Chapter 42 Chapter 42

Chapter 42 Chapter 42
~ Elena’s POV
“Damian,“ I whispered, my voice trembling. One look at his face was enough for me to know we were in danger. “What’s happening?“
He didn’t answer. His grip on my hand tightened as he led me to the far end of his study….straight to the massive bookshelf I’d seen a thousand times but never really paid attention to. Without warning, he pulled a thick book from the middle shelf.
A sharp clip echoed through the room. Before I could even blink, the entire bookshelf slid aside, revealing a dark, narrow space behind it. I watched as it slid to the side, giving room for two people to go inside, this mansion was really filled with secrets. “What the—-“
“Get it,“ he ordered quietly.
My pulse spiked, slowly realizing what he was doing. “What? Damian, no—-“
He didn’t wait for me to protest. His hands came to my shoulders, firm but gentle as he guided me inside, expression darkening every passing second. “Stay here, no matter what you hear,“ he said, eyes burning into mine.
“Damian, please,“ I whispered, shaking my head, tears almost spilling out. “Don’t do this. Don’t leave me—-“
The shelf began to slide back into place, and panic rushed through me. “Damian!“ I tried to grab his arm, but his hand slipped away. The last thing I saw before the bookshelf sealed shut was his face….a mixture of determination and fear.
Then, silence shattered into chaos. Gunshots exploded outside the hidden room, loud and terrifying. My breath hitched as I pressed my back against the cold wall, my heart thundering so hard it hurt. I turned, desperate to find some escape, anything, but the space was smaller than I’d thought. Bare walls, dim lighting, and then my eyes moved all the way in front of me.
Screens. Huge ones.
The glowing screens flickered to life on the wall in front of me, showing every corner of the mansion through CCTV footage.
“What is this place?“ I whispered to myself, stumbling forward. I dropped into the chair before the monitors, my fingers trembling as I scanned each feed. And there he was.
Damian.
He was running through the hallway, gun in hand. My stomach twisted as I saw shadows move toward him….men with weapons, faceless and fast. “Damian, no“ I breathed in worry.
The sound of gunfire filled the speakers. Damian ducked behind a wall and then fired back. A second later, another familiar figure appeared on one of the screens….Marco. He joined Damian, shooting at the attackers with sharp precision.
I watched helplessly as chaos unfolded and Damian’s men joined hands. My throat went dry, tears burning behind my eyes, but I refused to look away.
Then, instinct took over, and I started pulling the desk drawer beneath the screens, searching frantically for anything that could help me get out, but froze when I saw it.
A gun.
“Thank God,“ I muttered, grabbing it and checking the magazine with trembling hands. I stood up and spun around, scanning the walls. “There has to be a way out…..“ I whispered, running my fingers along the stone edges, the corners, the seams between the bricks. Nothing.
Minutes passed….each gunshot outside making me flinch harder than the previous one. My breath was coming out in short, panicked gasps.
Finally, frustration erupted inside me. “Damian!“ I shouted, slamming my palm against the wall. And that’s when it happened. The brick I’d hit sank inward with a click. The wall shifted slightly, then slid open.
I blinked, stunned. “You’ve got to be kidding me.“
Without wasting another second, I slipped out of the hidden space, clutching the gun tightly. I moved through the corridor, my footsteps light and cautious. Every instinct screamed at me to stay hidden….to listen to Damian for once, but my heart refused. Even after everything, even after almost believing he’d killed my father, the thought of losing him made my chest ache.
I had to find him.
The hallway was eerily empty as I emerged from the study. Smoke and gunfire filled the air, the distant echo of shouting vibrating through the mansion.
I crept toward the stairs….and froze when someone stepped into view.
“Marco?“ He stopped mid-step, lowering his gun slightly. For a second, his expression was blank, then he exhaled through his nose, muttering, “You’ve got to be kidding me.“
“What? I wanted to—-“
Before I could finish, he raised his gun, aiming it directly at me. My eyes widened at him. “Marco, what are you doing?“
He didn’t answer. The trigger clicked, and a deafening bang filled the hall. I screamed, bracing for pain….but none came. My heart pounded as I slowly opened my eyes. Behind me, a man dropped to the floor, blood pooling beneath him. Marco lowered his gun and gave an exasperated look.
“You’re welcome,“ he muttered.
I blinked, still trembling. “Y-you killed him?“
“No, I hugged him,“ he said dryly, then grabbed my wrist. “He would’ve killed you if I hadn’t killed him. Now move before you get yourself killed.“
He half-dragged, half-guided me down the stairs, his grip unrelenting. My feet stumbled over the steps, the echo of gunfire still rattling in my ears.
When we reached the ground floor, I froze. Damian stood across the room….his body tense, his eyes dark as night. And in front of him, with a gun aimed straight at his chest, was Liz.
“Liz?“ My voice cracked.
Before I could react, several men appeared around us, disarming both Marco and me. The gun was ripped from my hand, and I stumbled forward. Marco caught me before I hit the ground, but the sight before me made my blood run cold.
Damian’s gaze snapped to me. For a moment, the world went still. His jaw tightened, his knuckles turning white around his weapon. I could almost hear his thoughts…he was furious I’d left the safe room.
Liz’s laughter shattered the silence. “Well, isn’t this poetic?“ she said, stepping closer to Damian. “The kind, the traitor, and the little thief who stole what was mine.“