Queen of The Black Syndicate

Chapter Six:A Bullet Meant For Her

The screech of tires echoed through the estate.

Aurora froze.

The black SUV sped toward them as though the driver had no intention of stopping.

"Get down!"

Damian grabbed Aurora by the waist and pulled her toward him.

The moment he did—

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three gunshots shattered the morning silence.

The mansion erupted into chaos.

"Protect Mr. Romano!"

"Get the boss inside!"

Armed guards rushed from every direction, drawing their weapons.

Damian shielded Aurora with his body as they dropped behind a stone fountain.

The SUV sped past the main gate, crashing through the security barrier before disappearing down the road.

More gunshots followed.

Within seconds, the Romano guards chased after the fleeing vehicle.

Silence slowly returned.

Only the sound of Aurora's uneven breathing remained.

She hadn't realized she was trembling until Damian's hand tightened around hers.

"Are you hurt?"

His voice was low.

Controlled.

Aurora shook her head.

"I... I don't think so."

Damian looked her over carefully.

His gaze traveled from her face to her bandaged shoulder.

Satisfied she wasn't injured, he finally released her.

His jaw tightened.

"What the hell was that?"

No one answered.

The head of security hurried over.

"Mr. Romano."

"Report."

"We recovered three shell casings."

"Were they aiming at me?"

The man hesitated.

"We're... not certain."

Damian's expression darkened.

"I asked a simple question."

The guard swallowed.

"The shots were fired from the passenger side."

He looked toward Aurora.

"They seemed to follow... her."

Aurora's face lost all color.

"Me?"

"That's impossible," she whispered.

"I don't have enemies."

Damian looked at her for a long moment.

Twice.

Twice in less than a week.

Someone had tried to kill her.

That was no coincidence.

Inside the mansion, Sophia Romano had been watching everything from the balcony.

She remained perfectly still.

But the moment Damian wrapped his arm around Aurora's shoulders to guide her inside...

Her expression hardened.

She turned to one of the household staff.

"Bring Aurora to my office."

"Yes, Madam."

Aurora stood nervously before Sophia's massive oak desk.

The room felt colder than usual.

Sophia didn't ask her to sit.

Instead, she quietly poured herself tea.

"When did you begin attracting this much attention?"

Aurora frowned.

"I don't understand."

"First the hospital."

"Now armed men."

Sophia finally looked at her.

"My family has enough enemies."

"I promise, I don't know those people."

"Perhaps."

Sophia placed the teacup down.

"Or perhaps you've lied to us for six years."

Aurora's heart pounded.

"I've never lied."

"No?"

Sophia slid a thin file across the desk.

"I had someone investigate your background."

Aurora stared at the folder.

"There are gaps."

"I... I grew up in different orphanages."

"So you claim."

Sophia folded her hands.

"Your records before the age of fourteen don't exist."

Aurora blinked.

She had wondered about that herself.

The orphanage had never explained why there were missing years in her file.

"I don't know why."

Sophia studied her carefully.

For the first time...

She wasn't sure Aurora was lying.

That made the situation even more dangerous.

Meanwhile...

Damian sat in the estate's security room.

Dozens of surveillance screens played footage from every angle.

"Replay it."

The technician nodded.

The SUV appeared again.

Frame by frame.

Slower.

Damian leaned forward.

"Stop."

The image froze.

A gloved hand extended from the passenger window holding a rifle.

"Zoom in."

The screen became grainy.

Then...

Something caught Damian's attention.

On the gunman's wrist...

A tattoo.

A black raven.

Damian's eyes narrowed.

He had seen that symbol before.

Years ago.

Only one organization used it.

The Black Raven Society.

An underground group of assassins believed to have disappeared nearly twenty years earlier.

His pulse slowed.

If they were involved...

This was much bigger than an attack on the Romano family.

Much bigger than Aurora.

That night...

Aurora couldn't sleep.

Every time she closed her eyes, she heard the gunshots again.

She quietly stepped outside onto the servants' balcony.

The estate was peaceful.

Moonlight covered the gardens.

She wrapped her cardigan tighter around herself.

"You should be resting."

She turned.

Damian stood a few feet away.

He looked as though he hadn't slept either.

"I couldn't."

"Neither could I."

An awkward silence settled between them.

Finally, Aurora spoke.

"Do you think..."

She hesitated.

"...they were really after me?"

Damian didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he looked toward the dark woods surrounding the estate.

"I don't know."

It was the first lie he'd ever told her.

Because deep down...

He already knew.

And if he was right...

Aurora Hayes wasn't just an ordinary maid.

Someone had been trying very hard to erase her.

Before she remembered who she really was.