Chapter 15: The Boy’s Identity

Rory barely slept that night. Her mind raced with the finding of Elias and the weight of Max’s guarded reactions. Every detail she’d found about the boy nagged at her, weaving a tapestry of unanswered questions. Why had Max hidden him? What was his link to Rossini? And why had Max’s demeanor changed so drastically at the mere mention of his name?

The name “Elias” repeated in her thoughts as she sat on the edge of her bed, the soft morning light creeping through the curtains. She pulled out the picture she’d hidden under her pillow—the one she’d taken from the file. The boy’s piercing blue eyes stared back at her, frightening and familiar.

Max had said Elias was okay. But how safe could anyone be with Rossini involved?

The house was quiet as Rory made her way to the library. She needed to piece things together, and the library’s stillness offered her the space to think. Sitting at one of the long oak tables, she spread out the notes and scraps of information she’d gathered over the past few weeks.

The picture of Elias. The letter telling Max about the syndicate. The name “Sophia Laurent”—a figure she’d seen mentioned in the flash drive files but had yet to connect to anyone she knew.

Sophia’s name seemed to hang at the center of everything, like a thread she couldn’t quite pull. Who was she? And why did her name show alongside Max’s in Rossini’s files?

Rory’s gaze shifted back to the picture. The boy’s features weren’t just familiar because of Max. There was something else… something softer in his face. She flipped through the papers, pulling out the letter she’d found in the file.

Elias will always be a target as long as you refuse to help.

Her pulse quickened as a possibility started to form. What if Elias wasn’t Max’s son? What if he was someone else’s?

She pulled out her laptop and opened the flash drive, navigating to the files she’d glossed over before. This time, she searched directly for Sophia Laurent’s name. A single paper popped up: a scanned birth certificate.

Her breath caught as she read the facts. Elias Laurent. Mother: Sophia Laurent. Father…

The space was blank.

Rory sat back in her chair, her mind racing. Elias wasn’t Max’s kid. He was Sophia’s. But that only raised more questions. Why was Max saving him? What was their connection?

As she scrolled through more files, she found an old picture of a young woman. She was stunning, with dark hair and striking eyes that matched Elias’s. The caption beneath the picture read: Sophia Laurent – 2005 Syndicate Records.

Rory’s stomach churned. Sophia had ties to the gang. That much was clear. But had she been a victim, or had she been part of their operations? Either way, her connection to Rossini explains why Elias was a target. The boy wasn’t just weak; he was leverage.

Later that afternoon, Rory found Max in the garden, pacing near the pond. His usual composure was fraying at the edges, tension apparent in the tight lines of his posture. He looked up when she approached, his face guarded.

“We need to talk,” Rory said, her voice steady.

Max’s eyes narrowed slightly. “I thought I told you to stay out of this.”

She ignored his warning, crossing her arms. “Who is Sophia Laurent?”

Max’s response was immediate. His shoulders straightened, and his jaw clenched. “Where did you hear that name?”

“It doesn’t matter,” she said, holding her ground. “I know she’s Elias’s mother. And I know she’s linked to the syndicate.”

Max’s silence was answer enough. Rory pressed on, her anger bubbling over. “Why are you protecting him, Max? What aren’t you telling me?”

Finally, he sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Sophia was my mother’s halfsister,” he said softly. “She was family. When the gang got to her, she… she didn’t make it out.”

Rory’s breath hitched. “And Elias?”

Max’s eyes dropped to the ground. “She begged me to take care of him before she disappeared. I told her I would. He’s the only thing she left behind.”

Rory’s heart twisted at the raw emotion in his words. For all his coldness and calculated moves, Max’s motives suddenly made sense. He wasn’t just fighting Rossini for himself. He was fighting for Elias, for a promise he’d made to someone he’d loved.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked softly.

Max looked up, his eyes meeting hers. “Because the more you know, the more dangerous this becomes. Elias isn’t just a kid. He’s a target. If Rossini finds out you know about him, he’ll use you to get to him.”

Rory’s chest tightened, fear and resolve warring within her. “I’m already in this, Max. Keeping me in the dark doesn’t protect me. It just makes it harder for me to help.”

Max’s gaze softened, but his walls didn’t fully fall. “This isn’t your fight, Rory. I’ve spent years trying to keep Elias safe. I won’t let anyone—not even you—jeopardize that.”

“I’m not trying to jeopardize anything,” she said fiercely. “But I can’t stand by and watch you carry this alone. If we’re going to escape Rossini, we need to work together.”

Max hesitated, his internal conflict obvious. Finally, he nodded, though his expression stayed grim. “If you want to help, you need to be smart. Rossini’s watching every move we make. One mistake, and Elias…”

He didn’t finish the sentence, but he didn’t need to. The weight of his words hung heavy between them.

That night, Rory lay awake once again, her thoughts occupied by what she’d learned. Max’s vulnerability had given her a glimpse into his world, but it also increased the danger they faced.

Somewhere out there, Rossini was waiting, watching, planning his next move. And now that Rory knew the truth about Elias, she understood what was truly at stake.

But even as fear gnawed at her, so did determination. She’d come too far to back down now. Together or not, she’d protect Elias—and Max—at any cost.

And as she stared at the picture of the boy, one thought burned in her mind:

Rossini will never get to him. Not while I’m here.