Chapter 4 - Betrayal at Close Range
Before Vance could fully raise his weapon, Marco moved with practiced, lethal speed. He grabbed Vance’s wrist, twisting it sharply to redirect the barrel toward the ceiling just as a gunshot echoed through the high-arched hall. Plaster rained down from above as the staff shrieked and scattered.
Marco slammed Vance against the marble floor, disarming him instantly and placing a heavy knee on his back. Two other guards rushed forward with zip-ties, securing Vance’s hands behind him.
Adrien didn't even flinch. He immediately stepped in front of Sophie, shielding her with his body, though the little girl merely stared at the chaotic scene with unusual calmness.
"Secure the doors!" Marco barked. "Sweep his vehicle!"
Adrien walked over to where Vance was pinned to the floor. He knelt down, lifting Vance’s head by his collar. "Who paid you, Vance? You’ve been on my payroll for five years."
Vance spit blood onto the floor, grinning maliciously through bruised lips. "You think you can hide behind your gates forever, Moretti? The rival families in New York know you've gone soft since your wife died. They know those triplets are your weakness."
"Who gave you the device?" Adrien asked quietly, his voice dropping an octave.
"Find out yourself," Vance sneered. "The signal was already sent. They know the babies are vulnerable."
Adrien stood up, his face devoid of emotion. "Take him down to the basement vault. Make sure he stays alive until I have every name." He then turned to Elena, who was crying frantically while trying to hug Sophie. "Elena. Your daughter just saved my children’s lives and uncovered a traitor in my inner circle."
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"Mr. Moretti, please don't hurt her!" Elena begged. "She didn't mean to wander upstairs!"
"Hurt her?" Adrien replied, his gaze softening slightly as he looked at the quiet four-year-old. "She is the only person in this house I fully trust right now."
