Chapter 4 - The Traitor in the ShadowsWhile Evan underwent a successful minor procedure to clean and dress his wrist under the care of top specialists, the peace of the estate was shattered by an urgent report from Elias's intelligence team.
In the high-security study on the third floor, Elias sat behind his mahogany desk, surrounded by encrypted monitors. Standing beside him was Adeline, who had insisted on helping identify how her access card had been compromised.
"Look at the timestamp from Tuesday at 2:00 AM," Adeline pointed to the screen, her voice steady. "I was on the ground floor cleaning the ballroom. But the security log shows my card unlocked the server room on the top floor."
Elias zoomed in on the high-definition camera feed outside the server room. A tall figure wearing a maid's uniform had swiped the card, but as the person turned, the light caught a distinctive tattoo on their neck.
"Julian," Elias growled, his storm-gray eyes flashing with lethal precision.
Julian was Elias's second-in-command, a man who had served the organization for fifteen years and had been quietly pushing for a war with the rival Moretti syndicate.
"He stole my backup keycard from the janitorial locker," Adeline realized, a chill running down her spine. "He framed me because he knew I was new and wouldn't have the power to defend myself."
May you like
"He framed you because he knew I would execute any traitor without hesitation," Elias corrected flatly, standing up from his desk, his posture tall, broad, and unyielding. "He wanted me to eliminate an innocent girl so he could cover his tracks while selling our docks to the Morettis."
He looked at Adeline, his severe expression softening into a look of absolute protection. "Stay in the east wing with Evan. My men are securing the perimeter. Tonight, the traitor answers for his crimes."
Related Stories
