Chapter 4: The Shadow At The Door
1581 Words
Elena's POV.
I paced around my room.
The silence was killing me.
Lorenzo had already left to “go for a walk.” That’s what Rosa called it. I think it just meant he didn’t want to see me.
I couldn’t sit still anymore. I stepped out of the room.
And of course, the two guards immediately fell in behind me.
Like shadows.
I went to the garden. The air was too quiet. Too perfect.
“Someone help!”
A maid’s voice cut through the quiet.
My stomach dropped. I ran.
There, under the rose bushes, was Grandpa Salvatore. Lying on the ground.
“Grandpa!”
I dropped to my knees beside him. His eyes were closed. His face was pale.
I looked up at the maid. She was shaking.
“What happened to him?”
“He was taking a walk in the garden,” she said frantically. “And then he grabbed his head and just... fainted.”
“Quick, let’s take Grandpa to his room.”
The two guards immediately moved. One at his shoulders, one at his feet. They carried him carefully back inside.
I ran ahead and threw open the doors to his room.
“Call the doctor. Now.”
20 minutes later.
The doctor came out, wiping his hands on a towel.
I rushed to him.
“Doctor, how is he? What happened?”
The doctor adjusted his glasses.
“Well,” he said. “It’s his low blood pressure. It dropped again. Nothing new. I’ve left his medication on the table. Make sure he takes it every morning and every night, alright?”
He gave my shoulder a light squeeze.
“Okay, Sir.”
“Good. I’ll be on my way. Take good care of him.”
He left.
The moment he did, Adrian appeared.
Like he’d been waiting in the hallway the whole time.
“Young lady Elena,” he said, walking toward me with that easy smile.
I didn’t let my face change. I couldn’t let him know I didn’t trust him. Not yet.
“Good day, Adrian.”
He stopped right in front of me. Too close.
“How’s Salvatore?”
I kept my voice flat. I wasn’t giving him details.
“There’s no problem. He just needs rest.”
He glanced at the closed door.
“Hmm. Okay then. Just make sure to give him his medicine.”
Wait.
How did he know about the medicine?
The doctor had just left it. I hadn’t told anyone.
I quickly blanked my expression.
“Okay then, Adrian. I need to check on Grandpa.”
I slipped into the room and closed the door softly behind me.
I didn’t sit right away.
I stayed behind the door and peeped through the small keyhole to watch him.
He stood there for a while. That smile was gone.
His face was blank. Calculating.
Like he was thinking.
Whatever you’re covering up will come to the surface, I thought. It always does.
I sat next to Grandpa’s bed. His breathing was even now.
He was the only person here I could actually trust.
Everyone else was either cruel or pretending to be kind. Green snakes hiding in green grass.
A knock.
The door opened.
Lorenzo.
He looked at me. Cold.
“What are you doing here?”
“Grandpa fainted in the...”
“How dare you be alone with Salvatore,” he cut me off. “Are you planning to kill him too?”
That did it.
I stood up from the chair.
“Lorenzo, watch what you say. Not everyone is a killer. Unlike you.”
His eyes snapped to me. Dark.
“What did you just say?”
“Stop acting like you know what happened to your father,” I said. My voice was shaking but I didn’t stop. “Because that’s what this is all about, isn’t it?”
He gave a low, dark chuckle.
“Well, as the saying goes: the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. There’s no way you’d tell me you know nothing about it.”
It was meant to cut.
But I wasn’t going to let him. Not today.
“You should keep your voice down before you wake Grandpa up,” I said, pointing to the medicine on the table. “This is what the doctor left for him.”
“Leave. Now.”
His voice was low. Final.
“I need to talk to you about something,” I said quickly. I needed to tell him about Adrian. About the phone call.
“You have nothing important to say.”
Maybe he was right. I didn’t have proof. Just a conversation I overheard.
He wouldn’t believe me. Not with how much he trusted Adrian.
I turned to leave.
That’s when I saw it.
A shadow under the door. Moving.
Someone standing just outside.
Adrian.
That was the first thought in my head.
I grabbed the doorknob and yanked the door open.
And there he was.
“Adrian. What are you doing?”
He didn’t even flinch.
“Oh,” he said, holding up his phone. “I’m just trying to find some network. The signal’s bad down this hall.”
He walked off like nothing had happened.
I didn’t want him to think I knew.
I turned and looked down the hallway instead.
That’s when I saw it.
The hem of a dress sticking out from behind a pillar.
I walked over.
“Rosa?”
“Oh!” She jumped.
“What are you...”
“Shhh.” She put a finger to her lips.
“Why are you hiding here?” I whispered.
“Come.”
She checked both ends of the hallway, then pulled me with her around the corner.
“I was heading to the kitchen to get you some food,” she whispered. “And I saw Adrian lurking around in front of Salvatore’s room. Like he was trying to hear what was being said inside.”
My blood went cold.
“Really? That’s... something.”
She looked at me, worried.
“Yeah. I don’t know why he’s doing that.”
“Me neither,” I lied. “I saw him when I came out, but I didn’t think much of it.”
I couldn’t tell her what I’d overheard. Not yet. It would raise suspicion. And if Adrian found out I was talking, he’d move faster.
“Well, let’s not worry about that now,” I said, forcing a smile. “What are you making for lunch?”
Rosa smiled, relieved I was changing the subject.
“Oh, you’ll see when we get there.”
“I’d love to help.”
“Oh, dear. You’re such a good girl.”
We both laughed quietly and headed for the kitchen.
The guards followed us but stayed outside the doors.
Fools. Like I have time for them.
But as we walked, my mind wasn’t on lunch.
It was on Richard.
My adoptive father.
If Adrian was talking to him... if he was threatening him...
Then Richard might know what’s going on.
He might know what Adrian’s “first move” was supposed to be.
I needed to talk to Richard.
Somehow.
Without Adrian finding out.
12:30 PM. The Kitchen.
The kitchen was warm. Loud. Normal.
Rosa had me chopping onions while she stirred a pot.
“Don’t cry,” she teased. “It’s just onions.”
“I’m not crying,” I said, wiping my eyes. “It’s just... a lot.”
She softened. “I know, child. This house isn’t easy.”
“Tell me about it.”
We worked in silence for a bit.
Then Rosa spoke quietly, so only I could hear.
“Be careful with that one, Elena. Adrian.”
I looked up. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve been here a long time. I’ve seen a lot. And a man who smiles that much is usually hiding something.”
I nodded. I couldn’t say more.
After lunch, I went back upstairs.
Grandpa was awake now. Sitting up.
“You scared me, child,” he said, patting the bed for me to sit.
“I’m sorry, Grandpa.”
“Don’t be. You were the first one there.”
He looked at me. “Lorenzo doesn’t know how to handle things. He thinks being cruel will protect him. But it just makes him more alone.”
I didn’t answer.
“Is there something bothering you?” he asked.
I almost told him. About Adrian. About the call.
But I stopped.
“No,” I said. “I’m just tired.”
“Rest then.”
I nodded and left the room.
Back in my room, I sat on the floor.
The ring felt heavy on my finger.
Lorenzo thinks I’m the enemy.
Catherine thinks I’m nothing.
Adrian thinks I’m blind.
But I’m not.
I don’t know how yet, but I’m going to find a way to contact Richard.
And I’m going to find out what Adrian is planning.
Because if I don’t...
Someone else is going to get hurt.
And I’m done watching people I care about get hurt because of the Romano name.
But weirdly, I find myself writing down dates I a piece of paper I've found in the empty closet here.
From the day I over heard the phone call up to today.
Maybe my mind is trying to keep things documented.
But I know one day, this will surely come in handy.
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