Page 91 of King

“I don’t know. Stay and eat your dinner.”

Out in the hallway their voices carry towards me.

“Who?” Santino snaps, his voice a harsh whisper.

“We don’t know.” Fabio says.

“We can’t jump to conclusion, it could be anyone.”

“How many files have they downloaded?” Giovanni asks.

“Whoever is hacking the system issendingand receiving files. That means someone inside the estate is sending - and someone outside is receiving.”

“Are you fucking kidding me - then we have proof?” Santino growls.

“Proof of what?” I ask, walking up to them.

They all stiffen and glare at me.

“Proof of what?” I ask again. They have proof that someone is betraying us from inside, I overheard enough to know that. But I want them to admit it.

But not one of them is saying a word.

Their eyes say everything their voices don’t.

“We need to lock down this estate. All the systems must be switched to the internal network.” Giovanni says when the silence becomes too much.

“Yes, sir.” Fabio agrees, nodding, his eyes on me, his brows knotted.

“Will someonepleasetell me what’s going on?” I sigh.

“We’re expecting an attack.” Giovanni says calmly. “And we need to be prepared for anything. From any direction.”

“We’re not safe in our home.” Santino mutters, shaking his head. “We are a powerful family, but somewhere along the line I think we trusted the wrong person.” His eyes lock with his father’s. They’re talking about me. Giovanni clenches his jaw and swallows hard. He says nothing.

“I want to help.” I say, quietly, expecting them to push me away.

“We’ll inform you if we need anything.”

“Don’t be like that. I can help.”

Giovanni turns to Fabio, “Lock everyone’s phones off the connection. I don’t want anyone to be able to access the security system from a mobile device - in or out of the estate.”

“Yes, sir. What about yours?”

“Lock mine as well. We have no idea who’s been tampering with things. They might know my password.”

Again - they all look at me.

I clench my jaw, biting down on the anger building inside me. I want to scream and fight and defend myself. But it’ll do no good. I’ll find a way to prove to them that it wasn’t me.Somehow.

* * *

The days that follow are some of the worst days of my life.

When I walk through the hallway, I hear people whispering - my name on their lips - the housekeepers, the security staff, Romeo and Santino. They’re all talking, and it seems that somehow someone said enough to make them all suspect me - and now they all think I am the enemy.

It reminds me of my first week here. The hatred is so intense, the mistrust and the accusations, whispered and quiet - but so heavy it’s impossible to ignore.

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