THE UNKILLABLE GIRL

The Man in the Shadows

Part 12

Elena stared at the note.

Her father's handwriting.

His final warning.

Trust Dante.

But never trust him with her heart.

She slowly folded the paper.

Dante watched her from across the room.

"What did he write?"

Elena looked up.

"Nothing."

His eyes narrowed.

"You're lying."

"I'm not."

Dante stepped closer.

"Elena."

She held his gaze.

For the first time, she wasn't afraid of him.

She was afraid of what she was beginning to feel for him.

"I said it's nothing."

Dante studied her face.

Then his phone rang.

He answered immediately.

"What?"

His expression changed.

Elena noticed.

"Who is it?"

Dante didn't respond.

He walked toward the window.

"What happened?"

A pause.

Then his voice became dangerously cold.

"Lock down the house."

Elena stood.

"Why?"

Dante turned around.

"Someone breached the security perimeter."

Her heart jumped.

"Victor?"

"I don't know."

He walked toward her and grabbed her hand.

"Stay beside me."

They hurried down the corridor.

Suddenly—

CRASH!

A window shattered somewhere downstairs.

Elena screamed.

Dante pulled his gun.

"Stay behind me."

Several armed men rushed into the hallway.

Dante's men immediately opened fire.

Elena ducked behind a wall.

Everything happened too quickly.

Shouting.

Footsteps.

Gunshots.

Then silence.

Elena slowly raised her head.

One of the intruders was lying unconscious on the floor.

Dante stood over him.

He pulled the man's mask away.

His face went completely still.

Elena stepped closer.

"Who is he?"

Dante didn't answer.

The man's eyes opened.

He smiled.

Then whispered:

"She doesn't know, does she?"

Dante grabbed his collar.

"Know what?"

The man laughed.

"Who her mother really is."

Elena froze.

Dante's grip tightened.

"Talk."

The man looked directly at Elena.

"Your mother isn't dead."

Elena's breath caught.

"I already know that."

The man's smile disappeared.

"No."

He shook his head.

"You don't understand."

He looked at Dante.

"She isn't hiding from Victor."

Dante's expression hardened.

"Then who is she hiding from?"

The man laughed softly.

"From you."

Elena stared at Dante.

For the first time, she saw something she had never seen in his eyes before.

Fear.

The man leaned closer and whispered:

"Ask Dante what happened eighteen years ago."

Then he swallowed something hidden beneath his tongue.

Dante immediately grabbed him.

"Stop!"

Too late.

The man's body went limp.

Elena looked at Dante.

"What happened eighteen years ago?"

Dante said nothing.

"Dante."

Still nothing.

Her voice became colder.

"You promised you would tell me the truth."

He finally looked at her.

"There are things about your family that I never wanted you to know."

Elena stepped closer.

"Tell me."

Dante's jaw tightened.

Then the lights suddenly went out.

Darkness swallowed the entire house.

And from somewhere upstairs...

A woman's voice whispered:

"Elena..."

She froze.

She knew that voice.

It was her mother's.

End of Part 12