Chapter 2 - The Whispers in the Hallway
Moving into the main wing of the Romano estate felt less like a promotion and more like being placed inside a gilded cage surrounded by wolves.
By morning, the cottage was nothing more than a charred stone skeleton. Evelyn sat on the edge of a massive mahogany bed in a guest room that was larger than her entire former apartment. Titan sat beside her leg, his head resting heavily on her knee, refusing to eat the imported beef Calvin Pike had brought up an hour ago.
A sharp knock sounded at the door before it swung open without waiting for an invitation. Vanessa Sterling stepped inside, flanked by Victor Sloane. Vanessa wore a tailored cream suit, her blonde hair pristine, looking entirely out of place next to the dog who immediately let out a soft, warning growl.
"Careful, Vanessa," Victor warned, keeping his hand near his belt. "That monster already took down one guard this morning during the lockdown."
"He is not a monster," Evelyn said, standing up. "He’s protecting this room."
Vanessa laughed softly, a delicate sound that lacked any warmth. "How sweet. The little charity case thinks she's a dog whisperer. Let’s get one thing clear, Evelyn. You are a temporary distraction. Gabriel is under immense pressure because of the dock strikes and the Moretti territory war. Having a frantic maid screaming about fire in his house is the last thing he needs."
"The fire was an attack on Gabriel," Evelyn said firmly. "Someone let them past the security gate on the east fence. The cameras there were turned off fifteen minutes before the bottle was thrown."
Victor’s eyes narrowed instantly. "How do you know about the east gate cameras?"
"I clean the security office on Tuesdays," Evelyn replied, standing her ground despite the intimidation radiate from both of them. "I saw the monitor logs on Mr. Sloane’s desk this morning when I was asked to collect the laundry."
Victor took a step forward, his voice dropping an octave. "You would do well to keep your eyes on your mop and off my desk, girl. Accusations of security breaches inside this family end in shallow graves."
"That’s enough, Victor."
Gabriel walked into the room. He wore a crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, revealing dark tattoos winding up his forearms—symbols of loyalty and old family bloodlines. His face was pale from lack of sleep, but his presence immediately dominated the space.
Vanessa’s expression shifted instantly into one of deep concern. She moved to Gabriel’s side, resting a hand on his arm. "Gabriel, darling, you shouldn't be stressing yourself with staff matters right now. The board from the shipping syndicate is arriving at noon. We need to present a united front."
Gabriel didn't look at Vanessa. His eyes were fixed on Titan, who had walked over to Evelyn and nudged her hand until she stroked his ears.
"Victor, step outside," Gabriel ordered coldness dripping from every syllable. "Vanessa, go prepare the board room."
"Gabriel—" Vanessa began.
"Now."
When the door closed behind them, the silence in the room was heavy. Gabriel walked to the window overlooking the burned ruins of the cottage.
"Victor is right about one thing," Gabriel said quietly. "The east gate camera feed was wiped from the main server. Whoever did it had top-level security clearance."
"You think it's Victor?" Evelyn asked gently.
Gabriel turned around. "Victor has been my right hand for twelve years. His father died taking a bullet for my father. If Victor is a traitor, then everything I built this empire on is a lie."
He walked closer to Evelyn, stopping just inches away. Titan didn't growl; instead, the dog stepped back, watching the two of them with quiet eyes.
"I need you to do something for me, Evelyn," Gabriel said, his voice dropping to a low rumble. "Something dangerous."
"What?"
"The syndicate meeting today isn't about shipping. It’s a vote of no confidence called by my inner circle. Someone is going to move against me today. I need someone inside that room whom they all consider invisible."
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Evelyn looked down at her maid’s apron, then up into Gabriel’s dark, intense eyes. "You want me to serve the drinks."
"I want you to be my eyes," Gabriel said. "And I want Titan by your side. If anyone moves against me, Titan will react to their heart rate before they even draw a weapon."
