The hand on the floor didn't move.
Rhea froze at the sight, her breath sticking in her throat. The blood trail looked fresh—dark, glossy streaks dragging toward a half-open door.
Her fingers trembled around the frame of the studio entrance.
"Luca?" she whispered, but only the echo of her voice came back to her.
The mansion felt too quiet.
Too still.
She stepped forward slowly, her boots slipping slightly on the polished marble. Her heart hammered against her ribs. Each breath burned as she fought the instinct screaming at her to run back into the studio and lock the door.
No. Keep going. Find out who it is.
Rhea crouched, leaning closer.
It wasn't Luca's hand.
This one was smaller. Thinner. Feminine.
The woman in gray.
Rhea's pulse spiked. "Oh no…"
She reached out…
The hand suddenly twitched.
Rhea gasped and jerked back as the woman groaned, trying to pull her arm toward herself.
"Miss Verdan…" the woman choked.
Rhea rushed to her side. "I'm here. What happened? Who did this?"
The woman coughed, blood smearing her lips. "He… he was inside… the east corridor… told me not to scream…" Her eyes darted wildly. "I only screamed when I saw…"
Her voice broke.
"When you saw what?"
But before she could answer, heavy footsteps thundered down the hall.
Luca.
He dropped to his knees beside them. "Margot." His voice cracked. "Please stay with me."
Margot—the woman in gray—clutched weakly at his sleeve. "He was here… in the east wing… watching her."
Her gaze drifted toward Rhea.
Luca followed it.
His eyes locked onto Rhea's.
Her stomach tightened.
"Who was here?" Luca demanded. "Tell me."
Margot tried to speak, but her breath hitched painfully. Rhea placed a hand on the woman's shoulder to steady her.
Luca reached for his phone. "I'm calling medical."
"No…" Margot wheezed. "He'll… he'll know."
"Who?" Rhea asked urgently. "Who will know?"
Margot lifted a trembling finger.
Pointed directly at Rhea.
And whispered…
"He knows your name."
Rhea's blood went cold.
Luca went still.
Before he could speak, Margot collapsed into unconsciousness.
"Margot!" Luca shook her gently. "Stay with me. Stay…"
She didn't respond.
Within seconds, two guards came running, lifting her carefully and rushing her toward the medical wing.
Rhea stood frozen.
Luca slowly rose to his feet, turning toward her.
His expression—
Not anger.
Not confusion.
Something worse.
Fear.
"Inside," he said tightly. "Now."
He grabbed her wrist not painfully, but firmly and pulled her back into the studio. The moment they were both inside, he shut the door and turned the lock.
Rhea's breath shook. "She said… she said someone was inside the east wing." She stammered.
"Yes."
"And she saw something. Or someone."
"Yes."
"She pointed at me, Luca. What does that mean?"
He didn't answer. He ran a hand through his hair, pacing the studio like a caged animal.
His control was cracking.
That scared her more than anything.
"Luca," Rhea tried again, "what's happening?"
He turned sharply. "Why are you out here alone?"
"I heard screaming."
"And you came toward it?" His voice sharpened. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
"I was worried someone was hurt!"
"And now someone was!"
Their voices clashed, echoing off the studio walls.
Rhea stepped closer, hands shaking. "Luca, tell me who she meant. Who knows my name?"
He looked away.
"Luca."
Silence.
"Luca, look at me."
He did.
And the moment his eyes met hers, she saw it…
A truth he'd been swallowing.
Something he didn't want to say.
He moved closer.
"Rhea Vale," he said quietly, "someone in this house knows exactly who you are."
Her lungs emptied in a single breath. "But… but you said…"
"I said I knew." His jaw tightened. "I didn't say I was the only one."
Rhea backed up until she hit the edge of the table. "Who else knows?"
"The person who left the note," Luca said. "The person following you. Watching you."
Her heart hammered painfully. "Why would they know?"
"Because," Luca said, stepping closer, "they knew Serena. And if they knew her… they knew she had a sister."
Her stomach twisted.
"But how? My face—my name—everything was…"
"Hidden?" Luca let out a harsh exhale. "You think anyone connected to Serena wouldn't recognize the girl who looked just like her?"
Rhea froze.
The studio air thickened.
"You said you recognized me the moment I walked in," she whispered.
"Yes."
"Because I look like her."
"Yes."
"Then…" Her voice cracked. "Then someone else saw the same thing."
"Yes."
Her knees weakened. She grabbed the table to keep herself upright.
"This is why I said you shouldn't have come here," Luca said quietly.
Her jaw clenched. "You didn't tell me anything."
He looked at her with something like frustration. Or fear. "And if I had warned you earlier, would you have stayed away?"
Rhea opened her mouth. Closed it.
No.
She wouldn't have.
Luca moved closer, his voice low.
"You're in danger, Rhea."
"I know."
"No." He shook his head. "You don't."
He leaned in, his words brushing her skin.
"You're not being watched because you're a threat."
He paused.
"You're being watched because you're bait."
Her breath shattered.
"Bait?" she whispered.
"Yes."
"For who?"
A shadow passed through Luca's eyes. "For me."
Rhea's heartbeat slammed against her ribs. "Luca…"
"You want answers?" His voice deepened. "Then stop lying to yourself. Someone wanted you inside this mansion. Someone wanted you close to me."
"Why?"
"Because I'm the one they want."
He stepped so close she felt the heat of him.
"And they will use you," he added softly, "just like they used her."
Serena.
Rhea's throat tightened painfully. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"Because," Luca said, "I needed to see how far this person would go."
"And now?"
His jaw clenched. "Now they've gone too far."
Rhea swallowed, breath trembling. "What are we going to do?"
"We?" Luca repeated, stepping forward.
His gaze dropped to her lips.
"We're going to keep you alive."
She flinched. "Alive? Luca, the way you're saying that…"
He cut her off, grabbing her shoulders gently but firmly.
"Rhea."
His voice lowered.
"There is someone in this house who shouldn't be here."
Her breath caught.
"Someone who knew Serena before the fire."
Her stomach knotted.
"Someone who hated her."
The room tilted as the words hit her.
"And that same person," Luca whispered, "is now very, very interested in you."
Rhea's legs trembled. She stepped back but her heel slipped on something on the floor.
She looked down.
A trail of wet footprints.
Leading into the studio.
Rhea's blood froze.
"Luca… those weren't here before."
Luca followed her gaze.
His expression darkened. "Don't move."
He walked slowly toward the prints, crouched, and touched the marble.
His fingers came up wet.
Water.
Mud.
Grass.
Someone had entered the studio.
Recently.
Rhea backed away slowly, heart slamming.
"Luca… they're leading toward—"
She turned toward the easel.
Her heart stopped.
A new line had been drawn across Serena's unfinished portrait.
A black slash cutting across the canvas—
—and across Serena's throat.
Rhea choked on a gasp. "Oh my God…"
Luca reached her in a second, grabbing her waist as she staggered. "Don't look at it."
"Who did that?" Rhea whispered. "Who was inside here while we were talking?"
Luca didn't answer.
His eyes were fixed on the dark doorway behind them.
And then…
A soft sound came from the hallway.
A footstep.
Slow.
Steady.
Luca's grip tightened on Rhea's arm.
"Stay behind me," he murmured.
The hallway remained dark.
Another footstep.
Closer.
The shadow of a figure stretched into the studio doorway.
Luca moved forward, blocking Rhea completely.
"Show yourself," he said sharply. "Now."
Silence.
Then…
A low laugh echoed through the hall.
Soft.
Mocking.
Familiar.
Rhea's stomach dropped.
Luca tensed. "You."
A voice drifted into the studio:
"Miss Vale… you look just like she did."
Rhea's heart stopped for seconds.
The shadow moved—
and stepped into the doorway.