Chapitre 47: Shadows Closing In
The mansion no longer felt like a sanctuary. Instead, its towering walls and dark corners seemed to mock me, offering no real protection. Maria's message had unsettled everyone, but most of all, Dante. His stoic demeanor had cracked ever so slightly, revealing the weight of the situation. He had tripled the security, issuing orders to his men to patrol every inch of the estate. Despite his outward calm, I could feel the storm brewing inside him.
I paced my room, and the image of the photograph burned into my mind. The idea that Maria had been so close—close enough to capture me in such a vulnerable moment—sent shivers down my spine. I clenched my fists, anger bubbling to the surface. No matter how much Dante tried to shield me, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched.
Footsteps echoed in the hallway outside my room. Light, deliberate steps that didn't belong to Dante or his men. Grabbing the dagger I kept under my pillow—a precaution Dante had insisted on—I moved toward the door.
I flung it open, the blade raised, only to come face-to-face with Marissa. She stumbled back, her hands flying up in surrender.
"Elizabeth!" she hissed. "What the hell?"
I lowered the dagger, exhaling sharply. "What are you doing sneaking around like that? I could've killed you."
Marissa glanced around nervously before stepping into the room and closing the door behind her.
"I needed to talk to you," she whispered, her eyes darting toward the corners of the room as if expecting someone to appear.
"About what?" I asked, crossing my arms.
She hesitated, chewing on her lip. "There's something you need to know. I think someone in the mansion is working with Maria."
Her words hung in the air like a thunderclap. I stared at her, trying to process the implications.
"You're sure?" I asked, my voice low.
Marissa nodded. "I've been watching. Some of Dante's men have been acting... off. And how else would Maria know so much about what's happening here?"
She wasn't wrong. Maria's ability to stay one step ahead of us suggested an insider feeding her information.
"Do you know who it is?" I asked.
"No," Marissa admitted, frustration evident in her voice. "But whoever it is, they're close. Too close."
I rubbed my temples, the weight of her words sinking in. "Dante needs to know."
Marissa placed a hand on my arm. "Be careful, Elizabeth. Don't trust anyone. Not even me."
Dante's Fury
The following morning, Dante called an emergency meeting in the dining hall. Every member of his staff and security team was present, their faces a mix of confusion and apprehension.
"There's a traitor among us," Dante announced, his voice cold and authoritative. His sharp gaze swept over the room, lingering on each person as if daring them to challenge him. "Someone here has been feeding information to Maria. And I will find out who it is."
The room fell silent, the tension palpable.
"Until the traitor is uncovered, no one leaves the estate," Dante continued. "Every call, every message, every movement will be monitored. If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear."
His men exchanged uneasy glances, their loyalty now under scrutiny. I stood at the back of the room, watching the scene unfold.
Dante dismissed everyone except his inner circle. I remained in the room, lingering near the door as he paced back and forth, his frustration evident.
"Do you think it's one of your men?" I asked cautiously.
"I don't want to believe it," he said, his voice tight. "But Maria's always been a step ahead. Someone's giving her access."
I hesitated before asking, "What about Marissa? Could it be her?"
Dante stopped pacing, his eyes narrowing. "Marissa has been with me for years. She's loyal."
"Loyalty can waver under the right circumstances," I pointed out gently.
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know. That's why I can't rule anyone out."
Secrets in the Dark
That night, I wandered the gardens, seeking a moment of calm amidst the chaos. The moonlight cast eerie shadows across the stone pathways, but the open space felt less suffocating than the mansion's walls.
As I sat on a bench beneath a sprawling oak tree, voices drifted through the stillness.
"…we can't risk it," a man whispered, his tone urgent.
"I know," another replied, equally tense. "But if he finds out, we're dead."
I held my breath, straining to hear more. The voices were familiar, but I couldn't place them. Slowly, I crept toward the source, staying hidden in the shadows.
"We'll stick to the plan," the first man said. "No mistakes."
Footsteps approached, and I ducked behind a bush as two figures emerged from the darkness. I couldn't see their faces, but their words echoed in my mind long after they disappeared.
The Confrontation
The next morning, I told Dante about what I'd overheard. He listened intently, his expression darkening with every word.
"Do you trust me to handle this?" he asked, his voice steady but cold.
"Always," I said, though the truth was far more complicated.
Later that day, Dante summoned the two men I'd overheard to his study. I stood outside, listening as he interrogated them.
"I know you've been talking behind my back," Dante said, his tone icy. "What's going on?"
One of the men stammered, clearly caught off guard. "W-we were just discussing the increased security, boss. Nothing more."
"Don't lie to me," Dante snapped. "I heard everything."
The room fell silent.
Finally, the second man spoke. "We're loyal to you, Dante. You know that."
"Prove it," Dante said.
A moment later, I heard the sound of a blade slicing through flesh. My stomach turned as I realized Dante had handed them a knife.
"Loyalty demands sacrifice," he said coldly. "If you can't make one, you don't belong here."
When the door opened, the two men walked past me, their faces pale and their hands wrapped in bloodied cloths.
Dante stepped out a moment later, his eyes meeting mine.
"Do you believe them?" I asked.
"No," he said, his voice low. "But they'll slip up eventually."
A Glimmer of Hope
That evening, Marissa came to Dante with new information. She placed a folder on his desk, her expression grim.
"These are Maria's recent transactions and communications," she explained. "I had to call in a few favors to get them."
Dante flipped through the documents, his eyes narrowing. "This could be the break we've been waiting for."
Marissa nodded. "If we act quickly, we can hit her where it hurts."
For the first time in days, I felt a spark of hope.
"We're going to end this," Dante said, his voice filled with determination.
And as I looked at him, I believed him.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone