The room went completely silent.
Rain continued to pour outside, the sound tapping against the broken windows like restless fingers.
Adrian froze where he stood.
His hand was still halfway raised toward Marco's.
But now…
He slowly lowered it.
Because the men who had just stormed into the house were not normal visitors.
There were five of them.
All wearing dark clothes.
All carrying guns.
And all staring directly at him.
Adrian's chest tightened instantly.
His breathing became shallow.
He knew that look.
He had seen it before.
The look people had when they thought he was something they owned.
The man standing in front of the group was tall and broad-shouldered, with a scar cutting across his eyebrow. He stepped forward slowly, his boots heavy against the wooden floor.
"Well," he said with a crooked smile.
"This saves us a lot of trouble."
Marco's eyes narrowed.
Dante had already moved slightly in front of Adrian.
Not obviously.
But enough.
"Who are you?" Marco asked calmly.
The scarred man laughed.
"You don't need to know."
His gaze shifted to Adrian again.
"But we know exactly who that kid is."
Adrian instinctively took a step backward.
Dante noticed.
His jaw tightened.
The man tilted his head slightly.
"Been looking for you, kid."
Adrian's heart slammed against his ribs.
Looking for him?
Why?
The foster father suddenly scrambled up from the floor.
"Hey!" he shouted angrily. "This is my house!"
No one even looked at him.
The woman beside him was already backing away toward the kitchen.
The scarred man waved his hand lazily.
"Grab the boy."
Everything happened at once.
Two of the men stepped forward.
The moment they raised their weapons—
Dante moved.
The sound of his gun being drawn was almost silent.
But the effect was immediate.
"Take another step," Dante said coldly.
"…and you die."
The two men froze.
Marco slowly pulled out his own gun.
His voice was calm.
"You picked the wrong house tonight."
The scarred man's smile faded slightly.
He studied the two brothers more carefully now.
Their posture.
Their confidence.
The way they stood without fear despite being outnumbered.
Then something flickered in his eyes.
Recognition.
"…Well, well," he muttered.
"You're De Lucas."
The name hung in the air like a loaded weapon.
Behind them, Adrian felt his stomach twist.
De Luca.
They had said that name earlier too.
Marco didn't react.
But Dante's expression turned darker.
"If you know who we are," Marco said quietly, "then you also know this ends badly for you."
The man sighed dramatically.
"Normally, yeah."
He slowly pulled out his own gun.
"But tonight isn't normal."
Adrian's heart pounded louder.
The room suddenly felt too small.
Too dangerous.
Marco spoke again.
"Who sent you?"
The man chuckled.
"You really think I'd tell you that?"
Dante's patience was already gone.
"Wrong answer."
A gunshot exploded through the house.
The sound made Adrian jump violently.
The scarred man's gun flew out of his hand.
Dante had shot it.
The metal weapon skidded across the floor.
For a split second…
Everyone froze.
Then chaos erupted.
Another gunshot.
Glass shattered.
One of the armed men lunged forward.
Marco grabbed Adrian instantly and pulled him behind the couch.
"Stay down!" Marco ordered.
Adrian dropped to the floor immediately.
His heart was racing so fast he thought he might faint.
Gunshots echoed through the small house.
The foster parents screamed and ran into another room.
Furniture crashed.
The smell of gunpowder filled the air.
Adrian covered his ears.
He had never heard gunfire this close before.
His body trembled uncontrollably.
Then suddenly—
Silence.
The shooting stopped.
Adrian slowly lifted his head.
Marco was standing over him.
Still holding his gun.
His breathing steady.
Across the room, two of the attackers lay on the ground groaning in pain.
Another had fled through the door.
The scarred man was on his knees, Dante holding him by the collar.
Dante slammed him against the wall.
"Who sent you?" he demanded.
Blood trickled from the man's lip.
But he laughed.
"You're already too late."
Dante's grip tightened.
"What does that mean?"
The man's eyes shifted toward Adrian.
Something dark gleamed in them.
"Didn't anyone tell you?"
Marco felt a chill run down his spine.
"Tell us what?"
The man leaned his head back against the wall.
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"That kid…"
"…has a price on his head."
Adrian felt the words hit him like ice water.
Price?
On his head?
Marco's eyes darkened dangerously.
"Explain."
The man smirked.
"Someone powerful doesn't want him alive."
Dante slammed him into the wall again.
"Who?"
But the man only laughed harder.
"You really think I'd betray my employer?"
Dante raised his gun.
The barrel pressed against the man's forehead.
"You have three seconds."
The man's smile slowly faded.
But then…
He started laughing again.
Because in the distance…
Sirens began to wail.
Police.
Marco cursed under his breath.
Someone must have reported the gunshots.
They didn't have time for this.
Marco turned toward Adrian.
The boy was still crouched behind the couch.
His face pale.
His hands shaking.
Marco knelt down in front of him.
"Adrian."
The boy looked up slowly.
His eyes were wide with fear.
"We have to leave."
Adrian hesitated.
His gaze shifted toward the hallway.
Toward the only home he remembered.
Marco followed his gaze.
Then he spoke softly.
"You heard what he said."
Adrian's chest tightened.
Someone wanted him dead.
Why?
Marco stood and offered his hand again.
"This time," he said quietly.
"Don't hesitate."
Adrian stared at the hand.
Rain continued pouring outside.
Police sirens were getting closer.
Everything in his life was collapsing in a single night.
The only thing in front of him…
Was this stranger's hand.
Adrian slowly lifted his own.
And finally…
His fingers touched Marco's.
Marco immediately pulled him up.
"Dante, we're leaving."
Dante released the captured man and stepped back.
"Let's go."
The three of them ran toward the door.
Cold rain hit Adrian's face the moment they stepped outside.
A black car waited at the curb.
Marco opened the back door.
"Get in."
Adrian hesitated for just a second.
Then he climbed inside.
Dante jumped into the driver's seat.
Marco slid in beside Adrian.
The car sped away just as police lights turned the corner.
Adrian looked out the window.
The small house disappeared behind them.
His old life…
Gone in a single night.
Silence filled the car.
Adrian hugged Marco's coat tightly around himself.
His voice came out small.
"…Where are we going?"
Marco glanced at him.
His answer was simple.
"Home."
Adrian's chest tightened again.
Home.
The word felt unfamiliar.
But before he could ask anything else—
Marco's phone suddenly rang.
He answered immediately.
"Yes."
A voice spoke rapidly from the other side.
Marco's expression changed.
His eyes darkened.
"What?" he said sharply.
Dante glanced at him through the mirror.
"What happened?"
Marco slowly lowered the phone.
Then he looked at Adrian.
For the first time that night…
He looked worried.
"We have a problem."
Adrian's stomach twisted.
"What kind of problem?"
Marco didn't answer right away.
Instead, he stared out at the rain-covered road ahead.
And when he finally spoke…
His words made the air inside the car feel colder.
"Someone already knows we found you."