Chapter 9 - THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT
Two nights later, the Moretti estate lost power.
The security system switched to backup.
Marco immediately contacted Gabriel.
“Possible deliberate interruption.”
Gabriel was in the library with Emma.
Sophie was upstairs.
Gabriel stood.
“Get Sophie.”
Marco nodded.
Emma followed him into the hallway.
“What's happening?”
“We don't know yet.”
Then a crash sounded from the upper floor.
Emma's heart stopped.
“Sophie.”
She ran.
Gabriel followed.
Upstairs, they found Sophie standing near her bedroom door.
A broken vase lay on the carpet.
She was trembling.
Emma crouched.
What happened?
Sophie signed quickly.
Man at the window.
Emma looked toward the curtains.
The window was open.
Rain blew inside.
Gabriel's face hardened.
He called Marco.
“Secure the grounds. Contact the police.”
Sophie grabbed Emma's arm.
He wanted the book.
Emma froze.
Gabriel looked at his daughter.
“What?”
Emma translated.
Sophie signed again.
He said Uncle Vincent wants it.
Gabriel stared.
Then closed his eyes.
He had spent years believing danger came from outside his family.
Now it had entered through the window of his daughter's bedroom.
Police arrived.
The grounds were searched.
Security footage was preserved.
No one was injured.
But the incident confirmed that someone was trying to recover Isabella's notebook.
That night, Sophie refused to sleep alone.
Emma sat beside her until she drifted off.
Gabriel stood in the doorway.
“Thank you,” he whispered.
Emma looked up.
“For what?”
“For staying.”
She smiled sadly.
“She's frightened.”
Gabriel nodded.
“So am I.”
Emma studied him.
For the first time, the feared Gabriel Moretti looked like an ordinary father.
Terrified of losing the person he loved most.
She stood.
“You don't have to do everything alone.”
Gabriel looked at her.
For a long moment, neither moved.
May you like
Then he reached for her hand.
And she let him hold it.
