CHAPTER FOUR
1943 Words
The Throne That Was Stolen
For several seconds, nobody moved.
The screen remained black.
Elias stared at it, barely breathing.
The throne.
The words kept repeating inside his head.
“What throne?”
His voice sounded smaller than he intended.
Adrian didn't answer.
Elias turned toward him.
“You said my father wasn't just a businessman. You said he was part of a criminal family.”
Adrian's expression remained hard.
“And now you're telling me he stole a throne?”
“Yes.”
“What does that even mean?”
Adrian walked toward the table and placed both hands against its edge.
“The Moretti family once controlled the largest criminal network in southern Europe.”
Elias swallowed.
“You already told me that.”
“I didn't tell you everything.”
“Then tell me now.”
Adrian looked at the others in the room.
“Everyone leaves.”
The guards exchanged glances.
“But, Boss—”
“Leave.”
One by one, they walked toward the exit.
The woman at the computer hesitated.
“Adrian, are you sure?”
“Yes.”
She nodded and left.
Soon, only Adrian and Elias remained.
The heavy door closed.
Elias crossed his arms.
“Well?”
Adrian walked toward a large metal cabinet.
He entered a code.
Beep.
The cabinet opened.
Inside were dozens of files.
Adrian pulled out a thick black folder.
He placed it on the table.
“This is everything we know about your family.”
Elias looked at the folder.
His name was written across the front.
ELIAS MORETTI
He stared at it.
“You've had this?”
“Yes.”
“For how long?”
“Since you were six.”
Elias looked up sharply.
“You've had a file on me since I was six?”
“I had to.”
“You keep saying you had to.”
Adrian's eyes hardened.
“Because if I hadn't, you would probably be dead.”
Elias went quiet.
Adrian opened the folder.
The first page contained a photograph of Elias as a child.
He looked so young.
Happy.
Standing beside his uncle.
Elias touched the photograph.
“I don't remember this day.”
“It was taken three weeks before your parents died.”
Elias's fingers froze.
“Why?”
“Because your father knew something was coming.”
Adrian turned the page.
There were photographs of Elias's parents.
Documents.
Maps.
Newspaper articles.
And photographs of men Elias had never seen before.
At the bottom of one page was a handwritten note.
THE HEIR MUST REMAIN HIDDEN.
Elias stared at it.
“Who wrote this?”
“Your father.”
“You knew him well?”
“Yes.”
“How well?”
Adrian's expression changed slightly.
“He saved my life once.”
Elias looked at him.
“And you saved his?”
“No.”
Adrian's voice became quieter.
“I failed to.”
The words hung heavily in the room.
Elias didn't know what to say.
He turned another page.
A large family tree was printed across it.
At the very top was the name:
VITTORIO MORETTI
Underneath were several branches.
Then his father's name.
LUCIANO MORETTI.
And beneath Luciano's name...
ELIAS MORETTI — SOLE HEIR
Elias stared.
His throat tightened.
“Sole heir?”
Adrian nodded.
“Your father was the last legitimate head of the Moretti bloodline.”
“But he had brothers.”
“Half-brothers.”
“And cousins.”
“None had a legitimate claim.”
Elias looked confused.
“So why does that make me an heir?”
“Because your father named you his successor.”
Elias laughed once.
It wasn't because anything was funny.
“You've got to be joking.”
“I don't joke about things like this.”
“I don't want to be anyone's successor.”
“You don't get to choose what you were born into.”
Elias slammed the folder shut.
“I didn't ask for any of this!”
His voice echoed through the room.
Adrian didn't react.
Elias turned away.
“I just wanted a normal life.”
“I know.”
“I wanted to finish school. Work. Have my own apartment. Maybe open a restaurant someday.”
“You still can.”
Elias looked at him.
“How?”
“By surviving.”
Silence.
Elias looked back at the folder.
“Then why are they coming after me?”
“Because you're the last person standing between them and control of the Moretti empire.”
“But I don't even have an empire.”
“You do.”
Adrian opened another document.
“Your father left everything to you.”
Elias stared at the papers.
“There are accounts.”
“Several.”
“Properties.”
“Yes.”
“Companies.”
“Yes.”
“Ships?”
Adrian nodded.
“Several.”
Elias looked horrified.
“I don't even know how to run a restaurant.”
“You won't be running anything.”
“Then who will?”
Adrian met his eyes.
“Me.”
Elias immediately frowned.
“No.”
Adrian raised an eyebrow.
“No?”
“You're not taking anything from my family.”
“I don't want your family's money.”
“Then what do you want?”
Adrian didn't answer immediately.
His eyes remained fixed on Elias.
“Your survival.”
Elias looked away.
For some reason, that answer made him uncomfortable.
---
A loud knock came from the other side of the door.
Adrian's expression instantly changed.
“Who?”
“Luca.”
Adrian unlocked the door.
Luca entered.
He looked exhausted.
There was a bandage wrapped around his shoulder.
Elias immediately recognized him.
“You're alive.”
Luca smiled faintly.
“Barely.”
Elias walked toward him.
“What happened?”
“I got shot.”
“You were in the alley.”
“Yes.”
“I thought you were dead.”
“Apparently I'm harder to kill than I look.”
Adrian looked at him.
“Report.”
Luca's smile disappeared.
“We captured one of the attackers.”
Adrian's attention sharpened.
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
“Bring him down.”
Luca hesitated.
“He's asking for Elias.”
Elias frowned.
“Me?”
Luca nodded.
“He refuses to speak to anyone else.”
Adrian immediately shook his head.
“No.”
Elias looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because you're not going near him.”
“He might know something about my uncle.”
“He might also be trying to lure you out.”
“I need answers.”
Adrian stared at him.
“You don't understand what these people are capable of.”
“Neither do you understand what I'm capable of.”
Adrian's eyebrows lifted slightly.
Elias surprised himself.
He had never spoken to anyone like that before.
But he was tired of being protected like a helpless child.
“I want to see him.”
“No.”
“Adrian.”
“No.”
Elias stepped closer.
“You said I have to survive, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then I need to know who wants me dead.”
Adrian's jaw tightened.
Luca quietly looked between them.
Finally, Adrian spoke.
“Fine.”
Elias nodded.
“But you stay beside me.”
“I can do that.”
“And you do exactly what I say.”
Elias sighed.
“Don't push it.”
Luca turned away, hiding a small smile.
---
They descended another level beneath the mansion.
The air became colder.
The walls were concrete.
A single light hung above a metal chair.
A man sat tied to it.
His face was bruised.
Blood stained his shirt.
But he was smiling.
The moment he saw Elias, the smile widened.
“There he is.”
Elias stopped.
Adrian stepped in front of him.
The prisoner laughed.
“Still hiding behind Adrian, I see.”
Elias frowned.
“I don't know you.”
“You don't have to.”
Adrian moved closer to the prisoner.
“Who sent you?”
The man ignored him.
His eyes remained on Elias.
“Your father had your eyes.”
Elias felt uncomfortable.
“Who are you?”
“My name is Salvatore.”
Adrian's expression darkened.
“Salvatore Vieri.”
The prisoner laughed.
“You remember me.”
“I remember what you did.”
Elias looked at Adrian.
“What did he do?”
Salvatore smiled.
“I was there the night your parents died.”
Elias froze.
Adrian immediately moved forward.
But Elias grabbed his arm.
“Wait.”
His voice trembled.
“What happened that night?”
Salvatore looked directly at him.
“Your father knew he was going to lose.”
“Lose what?”
“The throne.”
Elias swallowed.
“Who attacked him?”
Salvatore's smile disappeared.
“The man sitting in your father's chair now.”
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
“Name.”
Salvatore looked at Elias.
“You really don't know, do you?”
“Know what?”
“Your father didn't die because he lost the war.”
Salvatore leaned forward as far as the ropes allowed.
“He died because he trusted the wrong person.”
Elias felt his chest tighten.
“Who?”
Salvatore's gaze shifted to Adrian.
For the first time, Adrian looked genuinely tense.
Salvatore smiled.
“The man your father trusted most.”
Elias slowly turned toward Adrian.
Adrian said nothing.
“Who?” Elias asked again.
Salvatore laughed.
“You'll find out soon enough.”
Adrian grabbed Salvatore by the collar.
“Enough.”
Salvatore didn't look frightened.
Instead, he whispered:
“Ask Adrian what happened at the old estate.”
Elias looked at Adrian.
“What old estate?”
Adrian released the prisoner.
“Nothing.”
Salvatore laughed.
“Tell him.”
Adrian turned toward Elias.
“Not here.”
“Then where?”
“Later.”
“No.”
Elias stepped closer.
“You've been keeping things from me since I arrived.”
“Because some truths can get you killed.”
“I'm already being hunted!”
His voice echoed across the room.
Adrian stared at him.
Elias's eyes were wet, but he refused to cry.
“I deserve to know what happened to my parents.”
Adrian's expression softened for the briefest moment.
“I know.”
“Then tell me.”
Adrian looked at Salvatore.
Then back at Elias.
“Tomorrow.”
“Why tomorrow?”
“Because tonight isn't over.”
As if the words had summoned something, every light in the underground level suddenly went out.
The darkness was absolute.
A second later, the emergency alarm began screaming.
Adrian immediately reached for Elias.
“Stay close.”
Elias felt his hand close around his wrist.
Then a voice came through the speakers.
Calm.
Familiar.
The same voice from the video.
“Adrian De Luca.”
Adrian's face hardened.
The voice continued.
“You have something that belongs to me.”
Elias's heart began racing.
“Bring me the heir before sunrise.”
A pause.
Then—
“Or I'll burn the entire De Luca empire to the ground.”
The speakers went silent.
Adrian released Elias's wrist.
Luca rushed into the room.
“Boss, we have another problem.”
Adrian turned.
“What?”
Luca's face was pale.
“The west gates have been breached.”
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
“How many?”
“We don't know.”
Then another voice came from the darkness.
A whisper.
“Too many.”
Elias froze.
Someone was standing behind them.
To be continued...
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