Chapter 20 - The Missing Witness
1718 Words
Rain continued falling over Milan.
Not the violent kind.
Just a steady, quiet rain that seemed to cover the entire city in gray.
Inside the conference room at Bellucci International...
No one spoke.
The words Marco had just said lingered heavily in the air.
**The witness may not have escaped.**
Kai was the first to break the silence.
"How much blood?"
Marco looked down at the report on his phone.
"Not enough to confirm anything."
"But enough for the police to investigate."
Sienna remained seated, her eyes fixed on the photograph in her hand.
Adrian.
Standing beside the man who had given her the envelope.
Two months ago.
Long before Rome.
Long before the rumors.
This wasn't a coincidence.
This had been planned.
For a long time.
Alex quietly observed her.
Most people would have looked shocked.
Or angry.
Sienna looked...
Focused.
As if her mind was already arranging the pieces.
"What are you thinking?"
Alex asked.
She looked up.
"Falcon Freight."
Kai frowned.
"What about it?"
"The witness risked his life to give us these documents."
She placed several papers on the table.
"He wanted us to see something."
Alex leaned forward slightly.
"Go on."
"The photograph is important."
"But I don't think it's the main reason he contacted me."
Kai looked at the financial records again.
"Then what is?"
Sienna pointed at a series of numbers.
"These transfers."
Marco adjusted his glasses.
"The money?"
She nodded.
"Follow the money."
"People lie."
"Documents can be forged."
"But money always leaves traces."
Alex smiled faintly.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Kai looked through the pages.
"There are twelve transfers."
"Different shell companies."
"Different dates."
Sienna nodded.
"But they all end in the same place."
She pointed to one account number.
A quiet silence filled the room.
Marco blinked.
"You're right."
"Every payment eventually reaches one account."
Alex looked at the report.
"The account belongs to..."
Marco frowned.
"A consulting company."
"What company?"
Marco read the name.
"Vanguard Advisory Group."
Kai searched the name on his tablet.
Nothing.
No website.
No public information.
No employees.
"No company leaves this little information behind."
Alex said quietly.
"Unless it was never meant to be found."
...
Meanwhile...
Across the city...
Adrian sat calmly inside his office.
A cup of coffee rested beside his laptop.
Daniel stood near the door.
Nervous.
Again.
"The witness disappeared."
Daniel said quietly.
Adrian nodded.
"I know."
"The police found blood."
"I know."
Daniel hesitated.
Then finally asked the question that had been bothering him.
"Did you..."
Adrian looked up.
"Did I what?"
Daniel lowered his voice.
"Did you order it?"
Silence.
Long.
Uncomfortable silence.
Then...
Adrian smiled.
"Daniel."
"You're asking dangerous questions."
Daniel immediately looked down.
"I'm sorry."
Adrian stood and walked toward the window.
Rain covered the glass.
Distorting the city lights outside.
"Some people..."
He said quietly.
"...make unfortunate choices."
Daniel swallowed.
"And Miss De Luca?"
Adrian's reflection stared back at him through the window.
"What about her?"
"She's getting closer."
For the first time that evening...
Adrian's smile faded.
Only slightly.
"Yes."
He said quietly.
"She is."
...
Back at Bellucci International...
Kai stretched tiredly.
"We should give this to the police."
Marco nodded.
"I agree."
Alex looked at Sienna.
"What do you think?"
She remained silent for a few moments.
Then answered.
"No."
Kai blinked.
"What?"
"If we hand this over now..."
"The person behind Falcon Freight will know exactly what we found."
Marco frowned.
"Then what do you suggest?"
Sienna slowly gathered the documents into neat piles.
"We investigate quietly."
Kai looked surprised.
"You want to continue?"
"Yes."
Alex watched her carefully.
"Even after tonight?"
She met his eyes.
"Especially after tonight."
A brief silence followed.
Then...
Alex smiled.
Small.
Almost invisible.
But genuine.
Marco noticed.
Kai noticed too.
And for some reason...
That bothered him.
Not because Alex agreed with her.
But because Sienna looked...
Different.
More relaxed.
More willing to speak.
As if she trusted Alex's opinion.
Kai looked away.
The feeling in his chest returned.
Small.
Uncomfortable.
And impossible to ignore.
...
It was nearly midnight when the meeting finally ended.
Marco left first.
Then Kai.
The police still needed statements.
Sienna stood near the window, looking out at the rain.
Alex walked over.
"You should rest."
"I will."
"That's not convincing."
She looked at him.
"You sound like Kai."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
For a moment...
Neither spoke.
The city lights reflected softly against the glass.
Then Alex asked quietly,
"Are you afraid?"
Sienna thought for a moment.
"Of Adrian?"
"Of all of this."
She looked back at the rain.
"When I joined De Luca Holdings..."
"Father told me something."
"What?"
"'If people attack your work, improve it.'"
"'If people attack your reputation...'"
She paused.
"'Remain standing.'"
Alex was quiet for a few seconds.
Then he said softly,
"Your father sounds wise."
"He is."
Another silence settled between them.
Comfortable.
Unhurried.
Then Sienna turned.
"I should go."
Alex nodded.
"I'll have someone drive you home."
"You don't need to."
"I know."
"But I'm doing it anyway."
For the first time that night...
Sienna smiled.
Small.
Real.
And Alex realized something.
This had stopped being curiosity a long time ago.
Far away...
In his office...
Adrian received a message.
**The witness is still alive.**
For the first time in weeks...
Adrian's expression changed.
Only for a second.
But it changed.
Then another message arrived.
**And someone else is asking questions about Vanguard Advisory Group.**
The smile disappeared completely.
Outside...
Thunder rolled across Milan.
The game...
Had just changed.
_____
The next morning...
The rain had finally stopped.
Sunlight broke through the clouds, washing Milan in a soft golden glow.
For most people, it was the beginning of a peaceful day.
For Sienna...
It was the beginning of another battle.
She arrived at De Luca Holdings before seven.
As always.
The executive floor was still empty.
Only the cleaning staff moved quietly through the hallways.
She unlocked her office, placed her bag on the sofa, and immediately opened her laptop.
The words "Vanguard Advisory Group" filled her screen.
Nothing.
No official website.
No public financial reports.
No executive profiles.
It was as if the company existed only on paper.
A knock came at the door.
Kai walked in carrying two coffees and a paper bag.
"I knew you'd skip breakfast."
"I wasn't planning to."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Liar."
She accepted the coffee anyway.
"Thank you."
Kai sat across from her.
"I couldn't sleep."
"Me neither."
He placed another file on the desk.
"I asked a friend in Corporate Affairs to quietly check Vanguard."
"And?"
"He couldn't find anything either."
"Legally..."
"The company exists."
"But no one seems to have actually worked with them."
Sienna frowned.
"So they're a ghost."
"Exactly."
Before they could continue, Zara rushed into the office.
"You two!"
She looked around before lowering her voice.
"The police just released an update."
Kai stood immediately.
"What happened?"
"The witness..."
"...is alive."
Relief washed across the room.
"But..."
Zara continued.
"He's unconscious."
"He was found outside a small clinic nearly thirty kilometers from Milan."
Sienna slowly exhaled.
"Did he say anything?"
"No."
"The doctors say he hasn't woken up yet."
Kai clenched his fist.
"At least he's alive."
"Which means..."
Sienna said quietly.
"...someone wanted to silence him."
"But failed."
...
Across the city...
Alex was already in a meeting when Marco entered.
"Sir."
Alex looked up.
"What is it?"
"The witness survived."
A faint smile appeared on Alex's face.
"Good."
"But..."
Marco handed him another report.
"Our investigators found something else."
Alex opened the file.
Inside was a list of property records.
One address had been circled in red.
"A warehouse?"
Marco nodded.
"Officially it belongs to Vanguard Advisory Group."
"But..."
"Our team watched it all night."
"People have been entering and leaving."
"So it isn't abandoned."
"No."
Alex closed the file.
"Whoever runs Vanguard..."
"...is hiding there."
Marco nodded.
"I've already arranged surveillance."
Alex stood.
"No."
Marco looked confused.
"Sir?"
"We're going ourselves."
...
At De Luca Holdings...
Sienna's office phone rang.
She answered.
"This is Sienna."
"Miss De Luca."
It was Lorenzo.
"My office."
"Now."
...
Five minutes later...
She entered the Chairman's office.
Lorenzo stood by the window, reading a newspaper.
He didn't look up immediately.
"The press has moved on."
He folded the paper.
"They're talking about another scandal."
Sienna nodded.
"That's good."
"It is."
"But your problems aren't over."
He handed her another document.
"This came from the Board."
She read the heading.
**Proposal for Internal Audit of Executive Department.**
Her expression remained calm.
"They want to investigate me."
"They say it's routine."
Lorenzo sighed.
"It isn't."
"They're looking for a mistake."
He met her eyes.
"Don't give them one."
"I won't."
"I know."
He smiled faintly.
"That's why I'm not worried."
...
Later that afternoon...
Kai entered Sienna's office carrying his car keys.
"I need to visit one of our suppliers."
"I'll be back before evening."
Sienna nodded.
"Drive safely."
"You too."
After he left...
Her phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
She answered cautiously.
"Hello?"
For several seconds...
No one spoke.
Then...
A weak voice whispered,
"...Miss De Luca?"
Her eyes widened.
"Who is this?"
"...The man..."
"...from the alley."
The witness.
He was awake.
"I don't have much time."
His breathing sounded strained.
"They're watching..."
"You have to listen carefully."
Sienna grabbed a pen.
"I'm listening."
"The warehouse..."
"...is a trap."
"They want you..."
A loud crash echoed through the phone.
The man's voice suddenly became panicked.
"No...!"
"They're here!"
The line filled with shouting.
Something heavy fell.
Then...
Silence.
The call disconnected.
Sienna immediately tried calling back.
The number was unavailable.
Her heartbeat quickened.
Without wasting another second, she called Kai.
No answer.
She called again.
Still nothing.
At that same moment...
On a quiet industrial road outside Milan...
Kai's car slowed as he noticed a delivery truck blocking the road ahead.
He frowned.
"That's strange..."
Before he could reverse...
A black SUV pulled in behind him.
Trapping him.
Four men stepped out.
One of them smiled.
"Mr. Kai."
"Our boss..."
"...would like a word."
Kai's grip tightened on the steering wheel.
Back in her office...
Sienna stared at her silent phone.
A feeling she couldn't explain settled deep in her chest.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
And somehow...
She knew it had something to do with Kai.
- Writer
