Chapter 15 Road To Rome
The sun rose slowly over Italy as Elena, Luca, and Anna drove south toward Rome. The car was small, old, and dusty—borrowed from a fisherman near the Milan canal after they abandoned the boat. None of them spoke much. The silence was heavy, broken only by the hum of the engine and the wind against the windows.
Elena sat in the back seat, her mind full of questions. The ledger rested on her lap, wrapped in a black cloth. It was more than paper and ink—it was a weapon. One that could destroy everyone connected to the Cruz family name.
Luca looked at her through the mirror. “You haven’t slept in two days,” he said. “You should close your eyes for a while.”
“I can’t,” she replied softly. “Every time I do, I see Marco’s face.”
Anna turned slightly. “He saved us. He knew what he was risking.”
Elena nodded, staring at the road ahead. “And now it’s my turn to finish what my father started.”
They drove past green hills and quiet villages. The smell of rain mixed with the scent of olives and wildflowers. It almost felt peaceful—if not for the fear following them like a shadow.
After several hours, they stopped at a small roadside café near Bologna. The place was quiet, with only a few travelers drinking coffee. Luca sat near the window, watching the parking lot.
Anna ordered food while Elena opened her phone, connecting through a hidden VPN. She typed a single message on an encrypted app:
“Need to meet. Rome. Urgent.”
The reply came almost instantly.
“Come alone. Via Lupa. Midnight.”
Elena locked the screen and sighed.
“Who was that?” Luca asked.
“The lawyer,” she said. “Her name’s Isabella Moretti. She used to work for my mother before she disappeared. If she’s alive, she knows the last piece of this.”
Luca frowned. “You trust her?”
“No,” Elena said. “But I need her.”
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They reached Rome late that night. The city lights sparkled like gold over the ancient streets. It was beautiful, but Elena felt only tension. Every shadow could hide danger.
Anna parked the car in a quiet alley. “What now?”
Elena looked at the clock—11:40 p.m. “You two stay here. I’ll go alone.”
Luca shook his head. “No chance.”
“You heard the message,” she said. “If she sees you, she’ll run.”
He clenched his jaw. “If anything feels wrong, you call me. I don’t care who she is.”
Elena smiled faintly. “I will.”
She took the ledger, placed it in her bag, and slipped into the narrow Roman street. The air smelled of wet stone and history. Street lamps cast soft yellow light on the cobblestones.
Via Lupa was quiet—a narrow lane lined with old buildings. She found the address: an old bookshop with its lights still on.
She pushed open the door. A bell jingled softly.
Inside, the shop was filled with shelves of dusty books. A woman in her fifties stood behind the counter, her gray hair tied neatly, her dark eyes sharp.
“Elena Cruz,” she said, her voice calm. “You look just like your mother.”
Elena froze. “You knew her?”
“I was her friend—and her lawyer.” The woman’s eyes softened. “And I knew your father better than most.”
Elena stepped closer. “Then you know what he did.”
The woman nodded slowly. “Yes. I helped him hide the ledger when he realized the cartel wanted to use it against him.”
Elena’s breath caught. “You helped him?”
“I thought he was protecting you,” Isabella said quietly. “Until I found out what he was really protecting—his empire.”
She turned away and poured herself a glass of wine. “When your mother tried to stop him, he had her silenced.”
Elena felt her knees weaken. “What did you say?”
Isabella looked at her sadly. “Your mother didn’t die in an accident. She was murdered. The explosion at the villa—your father ordered it.”
Elena’s mind went blank. “That’s not true.”
“I wish it weren’t,” Isabella whispered. “She wanted to go to the authorities. He couldn’t let that happen.”
Elena shook her head. “No. My father loved her.”
“Love and power don’t live in the same house,” Isabella said softly.
The room fell silent except for the ticking of an old clock.
Finally, Elena whispered, “Then why are you helping me?”
“Because your mother asked me to, before she died.” Isabella walked to a locked cabinet and opened it. Inside was a small black folder. “She told me to give this to you when the time came.”
Elena took it with trembling hands. Inside were several old documents, including one photograph—her mother standing with a man Elena didn’t recognize. He had the same CruzTech emblem pin her father used to wear.
“Who is he?” Elena asked.
Isabella’s face turned pale. “That’s your uncle—Rafael Cruz. The real founder of the cartel.”
Elena froze. “My father had a brother?”
“Yes,” Isabella said. “Rafael disappeared years before you were born. Everyone thought he was dead. But I believe he’s alive. And he’s the one who wants the ledger now.”
Elena felt the floor tilt beneath her feet. “He’s the one behind Viktor.”
Isabella nodded. “Viktor works for him. Your father took the cartel from Rafael. Now he wants it back.”
Elena’s hands clenched into fists. “Then this isn’t about me—it’s about revenge.”
Before Isabella could respond, the lights in the shop flickered. Then they went out completely.
“Elena,” Isabella whispered, “they found us.”
Glass shattered as the front door burst open. Men in black masks rushed in, guns drawn.
Elena dove behind the counter, pulling Isabella with her. Bullets tore through the shelves, sending books flying.
Luca’s voice came through her earpiece. “Elena! What’s happening?”
“They’re here!” she shouted.
Luca’s car screeched outside. Anna screamed as shots echoed in the street.
Elena reached for the ledger in her bag—but it wasn’t there.
She gasped. “It’s gone!”
Isabella looked shocked. “What?”
“It was in my bag—I swear—”
Then, through the broken window, Elena saw a man standing across the street under the streetlight.
Viktor Hale.
He was holding the black ledger in his gloved hand. He smiled when he saw her, then turned and disappeared into the alley.
“Luca!” Elena shouted into the mic. “Viktor has the ledger! He’s heading east!”
Luca cursed. “I’m on him!”
He ran after Viktor, gun drawn, while Anna dragged Elena into the car.
“Go!” Elena yelled. “He can’t get away!”
Anna hit the gas. The car tore down the narrow streets, chasing the sound of footsteps and gunfire echoing through Rome.
Elena gripped the door, her heart racing. She had lost the ledger—but she had something even more dangerous now: the truth about her family.
And she knew, as the car sped into the night, that she was no longer running from the past.
She was running straight into it.