Enzo stared at the phone, the ominous message glowing on the screen. His jaw tightened as he read the words aloud.
“You’re next.”
The room fell into a heavy silence, the threat sinking in like a weight pressing on everyone’s chest. Milan’s icy-blue eyes darkened as he turned to Enzo. “Who sent it?”
Enzo shook his head, his dark gaze unwavering. “There’s no name. It’s a burner number.”
Thiago let out a frustrated groan, pacing the room. “So, she’s still calling the shots. First David, now this? She’s playing us.”
“She’s not playing,” Milan said coldly, his voice low and steady. “She’s cornered, and this is her way of making sure we know she’s still dangerous.”
Jade’s heart pounded as she leaned against the wall for support, her mind racing. “What does she want?” she asked, her voice shaking. “She already destroyed the wedding. She killed David. What more could she possibly gain?”
“She’s sending a message,” Enzo said, slipping the phone into his pocket. “She’s reminding us that she’s still in control. But that stops now.”
Jade frowned, her eyes darting to David’s lifeless body hanging above them. “Why kill him? He was working for her.”
“Vivienne doesn’t keep loose ends,” Milan said grimly. “If she thought he could betray her, or if he knew too much, she’d get rid of him without a second thought.”
Thiago stopped pacing and crossed his arms, his expression hard. “We need to find her, and fast. She’s escalating.”
“We will,” Enzo said, his tone dark and determined. “But we need to get out of here first. This place is compromised, and there’s no telling what else she has planned.”
Milan nodded, his gaze shifting to Jade. “Are you okay? Can you move?”
Jade swallowed hard, forcing herself to stand straighter despite the nausea swirling in her stomach. “I’m fine,” she said quietly. “Let’s get out of here.”
The drive back to the house was tense, the silence in the car heavy with unspoken fears. Jade sat in the back seat, her mind replaying the scene over and over again. David, hanging from the ceiling, his lifeless eyes staring into nothingness. The message on the phone. The realization that Vivienne was still out there, always one step ahead.
Thiago, sitting in the passenger seat, finally broke the silence. “We can’t keep reacting to her. She’s playing us like puppets, and we’re letting her.”
“We’re not letting her do anything,” Milan said sharply, his hands gripping the steering wheel. “We’ve been gathering intel, building our case. We’re getting closer.”
Enzo, seated beside Jade, glanced at her. “Jade, I know this is overwhelming. But you need to stay focused. She wants you scared.”
Jade nodded, though her hands trembled in her lap. “I’m not scared,” she said, her voice steadier than she felt. “I’m angry. She’s taken so much from me already, and now she’s trying to destroy everything else. I won’t let her win.”
Milan glanced at her in the rearview mirror, his expression softening slightly. “That’s the spirit. But we handle this carefully. No risks.”
“No risks?” Thiago echoed, a hint of sarcasm in his tone. “Since when has anything about this been without risk?”
“Focus, Thiago,” Enzo said sharply. “We’re not losing anyone else.”
Back at the house, the team gathered in the living room, maps, and documents spread across the table. Enzo connected the phone to his laptop, running a trace on the message while Milan and Thiago reviewed the latest intel.
Jade sat on the couch, watching them work, her chest tightening with frustration. “Isn’t there something I can do?” she asked, breaking the silence.
Milan shook his head. “This isn’t your fight.”
“Yes, it is,” Jade said firmly, standing up. “Vivienne targeted me, destroyed my wedding, killed Mia. She made it my fight.”
Enzo looked up from his laptop, his gaze meeting hers. “Jade, we appreciate your determination, but this is dangerous.”
“So, what? I’m just supposed to sit here and do nothing?” she snapped. “I’m tired of feeling helpless.”
Thiago smirked faintly, leaning back in his chair. “You’ve got guts, Jade. I’ll give you that.”
“Then let me help,” she insisted. “Anything. Just don’t shut me out.”
Milan exchanged a glance with Enzo, who nodded slightly. “Alright,” Milan said finally. “You can help. But you follow our lead.”
Jade nodded, relief washing over her. “Deal.”
Hours later, Enzo’s laptop pinged, drawing everyone’s attention. “Got something,” he said, his voice sharp.
“What is it?” Milan asked, leaning over the table.
Enzo typed quickly, his dark eyes scanning the screen. “The phone pinged twice. Once at the hotel, and again… here.”
Jade’s blood ran cold. “Here? As in the safe house?”
Enzo nodded, his expression dark. “Vivienne or someone working for her knows this location.”
“We’re not safe here,” Thiago said, standing abruptly. “We need to move.”
Milan grabbed his phone, already making calls. “I’ll have a secondary location prepped within the hour. Enzo, can you isolate who’s been tracking us?”
“I’m working on it,” Enzo replied, his fingers flying across the keyboard.
Jade’s chest tightened as she watched them work. Just as she began to calm herself, a sudden crash shattered the tension. The sound of glass breaking echoed through the house, followed by a loud thud.
Milan was on his feet instantly, his weapon drawn. “Stay here,” he ordered Jade, his voice firm.
Thiago and Enzo followed him, their movements swift and calculated. Jade’s heart pounded as she clutched the armrest of the couch, her breath shallow.
Moments later, Milan’s voice rang out from the hallway, sharp and filled with anger. “It’s a warning. Another damn message.”
Milan re-entered the room, holding a shattered picture frame. Inside it was a photo of Jade with Mia, taken just weeks before the explosion. Across the glass, scrawled in red ink, were the words: “One by one.”