Chapter 169 – The Cleaning Room
Chapter 169 – The Cleaning Room
Katarina’s POV
“I don’t like it,” I said, staring at the locked door at the end of the hallway. “Something’s wrong.”
Vittorio looked up from the folder he was reading. “What is it little fox?”
“The cleaning room,” I said. “That’s where she was. Fiorella — or whatever her name is — she wasn’t just hiding there. She was doing something.”
Valentino kicked back in his chair. “What, folding towels suspiciously?”
I gave him a look. “She was too calm when you brought her in. Like she knew something we didn’t.”
Vittorio’s eyes narrowed slightly. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying,” I said slowly, “she left something behind.”
He stared at me for a second, jaw tightening. “You think she planted something?”
“Or hid something.” I crossed my arms. “You didn’t see her face when you mentioned the cleaning hallway. She flinched.”
Valentino leaned forward. “You sure?”
“I’m sure enough to bet your stupid car on it.”
That got his attention. He grinned. “Now I’m listening.”
Vittorio stood, pacing once. “If you’re right, she’s still trying to send a message.”
“Exactly,” I said. “Which means someone will come for it.”
He turned to me. “So what do we do?”
I took a breath. “We act like we don’t know. Play it cool. Everyone goes about their business. Guards stop patrolling that hallway. Pretend the incident’s over.”
Valentino frowned. “You’re asking us to pretend like nothing happened?”
“Yes,” I said. “You can do that, right?”
Vittorio gave a half-smile. “She’s calling us actors now.”
“I’m serious,” I said. “If there’s a spy in this house — and I think there is — they’ll try to get whatever Fiorella left behind.”
Vittorio finally nodded. “Alright. We’ll play dumb.”
Valentino muttered, “Shouldn’t be hard for you.”
I threw a towel at his face. “Shut up.”
The day stretched. Everyone moved around like it was a normal morning — too normal. I watched maids sweep, guards drink coffee, the cooks chopping vegetables. Everything looked harmless, but I’d learned harmless didn’t mean safe.
At lunch, Valentino leaned across the table. “You think she’s got someone inside?”
I didn’t look up. “I think she’s got someone checking that room.” My gut twisted. Fiorella wasn’t stupid — she’d planned every move.”
Vittorio tapped his fork. “We’ll find out soon.”
We did. That night.
It was quiet — too quiet. The kind of quiet that feels staged. I was in the office with Ghost, watching the hallway cameras. Nothing but Just empty floors and buckets.
Then Ghost’s voice dropped. “There is movement.”
I turned fast. “Where?”
“At west corridor. The cleaning room.”
On the screen, a woman walked carefully down the hall. Her head was low with steps light. Her uniform was new — crisp, spotless. Too new.
“She’s not one of ours,” I said.
Vittorio came closer. “Zoom in.”
Ghost did. The woman’s name tag read Rosa. She kept glancing over her shoulder every few steps, checking the corners before pushing the cleaning room door open.
“She’s going in,” Valentino said quietly.
I could feel my heartbeat in my throat. “Don’t move yet.”
We waited. Five seconds. Then ten. Then the door creaked open again. She stepped out, tucking something under her apron — a folded piece of paper.
“Got you,” I whispered.
“Move,” Vittorio said.
We met her halfway down the hall.
She saw us and froze, eyes wide like a rabbit cornered by wolves.
“Rosa,” Vittorio said, voice calm. “You got a minute?”
Her hand went to her apron. “I—I was just cleaning, Signore—”
“Yeah,” Valentino said. “Cleaning’s tough when you’re stealing notes.”
Her face went pale.
Vittorio’s voice dropped lower. “Hand it over.”
For a second she hesitated. Then she pulled the paper out and handed it to me. My fingers unfolded it slowly.
It was a note — in neat, small handwriting. I recognized it immediately.
Fiorella’s.
CODE 73: COVER BLOWN. MAP SECURED. NEED EXTRACTION. PRIORITY LEVEL ONE. The FOX IS HERE
My mouth went dry. “She left this,” I said quietly. “She’s been waiting for someone to pick it up.”
Vittorio’s expression hardened. “So she’s got help.”
Valentino crossed his arms. “Looks like her ride home just got cancelled.”
Rosa started shaking. “Please—I don’t know anything. I was just told to come here. I found it like that.”
“Who told you?” Vittorio asked.
“I don’t know his name! He just said to check the cleaning room every morning for a package.”
Ghost stepped closer. “You expect us to believe that?”
Tears filled her eyes. “I swear! I just needed the money.”
Vittorio studied her for a long second, then looked at me. “What do you want to do?”
“Let her go,” I said. “Send her back to whoever sent her.”
Valentino raised an eyebrow. “You serious?”
“Yes,” I said. “Let her take the note. But add something to it.”
Vittorio smiled faintly. “A message.”
“Exactly,” I said. “Something they’ll understand.”
He took the note, grabbed a pen from his pocket, and wrote under Fiorella’s message:
MESSAGE RECEIVED. THE DE LUCA TWINS ARE COMING. PRAY.
He folded it again and handed it back to the woman.
“Take it where you were told to,” he said calmly. “Say nothing. Do nothing. Just deliver it.”
She nodded fast, clutching it like her life depended on it.
As she walked away, Valentino chuckled.“Now that’s a message even the devil would read twice.””
I exhaled. “Good. Let them know we’re watching.”
Later that night, we stood outside Fiorella’s cell. She sat on the floor, back against the wall, staring at nothing.
Vittorio opened the door, reciting the message “CODE 73: COVER BLOWN. MAP SECURED. NEED EXTRACTION. PRIORITY LEVEL ONE. Recognize your own words?”
Her eyes flicked to it. Then to us. “So you found it.”
“We found your friend too,” Valentino said. “She was sweet enough to deliver your message.”
For the first time, Fiorella’s face twitched. Just a small flicker. “You shouldn’t have touched that.”
I stepped closer. “Then maybe you shouldn’t have left it.”
Vittorio crouched down to her level. “Who are you talking to? Who’s coming for you?”
She looked straight at me instead. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
“Try me,” I said.
She smiled — cold, tired, and almost pitying. “I wasn’t lying before. They’re already on their way.”
Valentino leaned on the doorframe. “Then tell them to hurry. I’m getting bored.”
Fiorella laughed once, low and rough. “You won’t be laughing when they get here.”
Vittorio stood up. “Lock her in.”
Ghost slammed the door shut again.
As we walked away, I couldn’t stop rethinking the words,
CODE 73. MAP SECURED. PRIORITY LEVEL ONE. THE FOX IS REAL.
I didn’t know what the map really was, or why she called me the fox girl.
But I knew one thing — whoever was on the other side of that note was coming.