Chapter 41 NEW THREAT ASSESSMENT

Chapter 41 NEW THREAT ASSESSMENT


Adeline's POV

The photos haunted me.
Grey Falvetti at the Gravano building, at the estate.

He was embedded in our world before he'd ever "met" Annabelle.
This wasn't romance. This was reconnaissance.
And my sister was the target.

I needed to protect her. But how could I do that without telling her the truth? Without revealing who I really was? What this family really was?

The next morning, I made calls. First, it was to a security company I'd used before. They were discreet and professional, no questions were asked.

"I need surveillance on someone 24/7. But they can't know they're being watched."

"Who's the target?"

I gave them Annabelle's details, her address, class schedule, and regular spots.

"What are we looking for?"

"Anyone following her, anyone watching her. Specifically a man named Grey Falvetti. And anyone he might be working with."

"You want intervention if there's a threat?"

"No. Just documentation. I need to know everywhere she goes. Everyone she talks to. But don't engage unless her life is in immediate danger."

"Understood. We'll have eyes on her by tonight."

"Thank you."

The second call I made was to Stardust.

"Any progress on Grey?"

"Some. His employment records are real but surface level. Like someone built a legitimate front but didn't bother with depth."

"What does that mean?"

"It means he has a job and gets a paycheck, he shows up to an office, but there's no real work product. No clients I can track, no deals or transactions. It's all smoke."

"So it's a cover."

"Almost certainly. For what, I don't know yet. But I'm digging."

"Dig faster. He proposed to my sister."

"What?"

"Not yet. But I think it's coming. I need to know who he is before that happens."

"I'll prioritize it. But Blue, if this guy is as deep as I think he is, finding his real identity might take time."

"I don't have time."

"Then maybe you need to consider other options. Like warning your sister. Getting her away from him."

"I can't. Not without proof. She won't believe me."

"Then get proof. Fast."

I ended the call and then, I texted Marco.

I need a favor. It's personal…discreet.

He responded immediately: Name it.

Me: Keep eyes on my sister when she's near the estate. If Grey shows up with her, I want to know immediately.

Marco: Done. Anything else?

Me: If you see Grey alone, on the property or anywhere near the family, tell me. Don't confront him, just observe and report.

Marco: You think he's a threat?

Me:I know he is. I just don't know what kind yet.

Marco: Understood.

I sat back, exhausted and paranoid.

But at least now Annabelle had protection, even if she didn't know it. Even if I couldn't tell her why she needed it.

Kayden found me in the library that afternoon.
"You've been on your phone all day."

"Just handling some things."

"What things?"

"Personal stuff. Nothing important."

He studied me. "You're lying."

"I'm not—"

"Adeline. I can tell when you're stressed. When you're worried. What's going on?"
I debated telling him. But he deserved to know.

"I hired security for Annabelle. Private and discreet. They're watching her. Making sure Grey doesn't do anything... unexpected."

"Without telling her?"

"I can't tell her. She won't understand. She'll think I'm being paranoid."

"You are being paranoid."

"Good. Paranoia keeps people alive."

He sat beside me. "I get it. I do. But you can't protect everyone all the time. At some point, Annabelle has to make her own choices."

"Even if those choices get her hurt? Get her killed?"

"You don't know that Grey wants to hurt her."

"No. But I know he's lying to her, using her and that's enough."

Kayden was quiet. "The investigator called. He's been following Grey for two days."

"And?"

"And Grey's routine is boring. He goes to work, goes home, takes Annabelle to dinner. Nothing suspicious."

"That's the point. He's being careful. Playing the part perfectly."

"Or he's just a normal guy who happens to have been in the wrong place at the wrong time three months ago."

"You don't believe that."

"No. I don't. But I also don't have proof yet. Neither do you."

"So what do we do? Just wait for him to make a move?"

"We keep watching. Keep digging. And we stay ready to act when the time comes."

It wasn't enough, but it was all we had.

That evening, I tried to act normal.
We had dinner with the family and made small talk and smiled.

But my mind was elsewhere. On Annabelle, on Grey, on all the ways this could go wrong.

Russio noticed.
"You're distracted tonight, Adeline."

"Just tired."

"Hmm. You've seemed tired a lot lately. Everything alright?"

"Everything's fine."

"Is it? Because you seem anxious. On edge." His eyes were sharp. Knowing.

"Like you're worried about something. Or someone."

"I'm fine," I repeated.

But I could feel him watching me for the rest of the meal, analyzing, calculating.

He knew something was wrong. He just didn't know what yet.

After dinner, I escaped to the terrace and pulled out my phone. I checked the security feed from Annabelle's apartment.

She was home safe and alone.
Grey had dropped her off an hour ago and left.

I breathed easier.
My phone rang. Annabelle.
"Hey," I answered. "What's up?"

"Addy." Her voice was shaking.

My entire body went on alert. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I'm great. I'm just—" She laughed. Crying and laughing at the same time. "Grey proposed."

The world tilted.
"What?"

"He proposed! Just now. At dinner. He got down on one knee and everything. It was so romantic and perfect and—" She was crying harder now. "I said yes, Addy. I'm engaged!"

No. No, no, no.
"Belle—"

"I know it's fast. I know we've only been together a few months. But when you know, you know, right? That's what you always say. When you know, you know."

"Belle, listen to me—"

"I'm so happy. So incredibly happy. And I wanted you to be the first to know. Well, second. I called Mom and Dad first but—wait, I mean—" She caught herself.

"Sorry. I meant I wanted to tell you right away."

She'd started to say she called our parents. The parents who'd been dead for years.

She was so overwhelmed she'd forgotten they were gone.

"Belle, you need to slow down. Think about this—"

"I have thought about it! Grey is amazing. He loves me. He wants to build a life with me. Why wouldn't I say yes?"

"Because you barely know him."

"I know him well enough. I know he's kind and generous and treats me like I'm the most important person in the world."

"That's called love bombing. That's what manipulators do—"

"Oh my god, Addy, can you just be happy for me? For once? Can you just support me instead of always assuming the worst?"

"I'm trying to protect you—"

"I don't need protection! I need my sister to be happy that I found someone who loves me! Is that too much to ask?"

"Belle—"

"I have to go. I'm calling everyone to tell them the news. I'll talk to you later.

She hung up.
I stood there on the terrace, phone in hand, feeling like the ground had just dropped out from under me.

Grey had proposed.
And Annabelle had said yes.

Which meant whatever he was planning, whatever game he was playing, had just escalated.
And I had no idea how to stop it.

Kayden found me twenty minutes later. Still on the terrace, still frozen in fear.

"What happened?"

"Grey proposed and Belle said yes."

He went very still. "When?"

"Tonight. Just now. She just called to tell me."

"Fuck."

"Yeah."

"This is bad. This is really bad."

"I know."

"If they get married, he'll have legal ties to her, access to her life, her money…everything."

"And access to me, to this family, through her."

"That's the point. That's why he's doing this." Kayden paced. "We need to stop this. We need to prove who he really is before the wedding."

"How? We have photos of him near Gravano properties. That's not proof of anything concrete."

"Then we get concrete proof. We push harder. We take risks."

"What kind of risks?"

"The kind where we confront him directly. See how he reacts, see if he slips up."

"That's dangerous. If he knows we're onto him—"

"He probably already knows. The question is whether he cares." Kayden pulled out his phone.

"I'm calling the investigator. Telling him to get closer, push boundaries. We need something we can use. Now."

He made the call.
I stood there, watching the city lights in the distance.

Somewhere out there, my sister was celebrating her engagement.
Planning a wedding to a man who was lying to her, who was using her.

And I couldn't stop it….Not yet but I would.

Whatever it took.