
Dominic asked.
Elena checked her phone.
“Four confirmed.”
“Armed?”
A pause.
“Yes.”
My stomach dropped.
Dominic looked at Adrian.
“You brought them here.”
Adrian’s expression hardened.
“No.”
“You knew they were coming.”
“I knew someone would.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“I came because I knew you wouldn’t believe me unless you saw it yourself.”
Dominic’s eyes became colder.
“You put her in danger.”
“No.”
Adrian looked at me.
“They were already coming.”
The words hurt because they were probably true.
My entire life had changed before I even understood why.
The danger was never created by Dominic.
I had simply stepped into a story that started before I was born.
The footsteps stopped outside the door.
Silence.
Then a voice.
“Dominic.”
A man.
Calm.
Confident.
“I know you’re inside.”
Dominic didn’t answer.
The voice continued.
“You always were stubborn.”
I looked at Dominic.
His face changed slightly.
Recognition.
“Who is that?”
I whispered.
He answered without looking at me.
“Someone who worked for my father.”
The voice outside laughed.
“Still protecting your father’s mistakes, Dominic?”
A cold feeling moved through me.
Dominic’s father.
Again.
Everything always returned to him.
“Open the door.”
The man outside continued.
“We don’t want to hurt anyone.”
I almost laughed.
Because every dangerous person in the world probably said that right before hurting someone.
Dominic leaned closer.
“Back room.”
I looked at him.
“What?”
“Go.”
“No.”
His eyes met mine.
“Tessa.”
“I’m not leaving.”
His expression softened.
Just slightly.
“Please.”
That word stopped me.
Not because it was powerful.
Because Dominic Costa didn’t say it.
Not to anyone.
I looked at him.
And for some reason, that single word scared me more than the people outside.
Because it meant he wasn’t commanding me.
He was asking.
I moved toward the hallway.
But I didn’t go far.
I couldn’t.
I needed to know.
I needed the truth.
Dominic reached into his jacket and removed the envelope again.
He looked at it for a moment.
Then he looked at me.
“Keep this.”
I stared.
“What?”
“If something happens…”
“Don’t say that.”
His expression softened.
“Tessa.”
“No.”
I stepped closer.
“You don’t get to give me a goodbye speech.”
Something almost like a smile appeared on his face.
“You’re very difficult.”
“So I’ve been told.”
For a second, the danger disappeared.
Just a second.
Then the door shook.
The moment ended.
Dominic pushed the envelope into my hand.
“Keep it safe.”
I held it tightly.
The door shook again.
And then—
The power returned.
The sudden light blinded me.
Everything happened at once.
Elena moved.
Adrian moved.
Dominic moved.
The apartment exploded into action.
But not chaos.
Controlled movement.
Everyone knew what they were doing.
Everyone except me.
And somehow, I hated that.
I hated being the person everyone protected.
So I did the only thing I could.
I opened the envelope.
Right there.
In the middle of danger.
Inside was a letter.
My mother’s handwriting.
My hands shook.
Dear Tessa,
I stopped breathing.
Seeing her words felt impossible.
Like hearing a voice from a dream.
If you are reading this, then I failed to keep you away from this world.
My eyes burned.
No.
Not failed.
She had tried.
I need you to understand something first. Dominic Costa is not the enemy you think he is.
I looked up.
Dominic.
He was watching the door.
Protecting me.
Just like she said.
I continued reading.
But he is not innocent either.
My heart tightened.
Dominic made a choice years ago. A choice that protected many people, but destroyed others.
I looked at him again.
A choice.
Everyone kept talking about choices.
If he tells you he did it to protect you, believe him.
A pause.
But never forget that protection without honesty can become another kind of prison.
The words hit me.
Because they were exactly what I had been feeling.
My mother knew.
She understood.
The truth you are searching for is not about Dominic.
My fingers tightened.
It is about the person who betrayed all of us.
A sound came from the living room.
Dominic.
“Down!”
I barely reacted before he pulled me behind the kitchen counter.
Something shattered.
Glass.
The letter almost fell from my hand.
Dominic looked at me.
“Are you hurt?”
I shook my head.
“No.”
His eyes moved to the letter.
“You opened it.”
I nodded.
His expression changed.
“What did she say?”
Before I could answer, Adrian shouted:
“Dominic!”
Everyone turned.
The apartment door had opened.
But nobody stood there.
The hallway was empty.
Only one thing remained.
A small package.
Placed carefully on the floor.
Dominic immediately became still.
“No.”
I looked at him.
“What?”
He didn’t answer.
Adrian’s face changed.
“You know what that is.”
Dominic nodded slowly.
“Yes.”
“What?”
His voice was quiet.
“That’s how they send messages.”
My stomach tightened.
“Messages?”
Dominic walked toward it carefully.
“No one touches it.”
But then the package moved.
Not because of anyone.
Because something inside was vibrating.
A phone.
Dominic stopped.
The screen lit up.
A name appeared.
Gemma.
My heart stopped.
“Impossible.”
Adrian whispered.
Dominic stared at the phone.
Nobody moved.
Then the phone started ringing.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
I looked at Dominic.
“Answer it.”
He didn’t move.
“Tessa—”
“Answer it.”
Because if that was really Gemma…
If my best friend was alive…
Nothing else mattered.
Dominic picked up the phone.
For a few seconds, there was only static.
Then a breath.
A voice.
Weak.
Terrified.
“Tessa?”
My knees almost gave out.
“Gemma?”
Everyone froze.
The voice on the phone cried softly.
“I’m sorry.”
“Where are you?”
“I don’t have much time.”
“Gemma, tell me where you are.”
A pause.
Then:
“I was wrong.”
My heart sank.
“About what?”
Another pause.
Then her voice became quieter.
“About Dominic.”
I looked at him.
Dominic closed his eyes.
Gemma continued:
“He’s not the person you need to run from.”
The room went silent.
“Then who?”
The answer came in a whisper.
“The person standing next to him.”
Everyone looked at Adrian.
And Adrian’s face changed.
May you like
Because for the first time…
He looked afraid.
