Chapter 4: The Enemy within
1509 Words
I stared at Adrian and my throat felt tight, like something was stuck inside it.
“What do you mean Matteo knows?” I whispered and Adrian looked around my room, and checked every corner, his voice was low.
“You need to be careful. You are in danger here.”
“My brother… What happened to him?” I asked again and my hands shook.
He sighed. “I can’t say everything yet, but Matteo is part of it.”
My chest was hot and cold at the same time. “No. You’re lying.”
“I am not,” he said “Why do you think he keeps you close? Why do you think he hides things from you?”
I stepped back and tears burned my eyes.
“Stop,” I said. “Just stop.”
Adrian stepped closer. “Ariana, you need to run, you can’t trust him.”
His words sank into my head all night and by sunrise, my mind was set and I knew I must leave this house.
I took a deep breath and walked out of my room, the hallway was empty and my heart beat fast. I moved quietly, step by step and the front gate was far, but I still tried.
I passed the living room and it was empty and I passed the dining room, it was quiet and I reached the long hallway that led to the main gate.
Almost there, just a few more steps and suddenly two guards stepped out in front of me.
“Where are you going, Ariana?” one asked and my heart jumped. “I… I just want fresh air.”
“You can’t go out alone,” the other said. “Orders from the boss.”
I tried to move past them, but they blocked me.
“I said I just need air,” I said and my voice shook.
“One of us can walk with you,” the guard said. “But you cannot leave the gate.”
I panicked and I turned fast to run back inside, but more guards appeared behind me and my stomach dropped and they grabbed my arms.
“No, wait. Let me go. Please,” I said, but they didn’t listen, they just pulled me back inside the house.
“Boss needs to see you,” one muttered and my legs trembled as they dragged me to Matteo’s study and the door opened and they pushed me in.
Matteo stood by the window and his back was turned, his shoulders looked tense and when he turned around, his eyes hit me.
“Close the door,” he said and the guards left and Matteo walked toward me slowly.
“Where were you going?” he asked.
“I… I wanted to leave.”
“Why?” he asked and his voice was low.
I swallowed hard. “Because I don’t trust you.”
His jaw tightened and he stepped closer and I stepped back until my back hit the wall, he placed one hand beside my head and his face inched from mine.
“Good,” he said softly. “That means you might survive.”
My breath caught and his eyes looked darker than ever.
“Why do you want me to be afraid of you?” I whispered.
He leaned closer. “Fear keeps you alive and trust kills.”
His words made my chest hurt and he pulled back and walked to his desk.
“You are not leaving this house,” he said “Not today. Not tomorrow.”
I stood there shaking. “You can’t keep me here.”
He looked at me with a cold smile. “Watch me.”
He then turned away, and dismissed me like I was nothing and I walked out, and my legs were weak.
Night came again and I sat on my bed, and hugged my arms and I could still feel his breath near my face and I could still hear his voice.
My door creaked open and Adrian slipped inside fast.
“We don’t have much time,” he whispered. “Come with me.”
“Where?” I asked
“To Matteo’s study.”
My heart jumped. “Adrian, no. If he catches us…”
“He won’t,” Adrian said. “He is outside talking to his men. Hurry.”
Fear pushed through my chest, but I still followed him and we moved through the dark halls and my hands shook a little.
We reached Matteo’s study and Adrian picked the lock fast and the door opened and he nudged me inside.
“Check his laptop,” he whispered. “Look for anything hidden.”
He stayed by the door to keep watch.
My hands trembled as I sat at Matteo’s desk and opened the laptop and the screen glowed bright in the dark room, where many folders appeared.
But one sits alone in the corner.
It was dark, small and hidden.
“Project Hale,” I whispered.
Adrian turned his head fast. “Open it.”
My finger shook as I clicked the folder and the screen began to load and my heart beat loudly and then everything stopped.
On the laptop screen, I saw a reflection behind me. A tall shape, still and silent.
Matteo.
My breath died in my throat and I turned slowly and Adrian was gone, he slipped out before Matteo entered and now I was alone with him.
His eyes burnt into me and he stepped closer and shut the laptop hard and then the sound hit the room like a slap.
“You just made a big mistake,” he said.
His voice was low and cold and he grabbed my waist and pushed me down on the desk.
His grip was strong, but he did not hurt me and his face was close to mine and I felt his breath on my cheek.
“How did you find that name?” he asked.
His eyes searched my face and he looked angry, but there was fear hiding deep inside his eyes too.
My throat was dry.
“It is my brother’s surname,” I said and his whole body froze.
“You heard me,” I whispered. “Hale is my brother’s name.”
He stepped back slowly and he stared at me like he saw a ghost.
He did not say one word, he just turned away and walked out of the room without looking back.
The door closed behind him and I stood there shaking. .
Later, Adrian found me in the hallway and I tried to walk away, but he blocked me gently.
“What happened?” he asked and I shook my head. “Nothing.”
“That is a lie,” he said. “I see your face.”
I looked down at the floor and I tried to hold myself together and he let out a slow breath.
“Ariana, there is something you should know,” he said “Matteo once ordered a hit. Three years ago.”
My head lifted fast.
“A hit on who?”
Adrian looked away for a moment, like he was choosing his words.
“On a man named Hale.”
My whole world stopped and the lights seemed too bright and my ears rang. “That is my brother,” I whispered.
Adrian did not look surprised, he just looked sad.
“I am sorry,” he said.
My legs were weak, my eyes burnt and I pressed my hand against my mouth to stop the scream rising in my throat and my heart broke open and the pain spread through my body.
Matteo, Matteo might have killed him, the man I just started to feel something for.
I turned away from Adrian before the tears fell.
I ran down the hall and I couldn’t think, I couldn’t breathe and my chest was like glass breaking and the world tilted under my feet and I grabbed the wall to steady myself.
I needed answers and I needed the truth, I needed to face him.
I slipped into the guard room and one of the guards left his gun on the table and I took it with my shaky hand. It felt heavy, but my anger made me strong.
My heart beat hard as I walked to Matteo’s room and every step was slow and fast at the same time and my hands were sweating around the gun.
I reached his door and I pushed it open, the room was quiet and dark and the air smelt like him and he stood by the window, his back to me.
“Matteo,” I said
He turned and his eyes widened when he saw the gun in my hand.
I lifted it and aimed it at his chest and my hand
shook, but I kept it up.
“Tell me the truth,” I said, “Tell me what you did to my brother.”
- Writer
