The house was quiet, the kind of stillness that only settled late at night. Carmen had gone out with some friends for the first time in weeks—a rare moment of escape. Marco and Luca were in the study, going over the latest security reports, and Ella was upstairs, putting Matteo to bed.
Marco rubbed his temples, exhaling sharply. “This is a disaster,” he muttered, slamming his laptop shut.
Luca leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. “You think?”
Someone had been tampering with business shipments, bribing key employees, feeding information to their enemies. The sabotage had started small but was now crippling their operations.
“Whoever is behind this knows exactly how to hit us,” Marco said darkly.
“And they aren’t stopping anytime soon,” Luca added.
Marco’s jaw clenched. His world was already falling apart, and now this? Whoever was coming after him wasn’t just after his business. They were after his life.
A soft knock at the door interrupted them.
Matteo peeked inside, his small hands clutching the edge of the frame. His curls were messy from sleep, his little eyes blinking up at them.
“Papa?” he whispered.
Marco immediately softened.
“Come here, buddy.”
Matteo padded inside, rubbing his eyes sleepily as he walked up to Marco.
“Time for bed?” Marco asked.
Matteo nodded. Marco reached out, but Matteo hesitated, his eyes darting toward the doorway.
Then, instead of stepping toward Marco, he turned back. “Goodnight, Nanny!” he called out softly. Ella appeared in the hallway, her smile warm and reassuring.
“Goodnight, darling,” she said gently. Matteo turned back to Marco and Luca. “Goodnight, Papa. Goodnight, Uncle Luca.”
Marco forced a smile. “Goodnight, kiddo.”
Luca ruffled Matteo’s hair. “Sleep tight, little man.”
Ella placed a gentle hand on Matteo’s shoulder. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get you tucked in.”
She led him away, her voice soft and soothing as they disappeared down the hall. Marco leaned back in his chair, watching them go.
Luca checked his watch. “I should go back to my post.”
Marco nodded, already distracted, already back in his thoughts. Luca stood, stretching. “See you tomorrow, boss.”
“Yeah.” Marco barely looked up.
Luca walked out of the study, heading toward the front door. But as he passed Matteo’s bedroom, something made him pause. The door was slightly ajar.
And inside—
Ella stood over Matteo’s bed, murmuring softly. Luca’s blood ran cold. Matteo was already asleep, completely still. Yet Ella was still there, whispering something under her breath.
Luca felt his stomach tighten. His instincts—the ones that had kept him alive all these years—screamed at him.
Something was off. Very, very off. He stepped into the doorway, his voice low, sharp.
“What the hell are you doing?”
Ella stilled. Slowly, she turned her head toward him. For a split second, her face was completely unreadable. Then—her expression shifted. The warmth returned, the motherly smile.
“Oh,” she said softly, like she had just been caught fixing a blanket. “You startled me, Mr. Luca.”
Luca’s eyes narrowed. “I asked you a question,” he said, his voice firm. Ella let out a soft chuckle, shaking her head.
“Matteo had a nightmare last night,” she explained. “I was just making sure he was sleeping peacefully.”
Luca didn’t move. Didn’t blink. Didn’t believe her. “And what exactly were you saying to him?” he asked, his voice dangerously calm. Ella tilted her head, her smile never fading.
“Just a little prayer.”
Luca didn’t buy it. Not for a second. But before he could push further, Ella reached for the door handle.
“Goodnight, Mr. Luca,” she said smoothly, then stepped past him and walked down the hall.
Luca turned, watching as she disappeared toward her room, her movements too calm. Something was wrong with her. Something was deeply wrong. And he was done ignoring it.
Luca stormed back into Marco’s office, his chest tight with unease. Marco was still buried in paperwork, reading security reports. “We have a problem,” Luca said, his voice gruff.
Marco glanced up, already exasperated. “What now?”
Luca ran a hand down his face, then planted both palms on the desk. “Something’s off about the nanny.”
Marco let out a tired sigh. “Oh for heaven’s sake, not yout too. Did Carmen influence you about this?” he muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“Marco, I just caught her standing over Matteo’s bed whispering to him. The kid was already asleep, but she kept talking like—like she was trying to put something in his head.”
Marco’s expression darkened. But instead of looking concerned, he looked annoyed.
“Luca,” he said slowly, “She’s an old lady. You and Carmen are being paranoid.”
Luca’s nostrils flared. “I know what I saw, Marco.”
Marco leaned back in his chair, exhaling sharply. “She’s been nothing but good for Matteo. You’re jumping at shadows.”
“Or maybe you’re too damn distracted to see what’s right in front of you!”
The words hit like a slap. Marco’s eyes flashed with warning.
“Drop it, Luca.”