Chapter 16: Valentin’s Interference

The next morning, the mansion’s atmosphere was suffocating. Rory couldn’t shake the lingering tension from her talk with Max. The truth about Elias had rattled her, but it also fueled her determination. If Rossini was after the boy, she needed to stay two steps ahead.

She wandered the halls, restless and looking for clarity. But clarity wasn’t what she found.

Instead, she found Valentin Rossini waiting for her.

She froze the moment she spotted him. He was seated easily in the parlor, a drink in hand, as if he owned the place. His dark suit was immaculate, his stance relaxed. But his eyes—sharp and predatory—tracked her every move as she stepped into the room.

“Good morning, Aurélien,” Rossini greeted easily, using her full name with a familiarity that made her skin crawl. “I was beginning to think you were avoiding me.”

Her pulse quickened, but she forced herself to stay calm. “What are you doing here?” she asked, her voice steady despite the knot of dread tightening in her chest.

Rossini’s smile widened. “Paying a visit, of course. It’s been far too long since our last chat. And I must admit, you’ve been on my mind.”

Rory stiffened. “If you have something to say, get to the point.”

He laughed, leaning back in his chair. “Straight to business. I like that. But this isn’t a talk to be rushed. You see, there are things about you, my dear, that even you don’t understand.”

Her brow wrinkled, suspicion prickling at the edges of her thoughts. “What are you talking about?”

Rossini set his glass down and stood, his presence suddenly overwhelming as he closed the space between them. “Your tattoos,” he said, his tone soft but precise. “They’re not just decoration, are they?”

Rory automatically took a step back, her hand brushing against the sleeve that covered the ink on her forearm. “What do you know about my tattoos?”

Rossini’s smile turned cold. “More than you do, I’d wager. Did you ever wonder why your father insisted on those particular designs? Why he made sure they were done so young?”

Her blood ran cold. She’d always thought of her tattoos as an eccentric choice by her father—an artistic whim. But the way Rossini spoke made her question everything.

“What are you saying?” she asked, her voice shaking despite her efforts to sound strong.

Rossini tilted his head, studying her with unnerving focus. “I’m saying that your father wasn’t the man you thought he was. He was smart, yes, but also desperate. Desperate enough to hide something useful in plain sight.”

Rory’s heart raced. “Hide what?”

“A code,” Rossini said simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “A key to unlocking secrets that people would kill for. Secrets that I’ve spent years trying to retrieve.”

She stared at him, her mind spinning. “That’s impossible.”

“Is it?” Rossini replied, his voice dripping with condescension. “Think about it, Aurélien. Your father’s sudden downfall, the way your family was pulled into this mess. Do you really believe it was all coincidence?”

Rory shook her head, trying to understand his words. “Even if that’s true, why would you tell me? Why not just take what you want?”

Rossini’s smile returned, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Because I’m not the only one looking for it. Max may think he’s smart, but he’s just as desperate as your father was. And now that you’re participating, my dear, you’re the most valuable piece on the board.”

Rory’s stomach churned. Rossini wasn’t just playing with her; he was setting her up, turning her into a pawn in his twisted game. She couldn’t let him win.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said strongly, hoping he couldn’t see through her bluff.

Rossini’s face darkened, his patience clearly thinning. “You can play ignorant all you like, but the truth will come out eventually. And when it does, you’ll have to choose a side. I suggest you choose wisely.”

With that, he turned and walked away, his footsteps echoing through the quiet hall. Rory stood frozen, her mind racing. She’d always known her family’s downfall was more than bad luck, but this… this was something else entirely.

Rory spent the rest of the day in a haze, repeating Rossini’s words over and over. The idea that her tattoos held a secret code seemed absurd, but the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Her father’s insistence on the designs, the secrecy surrounding their meanings—it all pointed to something bigger.

That evening, she locked herself in her room and pulled out a sketchpad. Carefully, she began recreating her marks from memory. The swirling patterns and intricate symbols had always felt random, but now she studied them with fresh eyes, looking for anything out of place.

As the sketches took shape, a chill ran down her spine. The images weren’t just abstract art. They were patterns—repeated sequences that made shapes she hadn’t noticed before. Her hands trembled as she traced the lines, her mind racing with options.

A knock at the door shocked her. She quickly shoved the pictures under a book and called out, “Who is it?”

“It’s me,” Max’s voice came through the door. “We need to talk.”

Rory paused before opening the door. Max’s expression was grim, his normal composure cracking just enough to show the tension beneath.

“Rossini was here,” she said before he could speak.

His jaw tightened. “What did he say?”

Rory paused, debating whether to tell him the truth. Finally, she said, “He mentioned my tattoos. Said they’re hiding a code. Is it true?”

Max’s response was subtle but telling. His eyes flickered with recognition, his shoulders tensing. “You shouldn’t listen to him.”

“That’s not an answer,” Rory pushed. “What aren’t you telling me, Max?”

He ran a hand through his hair, his frustration obvious. “It’s complicated.”

“Try me,” she said, her voice strong. “Because if what he’s saying is true, then I deserve to know.”

Max sighed, his eyes locking onto hers. “Your father made a deal with Rossini years ago. He thought he could beat him by hiding the information Rossini wanted. And yes, he used you to do it.”

Rory’s chest tightened. “So it’s true. My tattoos… they’re part of this?”

Max nodded reluctantly. “But you’re not just part of it, Rory. You’re the key. And that makes you a target.”

Her mind spun as the weight of his words sank in. Everything she thought she knew about her family, her life, was unraveling. And now, she was at the heart of a game she didn’t fully understand.

“Then we need to figure this out,” she said, her voice calm despite the fear swirling in her chest. “Together.”

Max paused before nodding. “Together.”

But as Rory closed the door behind him, one thought stayed in her mind: What happens when the truth finally comes out?