Chapter 5 - The Unseen Enemy
The peace was a lie, and they all knew it.
The criminal underworld didn't like it when a Romano started changing. They saw Vincent’s shift toward family as a weakness, a shift in power. They began testing the borders, probing for vulnerabilities.
There were threats on the phone. There were black cars parked outside the estate, their engines idling for hours.
Ruby realized that the mansion was no longer a home; it was a target.
One day, while playing in the garden with Leo, she saw a red dot dance across the patio. She didn't think; she grabbed Leo and dove behind the stone fountain just as a shot rang out, shattering the glass doors of the library.
The estate went into lockdown immediately. Security flooded the grounds. Vincent came running, his face a mask of primal fury.
He found them huddled in the basement, Leo sobbing, Ruby shielding him with her own body.
“Get the medic!” Vincent roared, checking them for injuries.
“We’re okay,” Ruby gasped, her lungs burning. “They were aiming for you, Vincent. But they hit the glass.”
Vincent looked at her, his eyes raw. “You should have left when you had the chance. I told you this wasn't a safe place.”
“I’m not leaving Leo,” she said, her voice firm.
“Why?” Vincent asked, his voice cracking. “Why do you stay for a life like this?”
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Ruby looked at Leo, then at the man who was terrified of losing the only thing he had left.
“Because,” she said, “someone has to be the light.”
