Chapter 16 - The Shadow in the GardenSpring begins to melt the heavy winter snow blanketing the Venturi estate, revealing vibrant green lawns and budding flower beds. It is late evening, and the sprawling gardens are illuminated by soft architectural uplighting.
Felix and Theo are fast asleep upstairs, exhausted from a full day of playing soccer on the back lawn with Elena. Luciano sits alone in his ground-floor study, reviewing architectural blue prints for the new wing of the estate—a wing dedicated entirely to family quarters rather than fortified security checkpoints.
Suddenly, the motion-sensor floodlights near the eastern rose garden flare to life, bathing the manicured hedges in brilliant white light.
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Luciano stops writing. His eyes narrow as he watches the live security monitor. A single figure is standing motionless among the rose bushes, hooded and cloaked, staring directly up at the study window.
Without hesitation, Luciano pulls his sidearm from the hidden desk holster, clicks off the safety, and steps out through the French doors into the cool night air.
