It was noon when Adrian finally reached the university. The long drive from Milan had been quiet. Tall iron gates opened slowly as the car rolled into the campus grounds, revealing the elegant buildings of the prestigious law school. Students walked across the courtyard carrying books and laptops. Conversations and laughter floated through the air. It looked like any normal afternoon in a school environment.
The black car came to a stop near the dormitory building.
The driver stepped out first. Enzo and John exited the vehicle a moment later, their movements sharp and alert as their eyes scanned the surroundings. Both men were part of Lucian's security detail—silent, professional, and always watching. Adrian stepped out last, the moment his shoes touched the pavement, he inhaled slowly. The air sure smelled different here. But he knew everything was far from normal. The men around him were proof of that. He adjusted the strap of his bag and started walking toward the dorm entrance.
Enzo and John followed closely behind him. They had barely taken five steps when it happened. BOOM. The world exploded behind them. The blast was deafening. The black car erupted into flames, the explosion sending metal and glass flying through the air like deadly rain. Enzo reacted instantly. "Down!" Both men moved at the same time.
Enzo grabbed Adrian's shoulder and forced him toward the ground while John stepped in front of them, shielding him with his body as debris rained across the pavement.
Students screamed, people scattered in every direction, smoke and fire filled the courtyard. For a moment Adrian's ears rang so loudly he couldn't hear anything else. His heart hammered violently in his chest.The heat of the flames licked at the air behind them. Not even in his wildest dreams had Adrian imagined something like this would happen to him on such a normal day.
Then slowly…the ringing faded. Adrian pushed himself upright, breathing heavily, his dark eyes widened. Enzo and John were already scanning the area again, their eyes sharp and alert. "No secondary explosion," John muttered and enzo nodded once. But Adrian was still staring at the burning wreckage of the car. He was shaken. A little terrified.. They would be dead if they had even for another minute sat in the car. His sister, his dreams his life would have disappeared all at once. The thought made him shiver in fear.
But it didn't take long for his mind to calm down and analyze the situation. Adrian had always been intelligent. Very intelligent. Pieces began fitting together in his head, like puzzles.
Mr. Moretti was the most feared and wealthiest man in Milan. and men like him didn't do clean money all the way. Powerful men with guns works for him, The way Elena had been held in the mansion for just knowing something she shouldn't have and being protected. The way they restricted him from talking to his sister the whole time was probably because of his life might end up being in danger. The secrecy, tension and now this. The whole situation just confirmed his suspension. Somehow, he and his sister had become part of the mafia world. The thought alone was terrible, terrifying and exhausting.
Adrian slowly exhaled dusting his body " whoever this person is, they're sending a message," he said quietly running his hands through his hair. A habit the siblings had whenever they were angry, upset, frustrated, or extremely confused. Enzo looked at him briefly. Adrian's eyes were calm now. "from what I can see, they weren't trying to kill me." John frowned slightly. "Why do you say that?"
Adrian glanced at the flaming wreckage again, his hand right had gripping the strap of this bag. "If they wanted me dead, they could have set if the bomb while we were still in the car," he said calmly. He looked toward the destroyed car. "That explosion happened after we stepped away."
Enzo and John exchanged a glance. Surprised at how easily he figured out the whole things. The boy was right.
Adrian ran a hand through his hair slowly. "I don't know what all this is about but I do know one thing..." he paused before adding "They want to remind us we're not safe."
His mind moved quickly again. This was someone powerful enough to challenge Lucian Moretti. Someone reckless enough to attack and give a big threat openly.
Adrian didn't know who or why but he understood the situation now and it made one thing very clear. His sister was in the middle of something far bigger and dangerous than he had imagined.
Enzo spoke into his phone. "Escort confirmed," he said shortly. "Proceeding to dormitory." He looked toward Adrian. "Let's move."
The three of them walked quickly toward the dorm building as campus security and emergency vehicles began rushing toward the explosion site. The chaos had begun to settle but the aftermath had made student and mostly Adrian on alert. Students stared as they passed. Adrian could still feel the heat of the blast behind him. But his mind was already moving forward. Planning, calculating trying to understand the enemy.
One day, he would become the country's most feared and respected lawyer and put all these pieces of shit behind bars for the rest of their rotten lives.
At The Moretti Headquarters — Milan
Lucian's office was silent. Massive windows overlooked the city skyline of Milan, but the heavy curtains were partially drawn, leaving the room dim.
Lucian sat behind his desk, reading a document, dante stood near the window, arms crossed. Marco leaned against the wall scrolling through something on his phone.
Then Lucian's phone rang. He answered immediately. "Yes." his voice was low.
Enzo's voice came through the line. "Sir. Adrian reached the university safely." Lucian remained silent. Then Enzo continued. "There was an explosion." The temperature in the room dropped, the air went still for a moment. Dante's head snapped toward Lucian. Marco straightened. Lucian didn't interrupt. "It happened moments after we exited the vehicle," Enzo explained. "The car detonated in the parking area."
Silence filled the office. The whole time Lucian didn't say anything. Then slowly… he stood. The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees. Dante and marco knew that look. Lucian's expression had gone completely still but it couldn't hid the storm brewing beneath this dark eye that had become darker.
"Adrian?" His voice was extremely calm for someone who looked ready to burn the entire room down.
"he's unharmed," Enzo replied. "We've escorted him to the dormitory."
Lucian's fingers tightened slightly around the phone. "Stay with him," he said quietly.
"Yes, sir."
The call ended.
Lucian lowered the phone slowly. The silence that followed felt suffocating.
Dante spoke first. "Caruso?" his voice was rough.
Lucian didn't answer but the look in his eyes was enough.
Marco pushed himself away from the wall. "Well," he muttered. "That escalated quickly."
Lucian walked toward the door. "call everyone to the archive room," he said. Dante and Marco followed immediately. Matteo has already texted everyone.
The Archive Room.
The heavy door closed behind them with a solid thud. The room felt different now, the tension in the room could be cut with a knife. Maps were already spread across the massive table in the center of the room. Red markings circled several northern territories.
Sofia arrived moments later, followed by Marco and several trusted men of the Moretti family. Elena was already seated at the table. She looked up when Lucian entered. Something about the room felt… colder.
Lucian walked straight to the head of the table. His gaze swept across the room. It was sharp and terrifying. "Report." his voice cutting through.
Matteo stepped forward. "Our scouts confirmed movement confirmed movement in the northern territories," he began.
"Elaborate," Lucian said.
Matteo tapped a tablet and projected several photos across the table. "Alessandro has been making alliances," Matteo said. Marco scoffed. "Cowards." Matteo continued. "He's recruiting smaller families who already hate us. Ricci. The Bellini. Santoro and Romano." Matteo frowned slightly. "That's bold."
"Or stupid." Dante added he frowned wondering why they want to commit suicide.
Lucian's eyes remained on the map. "Torino," Mateo continued, pointing to a marked city. "That's where his forces are gathering."
Sofia crossed her arms slightly, her green eyes narrowed slightly. "If they combine their forces," she said calmly, "it won't just be raids anymore."
"it would be war," Dante finished.
The word settled heavily in the room. Lucian finally leaned back in his chair. Lucian's gaze remained fixed on the map. The room was still buzzing with tension, anticipation thick in the air.
Dante leaned forward slightly, resting his hands on the table. "So when do we move?" Silence followed.
Lucian didn't answer immediately. Instead, his fingers tapped once… twice… against the edge of the table. Slow. Measured. "We will proceed in three months." The words landed heavily.