Chapter 6 - The Letter Elena Left Behind
Simon Gambino had faced enemies with weapons.
He had faced men who wanted his empire.
He had faced betrayal from people who smiled while planning his downfall.
But nothing prepared him for a piece of paper.
A simple letter.
A few handwritten words from the woman he lost.
The letter sat on the table inside his private office.
Nobody touched it.
Nobody spoke.
Because everyone in the room understood the weight of what was happening.
Elena Gambino was gone.
But somehow, she was still protecting them.
Simon stared at the handwriting.
He knew every detail.
The shape of her letters.
The way she pressed harder on certain words.
The small imperfections that proved this was really her.
His fingers moved slightly toward the paper.
Then stopped.
For the first time in years, Simon Gambino looked uncertain.
Natasha stood across from him.
She did not interrupt.
She understood that some moments belonged only to the person experiencing them.
Finally, Simon picked up the letter.
His eyes moved across the first line.
Simon, if anything happens to me, the person you trust most may be the one you should fear.
His breathing changed.
Only slightly.
But Natasha noticed.
She had learned that Simon did not show emotions the way normal people did.
His anger was silence.
His sadness was distance.
His fear was control.
She watched him continue reading.
The room remained completely quiet.
After several seconds, Simon lowered the letter.
“Where was this found?”
One of the security officers answered.
“Inside Marcus Vale’s office.”
Simon looked up.
“Who found it?”
“We did during the search.”
“Who knew about the search?”
The officer hesitated.
That hesitation was enough.
Simon’s expression hardened.
“Answer.”
“Only the internal security team.”
A dangerous silence followed.
Natasha immediately understood.
If only a few people knew…
Then the leak was closer than they thought.
Simon placed the letter back on the table.
“Lock down the building.”
The guards moved immediately.
“No one leaves.”
Natasha looked at him.
“Simon.”
He turned.
“You’re going after Marcus.”
It was not a question.
Simon said nothing.
That was her answer.
“Before you know the truth.”
His eyes narrowed.
“You think I’m wrong?”
“I think you’re hurt.”
The words landed harder than she expected.
Simon stared at her.
Most people feared him too much to say something like that.
Natasha continued.
“And when people are hurt, they want someone to blame.”
A long pause.
Then Simon looked away.
Because he knew she was right.
The old Simon would have already sent people after Marcus.
The old Simon would have believed anger was the same as justice.
But Elena’s letter had created something he hated.
Doubt.
And doubt was dangerous because it forced him to think.
Not react.
Later that day, Natasha sat with the twins in the nursery.
She watched them sleep.
So peaceful.
So unaware of the storm surrounding their family.
She wondered how many adults had failed them because they were too focused on power.
Too focused on revenge.
Too focused on finding someone to punish.
Simon entered quietly.
He looked exhausted.
“Did you find him?”
Natasha asked.
Simon shook his head.
“No.”
“Why?”
“He disappeared.”
That answer worried her.
“Do you think he ran?”
Simon looked at the twins.
“I don’t know anymore.”
Those words were more frightening than anger.
Because Simon Gambino admitting uncertainty meant the foundation beneath him was breaking.
Natasha noticed something in his hand.
A small envelope.
“What is that?”
Simon looked at it.
“Another letter.”
Her eyes widened.
“From Elena?”
He nodded.
“Where did you get it?”
“Marcus left it behind.”
Simon opened it carefully.
This time, he read it aloud.
“Simon…”
His voice became quieter.
“If you are reading this, then I was right to be afraid.”
Natasha listened.
“Elena wrote that she discovered someone close to us was moving information outside the family.”
Simon stopped.
His jaw tightened.
“She said she found evidence that someone had been watching our children.”
Natasha looked toward the twins.
The same thing.
The hidden device.
The nursery records.
Someone studying them.
Simon continued.
“She didn’t know who it was.”
He looked down.
“But she knew one thing.”
“What?”
Simon’s voice lowered.
“She said the person was not trying to hurt the children.”
Natasha frowned.
“Then what were they trying to do?”
Simon looked at her.
“Use them.”
The word filled the room.
Natasha felt cold.
Someone had not been attacking randomly.
Someone had a plan.
A bigger plan.
That evening, Natasha asked Simon something she had been thinking about.
“Who was closest to Elena?”
Simon looked surprised.
“My wife?”
“Yes.”
“Me.”
“Besides you.”
He became quiet.
Then answered.
“Marcus.”
Natasha nodded.
“Anyone else?”
A pause.
“Her sister.”
“Did she have one?”
Simon looked away.
“No.”
The reaction was small.
But Natasha caught it.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Simon.”
He sighed.
“There was someone.”
“Who?”
“A woman Elena knew before we married.”
“Why didn’t you mention her?”
“Because she disappeared.”
Natasha frowned.
“Disappeared?”
Simon nodded.
“She knew things about Elena’s past.”
“And?”
“She left New York after Elena died.”
Natasha looked at him.
“That seems important.”
“It is.”
“Then why didn’t you find her?”
Simon’s expression changed.
“Because Elena asked me not to.”
That stopped Natasha.
“She asked you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Simon looked toward the window.
“Because Elena knew something about her that I didn’t.”
For the first time, Natasha saw something unusual.
Simon Gambino was not hiding information because he wanted control.
He was hiding it because he was afraid.
Afraid that every answer would reveal another person he failed to protect.
The next morning, Simon received a call.
His face changed instantly.
“What happened?”
Natasha watched him.
A few seconds passed.
Then Simon said:
“Bring her here.”
He ended the call.
“What happened?”
Simon looked at Natasha.
“We found Marcus.”
“Where?”
“He wasn’t running.”
A pause.
“He was hiding.”
That afternoon, Marcus Vale was brought to the penthouse.
Natasha expected someone dangerous.
A villain.
Someone cold.
Instead, she saw an older man with tired eyes.
Someone who looked like he had been carrying a burden for too long.
Simon stood across from him.
“Twelve years.”
Marcus looked down.
“Yes.”
“Twelve years working for my family.”
“Yes.”
“Then explain why my wife’s letter was found in your office.”
Marcus looked at Simon.
And instead of fear…
There was sadness.
“Because Elena trusted me.”
Simon’s expression hardened.
“You expect me to believe that?”
Marcus looked toward Natasha.
Then toward the twins.
“Your wife knew she was in danger.”
Simon stepped closer.
“From who?”
Marcus hesitated.
That hesitation changed everything.
“Tell me.”
Marcus swallowed.
“The person who killed Elena…”
The room froze.
Simon’s eyes changed.
“Say that again.”
Marcus looked directly at him.
“Elena was murdered.”
No one moved.
No one breathed.
Natasha felt the truth finally breaking through.
Simon’s entire world shifted.
The official story.
The reports.
The explanations.
All lies.
“Who did it?”
Marcus looked at him.
And the answer was one Simon never expected.
“Someone who knew Elena better than anyone.”
A pause.
“Someone inside your family.”
Simon’s face became unreadable.
But Natasha saw it.
The pain.
The realization.
The fear.
Because the enemy they had been searching for was not outside the walls.
They had been living with them.
Watching them.
Waiting.
May you like
And now…
The truth was finally coming out.
