The night had been long and sleepless, a haze of anger and frustration clouding my mind. 

As dawn broke, the weight of betrayal bore down on me like a suffocating shroud. 

I couldn't let it slide—not this time, not ever. 

Today, I was determined to uncover the truth. 

Someone had violated my sanctuary, and I would tear this house apart to find out who it was.

As I prepared to leave my room, a steely resolve settled over me. 

I entered the living room, instantly greeted by a mesmerizing  view.

He was wearing nothing but gray sweatpants, drinking smoothie from his glass tumbler.

His adam's apple bobbed as he gulped the liquid, standing right in front of the balcony as the delicate sunrays contoured his naked torso, and his sapphire eyes, making him look like the Greek god he is.

God, Eleanor, I envy you so fucking much!!!

His one hand delicately rests on the headrest of the sofa, as he leans forward, seeking interest in the news reel playing on the T.V.

And just like before, the world faded and it was only him and I, in the solitude.

Like he was the God and I was his diligent preacher, lost in his orbit.

This is exactly what loves does to you.

It kills you in its own way and sets your soul free to explore the euphoria.

"Lucien! Where is the pack of pimple patches I lend your day before yesterday.", a sharp voice reached me, cutting through Lucien's trance.

"In the wardrobe's third drawer from Perle's wedding gown display", he replied her.

Now that he was distracted from the news, he acknowledged me 

"Hey, Morning", I greeted him with a smile.

"Bonjour, Perle", he greeted me back.

"I heard there is a new breakfast place opened down the road. It's pretty famous among couples."

"Yeah I heard about it. I checked the reviews, they're good"

"Why don't you take Eleanor there today? You guys don't get to spend time together because of your work, you should treat her to a good place.", I told him that, feeling bitter as fuck.

"Sounds great, why don't you join us too?", he asked as he placed the tumbler on the kitchen counter.

"I already have plans and anyway, why third wheeling the couple?', I laughed. 

Fake.

"You should practice that laugh better, girl", Lady Moretti was back with her unwanted criticism. 

"I'll ask her." he smiled as her left the room.

Two quarters later, they left the house, with shinny smiles on their faces.

I called Alessio. 

My voice was sharp, commanding, as I gave him his orders. "Alessio, get the team together. We're searching the entire house. Every room, every corner. I want to know if there are more bugs—and who planted them."

Alessio didn't ask questions, didn't hesitate. "We'll be there in thirty minutes."

As I waited, pacing the length of my room, my mind raced. 

The mic I'd found hidden in Lucien's study was just the tip of the iceberg. 

Whoever had placed it there was still out there, watching, waiting for their next move. 

But they had underestimated me. 

I was Serafina Moretti—no one betrayed me and got away with it.

When Alessio and his team arrived, I led them through the house, pointing out areas that needed thorough inspection. 

"Leave no stone unturned," I instructed, my voice laced with fury. "This is my home, and someone has dared to violate it. I want every last trace of their betrayal found."

The team moved swiftly, efficiently, their years of experience evident in the way they handled the search. 

I followed them from room to room, my anger simmering just below the surface.

Each room we cleared without finding anything only fueled my rage further. 

This was supposed to be my safe haven, the one place I could trust. 

And now, that trust had been shattered.

We were nearing the end of our search when we entered Lucien and Eleanor's room. 

I had saved it for last, hoping that it would be clean—untouched by this filth. 

But as soon as we stepped inside, the tension in the air was palpable. Something was off.

The room was immaculate, everything in its place. 

But there was an undercurrent of unease that I couldn't shake. I watched as Alessio's men moved methodically, checking the usual spots—lamps, vents, under the bed. My heart pounded in my chest, a mix of dread and anticipation.

One of the men paused near a chest of drawers, his eyes narrowing. He bent down, inspecting the side of the chest closely. My breath caught as he pried away a small panel that had been seamlessly integrated into the furniture's design. There, hidden in a compartment so expertly concealed it was nearly invisible, was a small device.

Alessio retrieved it, holding it up for me to see. My blood ran cold. It was the controller—a sophisticated piece of technology, designed to monitor the bugs that had been scattered throughout the house.

"Lucien and Eleanor's room..." I whispered, my voice trembling with a mixture of disbelief and seething anger. 

My mind raced, trying to process the implications. 

Could they be involved? 

Was she herself involved?

Was this a sick joke? 

Or had someone else placed it here, using their room as cover?

"This wasn't placed here by accident," Alessio said, his voice grave. "Whoever did this knew exactly what they were doing."

I met his eyes, the weight of our discovery settling over me like a dark cloud. "Who would have access to this room besides us?"

"Only a few people," Alessio replied, his tone careful. "But trust can be misplaced."

The walls of the room seemed to close in on me as I grappled with the possibility that someone within our circle—someone we trusted—could be the betrayer. 

My mind reeled as I tried to piece it together. Lucien... Eleanor... Was it possible? Or were they being framed?

"We can't jump to conclusions," I said, my voice steely. "But we also can't ignore this. Whoever planted this controller is playing a dangerous game. 

We need to keep this quiet until we know more."

Alessio nodded, slipping the controller into a secure bag. "We'll continue the search, see if there's anything else. But Serafina, this changes everything. We need to be ready for whatever comes next."

As his team resumed their work, I stood in the doorway, my fists clenched at my sides. 

This was more than just a breach of security—it was personal. 

Whoever was behind this wanted to tear us apart from the inside, and they were succeeding. 

But they had made one critical mistake. They thought they could outsmart me. They were wrong.

My mind raced with possibilities, each one more sinister than the last. The controller had been found in Lucien and Eleanor's room—was it planted there to throw suspicion on them? 

Or were they somehow involved? The questions gnawed at me, each one tightening the knot of anger and betrayal in my chest.

"I want to know who did this," I said, my voice low and dangerous. "I don't care what it takes, or how deep we have to dig. Find them."

Alessio met my gaze, his expression serious. "We will, Serafina. And when we do..."

"When we do," I interrupted, my voice cold as ice, "there will be no mercy."

The rest of the day passed in a blur of tension and fury. 

The search continued, but my mind was elsewhere, consumed by the discovery in Lucien and Eleanor's room. 

I replayed the events in my head over and over, trying to make sense of it all. 

But the more I thought about it, the angrier I became.

How could I have let this happen? How could I have been so blind? 

Someone had betrayed us, and I had been too caught up in my own pain and anger to see it. 

But not anymore. Now, I was wide awake, and I was ready to take back control.

As the day drew to a close, the house was silent, the search complete. 

We had found a few more bugs scattered throughout the house, but nothing as damning as the controller. 

Still, it was enough to confirm my suspicions—someone close to us was the enemy, and they were playing a dangerous game.

Standing alone in the middle of Lucien and Eleanor's room, I let the anger wash over me, fueling the fire that burned in my chest. 

This wasn't over—not by a long shot. I would find out who was behind this, and when I did, they would pay dearly.

I walked out of the room, the door closing with a soft click behind me. 

The house was quiet, the team gone, but the tension remained, a heavy weight in the air. 

This was my home, my sanctuary, and I would defend it with everything I had.

I called Alessio to my side as I walked through the hallway, my heels clicking against the marble floor with purpose. "We're not just going to remove the bugs," I said, my voice firm. "We're going to use them."

Alessio's eyes flickered with understanding. "You want to replant them?"

"Exactly. But this time, we'll be the ones listening." I stopped at the base of the grand staircase and turned to face him. "I want cameras and listening devices installed in every room. The old bugs go back exactly where we found them. Whoever's watching us will think they're still in control. But we'll be two steps ahead."

Alessio nodded, already pulling out his phone to relay the instructions to his team. "Consider it done."

We moved quickly, working with the kind of efficiency that only comes from years of dealing with threats. 

Alessio's men were discreet, installing the new cameras and listening devices without a trace. 

The old bugs were carefully repositioned, placed back in their original locations, their signals now feeding directly into our system.

As I supervised the installation, my mind raced. 

Every camera, every microphone was another layer of security, another step closer to uncovering the truth. 

But there was also a sense of unease—a realization that this was just the beginning. The real battle was yet to come.

Hours later, as the last device was secured, I took a deep breath, surveying the work. The house was once again mine, but in a different way. 

It was a fortress now, a web of surveillance designed to catch our enemies in their own trap.

But as I stood there, the realization hit me like a punch to the gut—this wasn't just about the bugs, or the controller, or even the betrayal. 

This was about trust—trust that had been shattered, not just by the discovery of the bugs, but by everything that had happened.

And now, that trust was hanging by a thread, ready to snap at any moment.

Alessio approached, his expression unreadable. "Everything's in place. We'll monitor the feeds around the clock."

"No," I replied, my voice steady. "I want to monitor the feed myself. Make sure no one else has excess to the feed."

There are cameras even in Lucien's bedroom, if they see him with Eleanor... probably fucking,  every thing will be screwed.

He nodded, but there was a question in his eyes. "Serafina... if any among the French is involved, what then?"

I met his gaze, the fire in my chest burning hotter. "Then they'll learn the hard way what happens when you betray a Moretti."

I needed to be smart, to play this game with the precision and ruthlessness that had been drilled into me since birth.

But I wasn't ready to give up—not yet. 

I would fight for this, for us, for everything we had built together. 

And I would start by finding out who had betrayed us, and why.

Returning to my room, I closed the door behind me, the soft click echoing in the silence. The room was dark, the shadows long and unforgiving. 

I stood there for a moment, letting the darkness envelop me, feeling the weight of my decisions. 

This was the world I had been born into—a world of power, loyalty, and betrayal. And now, it was time to take control.

I walked over to the window, staring out into the night. The city lights flickered in the distance, oblivious to the war brewing within these walls. 

Tomorrow, everything would seem normal. But beneath the surface, the game had already begun.

And I was ready to play.