Bulletproof Hearts

Episode 10: The Man Who Should be Dead

Darkness swallowed them.

The maintenance tunnel stretched beneath the forest like a forgotten vein of concrete and rust.

Water dripped from the ceiling.

The air smelled damp and stale.

Sophia stumbled over uneven ground as Luca guided her forward.

Behind them, distant voices echoed.

The attackers had discovered the tunnel entrance.

They were being followed.

"Keep moving," Luca said.

Sophia nodded, trying to ignore the burning in her lungs.

The past hour felt unreal.

The attack.

The fire.

The revelation.

And the look on Luca's face when Marco had spoken that name.

She had never seen him shocked before.

Not once.

"What did Marco tell you?" she asked.

Luca remained silent.

"Sophia—"

"No."

She stopped walking.

Luca turned.

Her eyes were filled with fear and frustration.

"I'm tired of being protected from information."

The words echoed through the tunnel.

"I deserve to know what's happening."

For several seconds, Luca said nothing.

Then he exhaled slowly.

"You're right."

That surprised both of them.

Sophia folded her arms.

"Then tell me."

Luca's expression darkened.

"The man behind everything..."

A pause.

"...is Victor DeSantis."

Sophia frowned.

The name meant nothing to her.

"Who is that?"

Luca hesitated.

Then answered.

"He used to be your father's closest friend."

Years ago...

Before the empire.

Before the bloodshed.

Before the wars.

There had been three men.

Alessandro Romano.

Victor DeSantis.

And Enzo Moretti.

Luca's father.

Together they built the Romano organization.

Together they survived impossible battles.

Together they became powerful.

Then everything fell apart.

A shipment disappeared.

Millions vanished.

Someone betrayed the family.

Evidence pointed to Victor.

A confrontation followed.

Gunfire.

Chaos.

Victor's car plunged into the ocean.

The wreckage was found.

His body wasn't.

But everyone assumed he was dead.

Everyone except Luca's father.

Enzo always believed Victor survived.

Unfortunately, nobody listened.

Sophia stared.

"You're saying he's been alive all this time?"

"Yes."

"And he's doing all this because of something that happened years ago?"

Luca's expression remained grim.

"It may be more complicated than that."

Before she could ask another question, a sound echoed through the tunnel.

Footsteps.

Getting closer.

The attackers.

Luca immediately grabbed her hand.

"We need to move."

This time she didn't argue.

Miles away, inside the Romano mansion, Don Alessandro sat alone in his office.

A photograph rested in his hands.

It was old.

Faded.

Taken decades ago.

Three young men stood smiling at the camera.

Alessandro.

Enzo.

Victor.

Brothers in everything except blood.

The sight made his chest tighten.

Marco entered quietly.

"You should get some rest."

Alessandro laughed bitterly.

"Rest?"

His eyes remained fixed on the photograph.

"Victor is alive."

Marco remained silent.

"There will be no rest."

The Don stood and walked toward the window.

Rain battered the glass.

"He was my friend."

His voice carried genuine pain.

"My brother."

Then his expression hardened.

"And now he's hunting my daughter."

The room fell silent.

Because some betrayals never truly healed.

At the same moment, Victor DeSantis stood in the abandoned warehouse.

The news from the ranger station had reached him.

Sophia escaped.

Again.

Most men would have been furious.

Victor wasn't.

Instead, he smiled.

A calm, unsettling smile.

One of his lieutenants frowned.

"You don't seem concerned."

Victor walked toward the wall covered in photographs.

Years of photographs.

Years of watching.

Years of waiting.

"She's becoming stronger."

The lieutenant looked confused.

Victor touched one of the pictures gently.

"Fear reveals who people truly are."

His gaze darkened.

"And Sophia is finally becoming the woman she's meant to be."

The lieutenant wasn't sure whether that sounded affectionate or terrifying.

Maybe both.

After nearly forty minutes underground, Luca and Sophia finally saw light.

A narrow opening appeared ahead.

Fresh air rushed into the tunnel.

Freedom.

Almost.

Luca emerged first.

The forest surrounded them.

Dark.

Silent.

Rain-soaked.

No attackers in sight.

For now.

Sophia climbed out behind him.

The exhaustion finally caught up with her.

Her legs nearly gave out.

Instantly, Luca steadied her.

One hand on her arm.

Strong.

Warm.

Reliable.

For a moment neither moved.

The world seemed strangely quiet.

Sophia looked up.

Their eyes met.

Something shifted.

Something neither could ignore anymore.

Not after everything they'd survived together.

Not after the fear.

Not after the trust.

The rain continued falling around them.

But neither looked away.

Then—

Headlights appeared through the trees.

Several vehicles.

Approaching fast.

Sophia tensed.

Luca immediately stepped in front of her.

Protective instinct.

Always.

Then a familiar voice shouted:

"LUCA!"

Marco.

Relief washed through him.

The rescue team had arrived.

Minutes later, Sophia sat inside a warm SUV wrapped in a blanket.

Medical staff checked for injuries.

Guards secured the area.

The nightmare was finally over.

At least for tonight.

Marco climbed into the vehicle.

His face looked serious.

Very serious.

Luca noticed immediately.

"What happened?"

Marco handed him a folder.

"We searched one of Victor's safe locations."

Luca opened it.

Inside were dozens of photographs.

Not just of Sophia.

Of him.

Luca's eyes narrowed.

"What is this?"

Marco looked uneasy.

"That's not the worst part."

He pointed toward a document.

Luca read it.

Then read it again.

Disbelief flashed across his face.

Sophia leaned forward.

"What?"

Neither man answered immediately.

Finally Marco spoke.

"Victor wasn't just watching you."

He looked directly at Sophia.

"He was planning something."

A pause.

Then:

"And according to these files... it involves a secret your father has hidden for more than twenty years."

The vehicle fell silent.

Sophia's heart began to pound.

Because if there was one thing she'd learned recently, it was this:

Every answer led to a bigger question.

And whatever secret Victor had uncovered...

It was important enough to start a war.