Far away from the Moretti estate, the college environment was quiet with only few students walking around but the same couldn't be said for the dormitory.
The dormitory hallway was loud.
Someone down the corridor was blasting music through cheap speakers. A group of students argued loudly about an assignment while another slammed a door somewhere nearby. Laughter echoed through the building, mixed with the faint smell of instant noodles and cheap detergent.
It was the usual chaos of college life.
But inside Room 314, Adrian Rossi barely noticed any of it.
He sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the glowing screen of his phone. Still nothing. No missed calls. No messages.
He exhaled slowly, running a hand through his brown hair, pushing the messy strands away from his forehead. His dark eyes lingered on the last message Elena had sent him two weeks ago.
Don't forget to eat properly, Adrian.
Typical Elena.
Even when she was busy, she always made sure to remind him of things like that.
Adrian leaned back slightly against the wall, the mattress creaking under his weight. Two weeks. Fourteen days without a single call. That wasn't normal.
His roommate, Daniel, glanced over from his desk where he was playing a game on his laptop.
"You're staring at that phone like it owes you money," Daniel said lazily.
Adrian gave a small shrug.
"Just waiting for a call."
"Girlfriend?"
Adrian snorted.
"No."
Daniel grinned.
"Ah. So it's worse."
Adrian didn't answer. He simply looked back at the screen. Elena never went this long without checking on him. Not when he first started college or during exams or even when she worked double shifts at two different jobs just to keep them both afloat.
After their parents died, Elena had taken on everything. The bills, rent, food and school fees. Sometimes Adrian wondered how she had managed to survive those years without collapsing. She had always smiled through hardship just so he doesn't worry, always told him everything would be okay. And somehow…It had been.
Adrian stood up and walked toward the small mirror attached to the closet door. His reflection stared back at him.
He was tall, with brown hair and sharp features that mirrored their father, but his eyes—dark and steady—belonged to their mother.
It was strange how it worked between them. Elena looked almost exactly like their mother. Except for her eyes. Those bright amber eyes that had come from their father. Adrian had always thought it suited her. They burned when she was angry. And Elena was angry often. Like an angry bird. He smiled faintly at the thought.
A knock on the door interrupted him. Not the careless knock of a fellow student. It was slower and heavier. Adrian frowned slightly and opened the door. Two men stood outside. Black suits. Same serious expressions.
Adrian sighed the moment he saw them. "You guys again?" The two men exchanged a brief glance. Other students passing through the hallway slowed down slightly, staring at the strange sight of two suited men standing outside a dorm room.
One of them stepped forward. "Good evening, Adrian."
Adrian leaned against the doorframe casually. "You were here a week ago and two days ago."
"Yes."
"And three days before that."
"That is correct."
Adrian shook his head while massaging his forehead.
"You know, people are starting to think I'm secretly in the mafia or something."
Neither man reacted. They rarely did. Lucian Moretti's men had first appeared two days after Elena disappeared from their apartment. At first Adrian had been ready to fight them. Until they calmly explained that Elena was safe, that she had accepted a new job and she would be staying at her workplace. They never gave many details, but they checked on him frequently. Adrian suspected it was less about concern and more about surveillance. Still, he tolerated it. Because every visit from them meant confirmation that Elena was alive.
"So," Adrian said finally, crossing his arms. "What's today's update?"
The taller man spoke. Enzo. "Mr. Moretti would like to invite you to visit your sister tomorrow."
Adrian blinked. That was new. The hallway noise faded from his attention completely. "You're serious?"
"Yes."
Adrian studied their faces carefully... He noticed that since these strange visits began, something had changed. Before, every conversation ended the same way. Communication with your sister will be limited. Now suddenly…they were inviting him? "Why now?" Adrian asked. Suspiciously.
The second man, John, answered calmly. "Miss Rossi has expressed that she misses you."
Adrian felt something tighten in his chest. She miisses him. That sounded like Elena. But something still felt strange. He pushed away from the doorframe slightly. "And this Mr. Moretti guy just… agreed to let me visit?"
"Yes."
Adrian rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully. He didn't know much about Lucian Moretti. But even a college student like him knew that name alone was enough to send you running for your life. It carried weight, power and danger. He's the kind of man normal people didn't casually interact with, which made this entire situation even more confusing. But one thing was certain... If there was a chance to see Elena…He wasn't going to waste it. "When?" Adrian asked.
"Tomorrow morning."
"Fine."
The two men nodded. "We will pick you up." They turned and began walking down the hallway. Students immediately moved aside as they passed.
Adrian watched them disappear around the corner before slowly closing his door. Inside the dorm room, Daniel turned around in his chair. "Okay," he said slowly. "I'm definitely curious now."
Adrian grabbed a small bag from the floor and tossed it onto the bed. "Family stuff."
"That didn't look like family."
Adrian shrugged. "Depends how you define family." He began packing a few things. A jacket, his phone charger, change of clothes.
Daniel leaned back in his chair.
"You going somewhere?"
"Yeah."
Adrian zipped the bag closed.
"To see my sister."
For the first time in two weeks, he visibly looked relaxed. Tomorrow he would finally see Elena again. But as he sat down on the bed and glanced once more at his phone, a quiet thought crossed his mind. Elena never kept things from him, especially not important things. Not things that involved powerful men in black suits coming to see him.
Which meant one possibility still lingered in the back of his mind.
Maybe she wasn't telling him everything.
And tomorrow…
Adrian intended to find out why.