Third Person's POV:
The Romanos and their men quickly got into their vehicles and left the headquarters.
No one wasted any time.
Every second mattered.
The location Ariana had discovered was over an hour away, and nobody knew what condition Elena was in.
Inside the cars, the atmosphere was suffocating.
Nobody spoke. Nobody joked. Nobody relaxed.
Everyone understood how important this mission was.
Asher sat in Leonardo's vehicle. His eyes remained fixed on the darkness outside the window.
His sister. That was all he could think about.
For months he had endured humiliation, fear, and guilt because of her.
Every betrayal. Every leaked piece of information. Every sleepless night. Everything had been because of Elena.
And now, for the first time in months, there was hope that he might finally save her.
Leonardo watched him quietly.
Normally he would have mocked him or thrown a few sarcastic remarks his way.
But today he couldn't. The pain on Asher's face was too obvious.
Meanwhile, Antonio was driving another vehicle. Ariana sat beside him with her laptop open. Her fingers moved rapidly across the keyboard. Rows of code flashed across the screen. She was already infiltrating the security systems surrounding the building.
Camera feeds. Motion sensors. Security locks. Communication channels. One by one they fell under her control.
Antonio glanced at the screen. Even after learning that she was the legendary hacker 'A', he still found it unbelievable.
His little sister looked completely calm while dismantling an entire security network.
"Everything good?" he asked.
Ariana nodded.
"Their systems are decent."
Antonio snorted.
"Only decent?"
A small smile appeared on her face.
"They're decent compared to normal hackers."
"And compared to you?"
"They're children."
Antonio laughed.
For the first time that day, some of the tension left him. His princess really was terrifying.
A few minutes later Ariana's expression became serious.
"We're close."
Everyone immediately became alert.
The vehicles slowed down and eventually stopped several hundred meters away from the target location.
The building looked abandoned. Broken windows. Rusted walls. Weeds growing everywhere. It looked like a place forgotten by the world.
But appearances were deceptive.
Ariana had already accessed the internal cameras.
The inside looked completely different. Security rooms. Weapons. Servers. Dozens of armed men.
And somewhere inside... Elena.
"I've hacked all visible cameras," Ariana informed everyone through their earpieces.
"What about alarms?" Antonio asked.
"Disabled."
"Locks?"
"Unlocked."
"Communications?"
"I have control."
A satisfied smile appeared on Antonio's face.
"Good."
He looked at everyone.
"Move."
The Romanos split into groups.
Antonio led one team.
Leonardo led another.
Gabriel commanded the support group.
Rafael stayed closer to the rear because they would need medical assistance if Elena was injured.
Matteo remained outside with several men to block any escape routes.
Benjamin coordinated communications.
Alfonso supervised the perimeter.
Everyone had a role. Everyone had a purpose.
The operation began. The first guards fell silently.
A knife. A chokehold. A suppressed gunshot. Nobody made unnecessary noise. Everything proceeded perfectly. Floor by floor they advanced deeper into the building.
Ariana guided them through every hallway.
"Two guards ahead."
"They've been neutralized."
"Camera blind spot on the left."
"Copy."
Everything was smooth. Too smooth.
Suddenly Ariana froze. Her eyes narrowed. Something was wrong. Very wrong. She quickly opened another monitor. Then another. Then another.
Her expression darkened.
"Tony fratello." Her voice immediately became alert.
"What happened?"
"We've been discovered."
The moment those words left her mouth, alarms exploded throughout the building.
Red warning lights flashed everywhere. Sirens echoed through the corridors.
"Damn it!" Leonardo cursed.
The enemy hacker had finally realized something was wrong.
"Everyone move!" Antonio ordered.
The building instantly erupted into chaos. Gunfire exploded throughout the hallways.
The Romanos abandoned stealth and launched a full assault. Bullets flew everywhere. Enemies appeared from every direction.
One Romano soldier was shot in the shoulder. Another received a graze across his arm. The resistance was far stronger than expected. These weren't ordinary criminals.
They were trained. Very well trained.
Antonio fired twice. Both enemies dropped instantly.
Leonardo kicked open a door and cleared an entire room with his team.
Gabriel moved through another corridor while giving precise orders.
The Romanos pushed forward relentlessly.
Meanwhile Ariana continued directing them.
"Three enemies approaching from the north corridor."
"Leo fratello, behind you."
"Tony fratello, watch your right."
She monitored everything simultaneously.
Then suddenly she saw something that made her blood run cold.
A group of men had grabbed Elena. And they were running.
"They're moving her!"
Everything changed instantly. Asher's eyes widened.
"No." Without waiting for permission he ran forward.
"Asher!" Leonardo shouted.
But he was already gone. Nothing could stop him. Not when his sister was involved.
Ariana immediately switched camera feeds.
She tracked Elena's movements. The kidnappers were heading toward a rear exit. If they escaped now, everything would become far more difficult.
Suddenly another movement appeared on her screen. An enemy soldier emerged from a hidden passage. His weapon was pointed directly at Antonio.
Ariana's heart skipped a beat.
"Tony fratello!"
He turned too late. The enemy was already pulling the trigger. Without hesitation Ariana grabbed the sniper rifle prepared earlier.
Her movements were fast. Practiced. Natural.
The rifle was assembled in seconds.
She positioned herself near a broken window.
Her breathing slowed.
The world became silent.
Her target entered the scope.
One shot.
One opportunity.
Bang.
The bullet struck perfectly.
The enemy collapsed instantly.
Antonio looked back.
Understanding flashed across his face.
Princess had saved him.
"Nice shot," he muttered.
But Ariana was already searching for the next target.
The mission wasn't over yet. Far from it. The enemies continued retreating with Elena.
Matteo received the update immediately.
Outside the building, he and his men prepared themselves.
"They're coming." His expression hardened.
Everyone took a position.
A few moments later the rear doors burst open. Several armed men rushed outside. One of them was carrying Elena.
She looked pale. Thin. Terrified.
The sight alone was enough to make Matteo angry.
"Now!"
The ambush began. Gunfire erupted. The enemies never expected resistance outside. Two dropped immediately.
Another tried using Elena as a shield.
Matteo's eyes narrowed. He threw a knife. The blade pierced the man's wrist. The weapon fell.
A Romano soldier fired instantly. The kidnapper collapsed.
Matteo rushed forward and caught Elena before she could fall.
"It's okay." His voice softened.
"You're safe."
Elena looked at him with frightened eyes. Then tears began falling.
Moments later Asher arrived. The second he saw her alive, his knees nearly gave out.
"Elena..."
She turned around.
For a moment neither moved.
Then she burst into tears.
"Big brother!"
She ran straight into his arms. Asher dropped to his knees and hugged her tightly.
Months of fear. Months of guilt. Months of suffering. Everything exploded at once.
"I'm sorry." His voice broke.
"I'm sorry, Elena."
She cried harder.
"It's not your fault."
"It is."
"No."
"They hurt you because of me."
Elena shook her head repeatedly.
"I heard them talking." Asher froze.
"They said you were trying to save me."
Tears streamed down his face.
"They said you were doing everything for me."
For the first time since his arrest, Asher completely broke down.
Not as a hacker. Not as a traitor. Not as a mafia member. Just as an older brother.
"I'm sorry."
He repeated the words over and over. And Elena simply hugged him tighter. As if she never blamed him in the first place.
Rafael eventually stepped forward. His expression darkened the moment he properly examined Elena. The bruises covering her arms were impossible to ignore. There were cuts on her hands. Old injuries mixed with newer ones.
Her cheeks looked thinner than they should have. And she was clearly malnourished.
A dangerous silence fell over the Romanos.
Even Gabriel's usually calm expression became cold.
Rafael crouched down in front of her.
"Elena, can you tell me if anything hurts?"
She hesitated before nodding.
"My ribs hurt sometimes."
Rafael's jaw clenched.
"We're taking her to the hospital immediately."
Asher looked like he wanted to kill every person responsible.
The guilt in his eyes became even stronger. If only he had found a way sooner. If only he had been stronger. Maybe his sister wouldn't have suffered like this.
Unfortunately, there was no changing the past. Only moving forward.
Meanwhile, Antonio and Leonardo gathered the surviving enemies in the center of the room.
Several men were still alive. They were forced onto their knees. Blood covered the floor. The battle was over. Now came the answers.
Antonio stepped forward and grabbed one of the men by the collar.
"Who is your boss?" The man laughed.
Even with blood running from the corner of his mouth, he laughed.
Antonio's expression darkened.
"I asked you a question."
The man continued laughing.
"You Romanos still don't understand anything."
Leonardo immediately punched him. The man's head snapped to the side. But he kept laughing.
"Tell me who your boss is."
The man spat blood onto the floor.
"Our boss is someone you can never touch."
Antonio crouched down in front of him. His eyes were terrifying.
"I promise you that I can."
The man smirked.
"No."
"You can't."
"Because by the time you find him..."
The smile on his face widened.
"It will already be too late."
Silence fell. Everyone listened carefully.
The man looked directly at Antonio.
"This war didn't start because of your shipments."
Antonio frowned.
"What do you mean?"
The man laughed again.
"You think this is about money?"
His eyes slowly moved toward Ariana.
Ariana immediately felt a strange chill run through her body.
The man pointed at her.
"It's about her."
The atmosphere instantly changed.
Every Romano became alert.
"What are you talking about?" Gabriel asked coldly.
The man grinned.
"Our boss has been watching your family for years."
Ariana's expression darkened.
"Who is he?"
The man looked directly at her.
"You'll find out soon enough."
His smile widened.
"After all..."
"He has been interested in you for a very long time."
A dangerous silence filled the room.
Antonio's grip tightened around his gun.
Leonardo looked like he wanted to rip the man apart.
Even Gabriel's expression became terrifying.
The man continued laughing.
"Our boss said that one day you'll all kneel before him."
Bang.
Antonio finally lost his patience.
The bullet pierced the man's forehead.
The laughter stopped instantly.
The remaining enemies were eliminated shortly afterward.
No one felt sorry for them. Not after what they had done. Not after what Elena had suffered.
The mission was finally over.
Yet nobody felt victorious. Because the real enemy was still out there. Hidden somewhere in the shadows. Watching them. Waiting.
***
The Romanos returned to their base shortly afterward.
Rafael immediately took Elena to the hospital. Asher went with them. For the entire drive he never let go of her hand.
He was afraid that if he looked away even for a second, she would disappear again.
The others returned to the headquarters to handle the aftermath.
It was already early morning when everything was finally finished.
Everyone was exhausted.
After returning home, they immediately went to sleep.
***
Ariana's POV:
I woke up around noon. My entire body felt heavy.
Yesterday was one of the longest days of my life.
First we discovered Asher's betrayal. Then we learned the truth. Then we rescued Elena. And finally we learned that someone was still hiding behind everything. Someone who specifically seemed interested in me.
That thought bothered me. A lot.
After getting ready, I went downstairs for lunch.
Twinnie was already sitting there.
The moment he saw me, he motioned for me to sit beside him.
I happily complied.
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
"Tired."
"Same."
We started eating quietly.
After a few minutes he spoke again.
"We're going to headquarters after lunch."
I nodded.
There was still a lot of work left.
Most importantly, I wanted to strengthen our security systems. Yesterday's enemy hacker had managed to avoid detection for months. That would never happen again.
After lunch, Twinnie and I drove to the headquarters. The atmosphere there was calmer than yesterday. But there was still tension underneath. Everyone knew that the real battle had just begun.
I immediately sat down in front of a computer and started upgrading the security systems.
Hours passed quickly.
By the time I finished, Leo fratello entered Tony fratello's office.
"Tony."
Tony fratello looked up.
"What happened?"
"Asher is here."
The room became quiet.
"Send him in."
A few moments later Asher entered.
He looked terrible. His eyes were bloodshot. His clothes were wrinkled. And he looked like he hadn't slept at all. Honestly, he probably hadn't.
Tony fratello looked at him quietly.
"Asher."
Asher lowered his head.
"Boss."
"What is Elena's condition?"
"Stable."
Everyone visibly relaxed. That was good news.
Asher swallowed hard.
"I know why you called me here."
Nobody said anything.
The silence felt heavier than shouting.
"I know what I did was unforgivable."
Tony remained quiet.
"I betrayed the mafia."
Silence.
"I betrayed your trust."
Still silence.
"And I betrayed princess."
I looked away. The guilt on his face was genuine.
"Asher," Tony fratello finally spoke.
Asher raised his head slightly.
"Do you know what hurts the most?"
Asher stayed silent.
"You weren't just my subordinate."
Tony's voice remained calm.
"You were my brother."
Asher froze.
The room became silent.
"When the leaks started, I suspected everyone except you." Tony fratello laughed bitterly.
"I even trusted you with the investigation."
Asher closed his eyes. Every word felt like a knife.
"You ate with us." Tony fratello continued.
"You celebrated with us."
"You fought beside us."
"And still..."
Tony fratello's voice became colder.
"You betrayed us."
Tears appeared in Asher's eyes.
"I know."
"No." Tony fratello shook his head.
"I don't think you do."
The room remained silent.
"For months I wondered who was destroying everything we built."
Tony fratello stared directly at him.
"And the entire time it was the person I trusted the most."
Asher finally lowered his head again. A tear rolled down his cheek.
"I am sorry."
Tony fratello sighed heavily. For a few moments nobody spoke. Then Tony fratello looked toward me.
"Princess."
"Yes?"
"If someone kidnapped you..."
My brothers immediately looked toward him.
Tony fratello continued calmly.
"And told me to choose between saving you or protecting the mafia..."
He paused.
"I would burn the entire world to save you."
I felt touched hearing that. The others nodded immediately. They would do exactly the same. Tony fratello looked back at Asher.
"So I understand your choice."
Hope appeared in Asher's eyes. Then Tony fratello shattered it.
"But understanding isn't forgiveness."
The room fell silent again.
"What you did still has consequences."
Asher nodded.
"I understand."
Tony fratello leaned back.
"For your punishment, you will leave New York."
Asher looked surprised.
"You will manage our overseas operations."
Nobody interrupted.
"You are forbidden from hacking ever again."
His voice became firm.
"If you touch a keyboard for anything other than normal work, princess will know."
I smiled slightly.
"I definitely will."
For the first time, Asher let out a weak laugh. Then his eyes became red again.
"Thank you."
Tony fratello shook his head.
"Don't thank me."
Asher remained silent.
"I'm only doing this because of our friendship."
Tony fratello's expression softened slightly.
"And because Elena deserves a chance at a peaceful life."
Tears rolled down Asher's face.
"I won't waste it."
"You better not."
Asher nodded firmly. Then he bowed deeply.
To Tony fratello. To papa. To everyone. And finally to me.
"I'm sorry." After saying those words, he turned around and left.
Nobody stopped him. The office remained silent long after he was gone.
The mole had been exposed. Elena had been rescued. The betrayal had been dealt with. But nobody felt victorious.
Because somewhere out there...
The mastermind was still waiting.
And sooner or later...
They would come for the Romano family again.
****
Hello dear readers.
Here's another chapter. I hope you will like it.
Happy reading.
Love, Stella.