The silence in the room felt heavier than the gunfire earlier that night.
No one moved after the call ended.
Matteo still held the phone in his hand, staring at the dark screen like he could force Luca Vitale to speak again.
Elena's heart pounded so loudly she was sure everyone could hear it.
Caterina had Adrian.
And she wanted Elena.
Enzo was the first to move. He paced across the room, dragging both hands through his hair.
"Damn it," he muttered.
Bianca stepped farther into the doorway, her face pale. "She kidnapped him?"
Matteo finally set the phone down on the table.
"Yes."
"And she wants Elena?" Bianca asked.
"Yes."
Bianca looked at Elena then, really looked at her. Not with jealousy or suspicion this time.
With fear.
"This is insane," she whispered.
Elena forced herself to breathe.
"Why me?" she asked.
Matteo answered immediately.
"Because you humiliated her."
"That's not true."
"You exist," he said. "That was enough."
Enzo stopped pacing.
His gaze shifted toward Elena, and something dark flickered behind his eyes.
"You don't understand Caterina," he said.
Matteo turned slowly toward him.
"Oh?"
"She doesn't do things without a plan."
Matteo crossed his arms. "Then explain the plan."
Enzo hesitated.
That hesitation was all Elena needed to see.
"You're thinking about it," she said quietly.
Enzo frowned. "Thinking about what?"
"Trading me."
The words landed like broken glass on the floor.
Bianca's head snapped toward him.
"You can't be serious."
Enzo looked angry now. "No one said that."
"You didn't deny it either," Matteo said coldly.
Enzo scoffed. "You think I'd hand someone over to Caterina?"
Matteo stepped closer to him.
"I think you're desperate enough to consider anything."
The tension between the brothers thickened instantly.
Elena felt trapped between them.
"Stop," she said softly.
Neither of them listened.
"Adrian could die," Enzo said.
Matteo's voice sharpened. "And Elena could die."
Enzo gestured toward the phone. "Caterina wants her alive."
"For now," Matteo replied.
The door opened again.
Everyone turned.
Vittorio Moretti stepped into the room.
Behind him stood Isabella, calm and unreadable as ever.
The air changed immediately.
Authority had arrived.
"What did Vitale say?" Vittorio asked.
Matteo answered.
"He confirmed Caterina took Adrian."
Isabella's eyebrow lifted slightly.
"Interesting."
Enzo exhaled slowly. "She wants Elena."
Vittorio looked directly at Elena.
Not with anger.
Not even with curiosity.
He studied her the way a general studies a battlefield.
Then he spoke.
"No."
The word echoed through the room.
Bianca blinked. "No?"
"We are not negotiating," Vittorio said.
Enzo's voice tightened. "Father, Adrian—"
"Is not our concern."
Elena felt a wave of guilt crash over her.
"He is my concern," she said quietly.
Vittorio looked at her again.
"You are under my roof," he said calmly. "That makes you my responsibility."
Matteo nodded slightly.
Enzo clenched his jaw.
"And Adrian?"
Vittorio's voice didn't change.
"Collateral."
The word made Elena flinch.
"He saved me," she said.
Isabella tilted her head.
"Loyalty," she murmured. "How charming."
Elena glared at her.
"He could die."
Isabella's eyes softened slightly, but not with sympathy.
"With respect," she said gently, "people die every day because of the Moretti family."
The room fell quiet again.
Matteo turned toward his father.
"So what's the plan?"
Vittorio walked slowly toward the window.
"The same plan that has kept this family alive for thirty years."
"And that is?"
"We make them regret touching us."
Enzo shook his head.
"That won't save Adrian."
Vittorio turned back toward him.
"Saving him was never the objective."
Matteo watched his father carefully.
"You're going after Caterina."
"Yes."
Bianca crossed her arms.
"You sound almost proud."
Vittorio didn't deny it.
"She underestimated us."
Enzo laughed bitterly.
"She knows us better than anyone."
Isabella stepped forward then, placing a gentle hand on Vittorio's arm.
"Perhaps," she said, "but she made a mistake."
Matteo looked at her.
"What mistake?"
Isabella's smile was thin.
"She took something that belongs to this house."
Elena felt her stomach drop.
"You mean Adrian?"
Isabella shook her head slowly.
"No."
Her gaze shifted toward Elena.
"You."
The room went still.
Matteo stepped slightly closer to Elena again.
"Caterina doesn't realize it yet," Isabella continued, "but she just declared war on the Moretti family."
Enzo rubbed his temples.
"This is already a war."
"Yes," Isabella replied softly. "But now it's personal."
A guard suddenly appeared at the door.
"Sir."
Vittorio didn't look at him.
"Speak."
"We found something."
Matteo straightened.
"What?"
"A location."
Everyone froze.
"Where?" Enzo demanded.
The guard hesitated.
"An abandoned shipping warehouse near the docks."
Matteo's eyes narrowed.
"How do you know."
"One of Vitale's men was caught trying to leave the city," the guard explained. "He talked."
Vittorio's expression darkened.
"And Caterina?"
"We believe she's there."
Elena felt a spark of hope ignite inside her.
"Then we go," she said.
All four Morettis turned to look at her.
"You're not going anywhere," Matteo said.
"He's there because of me."
"Exactly."
Vittorio raised a hand slightly.
"Prepare the cars," he ordered the guard.
The man nodded and disappeared.
Enzo stepped closer to his father.
"We need to move fast."
"We will."
Bianca looked between them.
"And Elena?"
Vittorio answered without hesitation.
"She stays."
"No," Elena said immediately.
Matteo sighed.
"Don't start this."
"I'm not hiding here while someone dies for me."
"You won't be hiding," Matteo replied. "You'll be surviving."
Elena looked at Enzo.
"You said Adrian might die."
Enzo avoided her gaze.
"That's different."
"How?"
"Because Caterina wants you."
Elena's voice hardened.
"Then maybe I'm exactly what we need."
Matteo shook his head.
"No."
She turned to Vittorio.
"You said I'm under your protection."
"Yes."
"Then protect me by letting me help."
The room fell silent.
Vittorio studied her again.
Longer this time.
"You are brave," he said slowly.
Matteo groaned. "Don't encourage her."
"But bravery," Vittorio continued, "is not the same as usefulness."
Elena stepped forward.
"What if it is tonight?"
Matteo stared at her.
"What are you suggesting."
Elena's voice trembled slightly, but she kept going.
"We use me."
Bianca's eyes widened.
"No."
Enzo looked suddenly interested.
Matteo looked furious.
"You're not bait," he said.
"Caterina wants me," Elena replied. "If she sees me, she'll come out."
Matteo stepped closer to her.
"And if she shoots you?"
"Then you shoot her first."
"No."
The single word came from Isabella.
Everyone turned to her.
She had been silent for several minutes.
Watching.
Thinking.
Now she spoke.
"Elena is correct."
Matteo stared at his mother.
"You can't be serious."
Isabella's voice was calm.
"Caterina is emotional right now. That makes her predictable."
Vittorio folded his arms.
"Continue."
Isabella smiled slightly.
"She won't kill Elena immediately. She wants to confront her."
Bianca shook her head.
"This is insane."
Isabella ignored her.
"So we give Caterina what she wants."
Matteo's jaw tightened.
"You're talking about sending Elena into a trap."
"No," Isabella corrected.
"I'm talking about setting one."
The room went quiet again.
Enzo looked at Elena.
"You'd really do this?"
She thought about Adrian lying unconscious in that hospital bed.
About the bullet meant for her.
"Yes."
Matteo rubbed his face.
"This is a terrible idea."
Vittorio turned toward him.
"Sometimes terrible ideas win wars."
Matteo sighed heavily.
"Fine."
He looked at Elena.
"But you stay behind me the entire time."
Elena nodded.
Outside, engines roared to life in the driveway.
The Moretti convoy was ready.
Across the city, inside the dark warehouse near the docks, Caterina sat on a wooden crate.
Adrian was tied to a chair across from her.
He was awake now.
Barely.
Blood stained the bandages on his side.
"You look confused," Caterina said calmly.
Adrian struggled to focus on her.
"Why… are you doing this?"
Caterina leaned forward slightly.
"Because someone needs to remind the Moretti family who I am."
Adrian coughed weakly.
"They're coming."
Caterina smiled.
"I know."
Outside the warehouse, a black car slowly pulled into the empty lot.
Elena stepped out.
Matteo beside her.
Guns hidden in the darkness around them.
The trap had been set.
But no one knew yet who would be caught in it.
And inside the warehouse, Caterina lifted her phone and whispered one sentence to someone on the other end.
"They're here."
Then she smiled.
Because the person she had called was not Luca Vitale.
It was someone inside the Moretti family.
And they were already waiting.