The alarm's shrill cry shattered the fragile calm.
Leonardo was on his feet before Amira could speak, his movements fast and precise.
"Stay here," he ordered, snatching the gun from the drawer beside the desk.
Amira rose too, her pulse pounding in her ears. "No — not this time. I'm not hiding while you fight your own battles."
Their eyes met — hers blazing with fear and defiance, his shadowed by something unspoken.
"Amira," he said sharply, "I'm not losing you again."
"Then don't make me watch you die," she shot back.
The sound of footsteps echoed from the hallway — heavy, coordinated, professional.
Leonardo's expression hardened. "They're already inside."
He moved toward the door, but Amira grabbed his arm. "Leonardo—"
Before she could finish, the lights flickered, then went out. Darkness swallowed the room.
⸻
Only the faint glow of the computer screens lit Leonardo's face. His voice dropped to a whisper.
"They've cut the main power."
"Then how—"
"The generator's in the east wing. If they control it, they control everything."
A low hum crackled through the intercom — then a voice, smooth and venomous, filled the air.
"Leonardo DeLuca. Always two steps ahead… until tonight."
Amira froze. The voice was unmistakable — deep, confident, and cruelly amused.
"Victor Lang," Leonardo muttered. "I should've known."
Amira frowned. "The vice chairman?"
Leonardo's eyes darkened. "The board's real puppet master. He's the one who ordered the hit."
Victor's laughter rolled through the speakers.
"Your father was a dreamer, Leonardo. But you? You're a problem. You dig too deep, trust too easily, and now — you've dragged your bride into a war she doesn't understand."
Amira clenched her fists. "He's wrong," she whispered. "I understand perfectly."
Leonardo's hand brushed hers — a silent warning to stay quiet.
"Victor," he called out. "You've made your move. What do you want?"
"Simple," Victor replied. "The drive. Hand it over, and maybe I'll let you keep your empire."
Leonardo smirked. "You've never been one for mercy."
"No," Victor said, the intercom crackling. "But I enjoy watching kings fall."
The line went dead.
⸻
Gunfire shattered the glass of the study windows.
Amira ducked, her hands covering her head as shards rained down. Leonardo fired back — two quick shots — then grabbed her wrist.
"Move!"
They raced through the side corridor, Leonardo leading her toward the mansion's service wing.
The air reeked of gunpowder and smoke. Somewhere behind them, Marcus's voice barked orders.
"North corridor secure! Fall back to the vault!"
Amira's chest burned as they ran. "Marcus—he's still here?"
Leonardo nodded grimly. "He knew they'd come. He stayed to fight."
They burst into the east wing — dimly lit by emergency lights. The marble floor was slick with rainwater blowing through shattered windows. Thunder rolled outside like cannon fire.
"Leonardo," Amira gasped, clutching the wall. "We can't win this!"
He turned, gripping her shoulders. "We don't have to win. We just have to survive."
⸻
They reached the generator room — a maze of pipes, humming metal, and blinking lights.
Marcus stood guard by the door, his shirt soaked in blood.
"About time," he growled. "They're surrounding the east wing."
Leonardo checked his gun. "How many?"
"Too many," Marcus said. "But I planted charges in the west corridor. It'll slow them down."
Amira looked between them, her voice trembling. "Charges? You're blowing up part of the house?"
Marcus smirked weakly. "Just a distraction, princess."
Leonardo moved to the control panel, typing fast. "I can reroute the security system. Lock down the rest of the mansion."
The monitors flickered — then a message flashed across the screen: SYSTEM OVERRIDE – ACCESS DENIED.
Victor's face appeared on the nearest monitor, smirking.
"Nice try, Leonardo. But this castle isn't yours anymore."
Then, the screens went black.
Marcus cursed. "He's hacked the system."
Amira stepped closer. "Then we take it back."
Leonardo turned to her, surprised. "You?"
She pointed to the terminal. "Your father's archives — you said they're still in the network backup, right? If I can access them, maybe I can reboot manually."
Marcus raised an eyebrow. "You know coding?"
"Law wasn't the only thing I studied," she snapped. "Move."
⸻
For tense minutes, the room was filled with the rapid click of keys and the thunder outside.
Sweat beaded on Amira's brow as she worked, bypassing firewalls she didn't even fully understand. Every alert, every flashing red line, felt like a heartbeat counting down.
Leonardo paced behind her, gun ready. "They're closing in."
"I need thirty more seconds," Amira said through clenched teeth.
"You have ten."
"Then start praying," she muttered.
A loud beep cut through the tension — then the screens flickered to green.
SECURITY SYSTEM RESTORED – MANUAL CONTROL ENABLED
Amira exhaled shakily. "Got it."
Leonardo blinked at her, a ghost of pride flashing in his eyes. "Remind me never to underestimate you again."
"You already did," she shot back.
⸻
Marcus burst through the doorway, firing two shots behind him. "They're in the hallway! Move!"
Leonardo grabbed the hard drive from the table. "We take the underground tunnel. It leads to the docks."
Amira followed, her heart pounding as the gunfire echoed behind them.
They ran through the narrow service corridors, the walls trembling from distant explosions.
Marcus led the way, limping slightly. "Once we reach the tunnel, we split. I'll cover your exit."
Leonardo shook his head. "We all go."
Marcus stopped, turning to face him. "You don't get it — they'll follow my signal. If I stay, you get ten minutes head start."
Amira's eyes widened. "No. You can't—"
Marcus grinned, a tired, crooked grin. "Don't make it sound like a funeral, sweetheart. Just make it worth it."
Before Leonardo could reply, Marcus shoved him toward the tunnel entrance. "Go!"
Gunfire roared as the door slammed shut between them.
⸻
They ran.
The tunnel was long, damp, and cold. The sound of their footsteps echoed like thunder.
Leonardo held her hand tight, his breath harsh in the darkness.
Above them, the world burned — glass shattering, walls crumbling, secrets dying in flames.
"Leonardo," Amira whispered. "If we survive this… what happens then?"
He glanced at her, the faint emergency light catching the scar on his jaw. "Then we start over."
"Together?"
He stopped walking, turning fully toward her. "If you'll still have me."
She stared into his eyes — the same eyes that had once lied, betrayed, and protected her all in one breath.
"I don't forgive you," she whispered. "Not yet."
"I don't deserve it," he admitted.
"But I'm not leaving," she finished.
Leonardo's hand tightened around hers. "That's enough."
⸻
They reached the dock — the air thick with fog and the smell of salt. A speedboat waited, engine humming softly.
Leonardo helped her aboard, then turned back toward the mansion.
Flames licked the night sky behind them. Sirens wailed in the distance.
Amira looked at him, her voice barely above a whisper. "Marcus… do you think he made it?"
Leonardo didn't answer. His jaw tightened as he steered the boat away from shore.
In the reflection of the burning mansion, Amira saw the truth — Marcus's sacrifice wasn't just strategy. It was redemption.
⸻
As they drifted into open water, the wind whipped through Amira's hair. She turned toward Leonardo, her expression unreadable.
"We have the evidence," she said. "Now what?"
Leonardo's eyes stayed fixed on the horizon. "Now… we take down the board. One by one."
Her heart pounded. "You mean go public?"
He shook his head. "No. Public exposure won't destroy them. They'll bury it with money and silence. We dismantle them from the inside."
Amira studied him quietly. "Then you'll need me. Because if I'm truly my father's daughter… I know how they think."
Leonardo glanced at her — and for the first time since the vault, a dangerous smile curved his lips.
"Then let's build a new empire on their ashes."
The boat vanished into the fog, leaving behind nothing but smoke, secrets, and a promise of vengeance reborn.