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Benedicta’s POV

I poured Merlin another glass of orange juice as he bit into his toast. His small hands fumbled to balance the slice, and I couldn’t help but smile. These quiet breakfasts with him had become my anchor amidst the storm that had engulfed our lives.

“Mom’s taking too long to come back,” Merlin said, his voice tinged with the innocence of a child.

I hesitated, setting my cup down. “She’ll be back soon,” I said softly, keeping my tone light. “She just had to travel for something important. But she’s coming back, Merlin. You’ll see her soon.”

He nodded reluctantly, his little face pensive as he focused on his plate. Watching him like this made my chest tighten. He deserved none of this chaos, none of the lies or danger that had seeped into our home. I wanted so badly to protect him from all of it, but the secrets we kept were growing heavier by the day.

Just as I reached for my coffee, the doorbell rang. My body stiffened instantly. Who could it be this early in the morning? I glanced at Merlin, who looked just as curious.

“Stay here, okay? I’ll check who it is,” I said quickly, rising from the table.

Walking toward the door, I took a calming breath before opening it. What I saw made my heart stop. A man stood there tall, broad-shouldered, with a cold, calculating gaze that sent shivers down my spine. He didn’t belong here, and I knew instantly that this wasn’t a casual visit.

“Who are you?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

His lips curved into a humorless smile. “I have a message from my boss,” he said smoothly, ignoring my question.

I instinctively turned slightly to glance at Merlin, who was craning his neck to see what was going on. My mind raced. Whatever this man wanted, I couldn’t let Merlin get dragged into it.

“What does your boss want?” I asked calmly, even though my heart was pounding in my chest.

The man held out a folded piece of paper. “This is an address,” he said. “You need to be there with the boy at the time written on it. If you’re late or don’t show up, you’ll never see Lia again.”

His words hit me like a punch to the gut, but I kept my expression neutral. I couldn’t afford to show weakness. “Understood,” I said, taking the paper from him.

The man’s smile widened slightly as if he was enjoying the power he held in this moment. Then, without another word, he turned and walked away, disappearing down the street.

The second the door closed, I reached for my phone and called Luca. My hands trembled as I dialed his number, but I managed to keep my voice steady when he picked up.

“Luca,” I said quickly, “a man just came to the house. He said he had a message from his boss and handed me an address. He wants me to bring Merlin there at a specific time. He threatened Lia.”

“I saw everything,” Luca replied, his voice calm but firm. “The security cameras caught it all. I’m already on my way.”

Relief flooded through me, but it was short-lived. The situation was far from over. “Thank you,” I said quietly before hanging up.

I turned back toward the dining room, where Merlin was still sitting at the table, looking up at me with wide, curious eyes. “Who was that?” he asked, his tone innocent but laced with concern.

I forced a smile, shoving the paper into my pocket. “Just someone dropping off a message,” I said casually, ruffling his hair as I walked past him.

“What kind of message?” he pressed, his curiosity unrelenting.

“Nothing important,” I said lightly, sitting back down at the table. “Now, finish your breakfast. You have a busy day ahead, young man.”

Merlin gave me a skeptical look but eventually returned to his toast. I watched him quietly, my mind racing as I tried to piece everything together.

The man’s visit was a clear warning. Whoever his boss was, they were escalating things, and Lia’s life hung in the balance. But Luca was already on it, and I trusted him to handle the situation.

For now, I needed to focus on keeping Merlin calm and safe. As I sat there, sipping my now-cold coffee, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of everything pressing down on me. Lia, Merlin, the lies we were all tangled in it was all spiraling out of control.

But no matter what, I wouldn’t let fear take over. I’d protect Merlin with everything I had, and I’d fight for Lia’s freedom. These people might think they could intimidate me, but they were wrong.

This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.

___

Luca’s POV

I had already sent a team to tail the man who had visited Benedicta's house. It was crucial not to lose him, especially after the threat he delivered to her. My instructions were clear follow his car, intercept him at a safe spot, and knock him out without drawing attention. There was no room for error.

The call from my team came just as I was nearing the safe house. "We’ve got him, boss," one of them confirmed. "He’s unconscious, and we’re heading to the designated location."

“Good,” I replied curtly. “Secure him there, and make sure no one knows what happened.”

Minutes later, I arrived at the location. The place was desolate, perfect for what I had planned. The man was already tied to a chair, slumped over, but breathing. My men stood guard, ensuring no interruptions.

Pulling out my phone, I called Jenny. Her voice came through after the second ring. “Luca, what’s going on?”

“I’ve got an update,” I said, pacing the dimly lit room. “The man who threatened Benedicta has been captured. I’m sending you and Bianca a picture now.”

I snapped a quick photo of the unconscious man, his face bruised from the struggle. “We’re going to use him as leverage against Dean,” I explained. “The only way to free Lia is to set Dean up. We need Alina to see him for the monster he really is.”

Jenny hesitated before replying, “And how do you plan to do that?”

“I’ll blackmail Dean,” I said firmly. “This guy is our key. I’ll make Dean think we’ve got information that could ruin him, and I’ll bait him into meeting me. Once we’re face-to-face, I’ll provoke him. Dean’s pride is his weakness he won’t be able to stop himself from saying too much.”

“And what if he doesn’t take the bait?” Bianca chimed in, having joined the call.

I smirked. “He will. He thinks he’s untouchable, but he won’t risk whatever he’s hiding getting out.”

I paused, looking at the man tied to the chair. “I’ll also have cameras set up at the meeting point. If Dean admits to anything anything at all I’ll send the footage to Alina anonymously. Once she sees the truth, Lia will be free.”

There was a brief silence on the other end before Bianca spoke. “It’s risky, but it might work. Just… be careful, Luca. Dean isn’t the type to go down without a fight.”

“I know,” I replied, my voice hard. “That’s why I need you and Jenny to keep an eye on Alina. If this goes south, she might try to protect Dean, even if she knows the truth.”

“We’ve got it covered,” Jenny assured me.

Ending the call, I turned back to the man. He was starting to stir, groaning softly as he regained consciousness. “Wake him up,” I ordered my men.

One of them splashed cold water on his face, jolting him fully awake. His eyes darted around the room in panic before landing on me.

“Who… who are you?” he stammered.

“Your worst nightmare if you don’t cooperate,” I said coldly, leaning in close. “You delivered a message to Benedicta. Now you’re going to deliver one for me.”

The man’s eyes widened, but I didn’t give him a chance to respond. I took another photo of him, making sure his bound hands were visible, and sent it directly to Dean. Along with the picture, I typed out a message:

“Meet me at the address below. You know what happens if you don’t.”

I included the location of an abandoned warehouse I’d scouted earlier. Dean wouldn’t dare ignore this.

As I hit send, I felt a surge of anticipation. This was the moment that could turn everything around. Dean had been untouchable for too long, but his arrogance would be his downfall.

Turning to my men, I gave them final instructions. “Keep this guy alive, but don’t let him out of your sight. If anything goes wrong, I’ll need him as insurance.”

One of them nodded. “Understood, boss.”

I stepped outside to wait for Dean’s response, the cool night air biting against my skin. The minutes dragged on, each one heavier than the last. Finally, my phone buzzed.

The message was brief but telling: “I’m on my way.”

A grim smile spread across my face. Everything was falling into place. Now it was up to me to see it through.

As I leaned against the hood of my car, I couldn’t help but think of Lia. She’d endured so much because of Dean’s lies and manipulations. She didn’t deserve this.

I clenched my fists, determination hardening my resolve. Today wasn’t just about setting her free it was about justice. Dean’s reign of terror was coming to an end, and I’d make sure of it.

For Lia. For Benedicta. For everyone, Dean had ever hurt.

And if he thought he could outsmart me, he was about to learn just how wrong he was.