The Mafia Boss Brought His Secretary as His Fake Date—Then Got Jealous When Every Man Wanted Her
Chapter 4
Elena waited until she reached the private hallway before confronting Adrian.
He was standing beside a window, speaking quietly with one of his security men.
The moment he saw her, his expression hardened.
“You weren’t supposed to leave the ballroom.”
“I found this.”
She handed him the note.
He read it.
The color drained from his face.
“Where did you get this?”
“On the floor.”
“Who saw you pick it up?”
“I don’t know.”
Adrian crushed the paper in his fist.
“What?”
He looked at her.
“You need to leave.”
“Now?”
“Yes.”
“I want answers.”
“You’ll get them later.”
“You just told me to trust you.”
His jaw tightened.
“Elena, this isn’t a game anymore.”
“It stopped being a game when you brought me here.”
Adrian looked away.
Then he said something she had never expected.
“Your father wasn’t killed in a car accident.”
She froze.
“What?”
“I knew your father.”
The hallway seemed to disappear.
“You knew my father?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“He worked for my family.”
Elena stared at him.
“My father was an accountant.”
“He was more than that.”
Her breathing became shallow.
“What are you saying?”
“He found evidence that someone inside the organization was stealing money.”
“And?”
“He tried to expose it.”
Elena’s voice shook.
“What happened?”
Adrian was silent.
“Tell me.”
“He disappeared.”
“You said he died.”
“I was told he died.”
She stepped back.
“You’re saying you don’t know?”
“I know he vanished.”
“Then why did you let me believe he was dead?”
“Because I was trying to protect you.”
“From what?”
“From the people who made him disappear.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“You’ve known this for three years?”
“Yes.”
“And you never told me?”
“I didn’t know who I could trust.”
She laughed bitterly.
“So you trusted me with your company, your schedules, your money—but not the truth about my own father?”
Adrian looked devastated for the first time.
“I trusted you more than anyone.”
“Then why?”
“Because every person I’ve ever loved became a weakness someone could use against me.”
Elena fell silent.
It was the most honest thing he had ever said.
Adrian stepped closer.
“I couldn’t let them use you.”
She wiped away a tear.
“Who is them?”
Before he could answer, the lights flickered.
His security team immediately became alert.
A gunshot echoed through the hallway.
Adrian grabbed Elena and pulled her against the wall.
Another shot shattered a window.
Glass exploded across the floor.
Adrian covered her body with his.
“Stay down.”
She heard shouting.
Footsteps.
Then silence.
Adrian slowly lifted his head.
“You’re hurt.”
“No.”
A thin line of blood ran down his hand.
“You are.”
“I said I’m fine.”
She reached for him.
He caught her wrist.
“Don’t.”
“Adrian.”
His eyes softened.
“I’m fine.”
Then he looked at the broken window.
“This wasn’t meant for me.”
Elena’s heart sank.
“Then who?”
He looked at her.
“You.”
She swallowed.
“Why?”
He didn’t answer.
Instead, he took her hand.
“We’re leaving.”
They moved through a private exit and entered a waiting car.
For several minutes neither spoke.
Then Elena noticed Adrian staring at her.
“What?”
“I should never have brought you.”
“You didn’t know this would happen.”
“Yes, I did.”
She frowned.
“What do you mean?”
Adrian looked out the window.
“I knew something was coming.”
“Then why take me?”
His voice was barely above a whisper.
“Because I couldn’t stand the idea of facing it without you.”
Elena stared at him.
That wasn’t the answer she had expected.
And neither of them noticed the black sedan that had been following them from three cars behind.
