CHAPTER 3 — The File That Should Never Have Existed
Emily froze.
The cold muzzle of a silenced pistol was only inches from her forehead.
Standing before her was Dante Russo—Vincent DeLuca's most trusted bodyguard.
For fifteen years, Dante had never once failed his boss.
His expression remained calm.
"Step away from the file."
Emily slowly raised her hands.
"I wasn't stealing anything."
"You've already seen too much."
The room fell silent.
Then another voice echoed from the hallway.
"Lower your weapon."
Vincent.
Dante immediately obeyed.
Without another word, he holstered the pistol and walked away.
Emily looked from Dante to Vincent.
"Why would your own bodyguard threaten me?"
Vincent glanced at the scattered documents across the floor.
Because he recognized the file she had almost finished reading.
Project Phoenix.
The one secret he had sworn never to uncover.
Emily picked up the old photograph.
The little girl in the picture looked exactly like her.
Five years old.
Standing in front of a burning mansion.
Behind the child...
A man in a black suit carried another crying baby into a waiting limousine.
"What is Project Phoenix?"
Vincent's face darkened.
"I don't know."
Emily laughed bitterly.
"That's a lie."
For the first time...
The fearless mafia boss couldn't look her in the eyes.
That night Vincent secretly ordered Dante...
"Find every surviving file connected to Project Phoenix."
Dante hesitated.
"Boss..."
"Those files disappeared twenty years ago."
"Find them."
"And if someone else already has them..."
"...bring them to me before Emily does."
Miles away...
Marco DeLuca watched security footage from inside Vincent's mansion.
Emily opening the archive...
Vincent protecting her...
Everything had gone exactly according to plan.
Marco smiled.
"Curiosity is more dangerous than bullets."
One of his men asked quietly,
"Should we kill her now?"
Marco shook his head.
"No."
"She's opening doors that even Vincent doesn't know exist."
He placed another photograph on the table.
This one showed two newborn babies.
One wore a silver bracelet.
The other wore gold.
Someone had written only three words across the back.
"Switch them tonight."
The next morning...
Emily quietly packed her suitcase.
She couldn't trust Vincent anymore.
Every answer he gave created ten more questions.
As she walked through the mansion gate...
A little flower girl ran toward her.
"Miss Emily!"
The child handed her a folded note.
"My daddy said to give this only to you."
Emily unfolded it.
Inside was only one sentence.
If Vincent discovers who you really are... you'll both die.
No signature.
No explanation.
Just those terrifying words.
Before Emily could react...
A black van sped toward the mansion.
Its doors burst open.
Masked gunmen jumped out firing automatic rifles.
The peaceful morning exploded into chaos.
Vincent threw himself in front of Emily.
Glass shattered.
Bullets ripped through marble columns.
One gunman shouted,
"Forget the boss!"
"Take the girl alive!"
Emily's heart stopped.
They weren't here to kill Vincent.
They had come...
May you like
For her.
END OF CHAPTER 3
