DAUGHTER OF THE ENEMY

CHAPTER FIVE

ITALY,LEON CASINO

Rayyan stepped into the lavish casino, the sound of clinking glasses and laughter filling the air.

He scanned the room, his eyes locking onto Gabriel, who sat at a table, sipping a drink.

As Rayyan approached, Gabriel's gaze flicked up, a calculating glint in his eye. "Rayyan, good to see you. I trust you're here to discuss our little business arrangement?"

Rayyan's expression was neutral. "I am. But I sense you want to renegotiate the terms."

Gabriel's smile was smooth. "Let's just say I've received some... interesting information. About the girl you have in custody."

Rayyan's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"

Gabriel leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Rania, the daughter of our mutual enemy. I heard you have her. And I want her."

Rayyan's grip on his cane tightened. "You know I can't just hand her over, Gabriel. She's a valuable asset."

Gabriel's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Ah, but that's where you're wrong, my friend. I have information that suggests she's more valuable than you think. And I'm willing to make it worth your while to give her to me."

Rayyan's face darkened with anger. "Gabriel, you're pushing your luck. I'm not handing her over. Negotiate for something else."

Gabriel's smile grew wider. "Oh, I think I'll stick with my original request. But let me sweeten the deal. You see, I've discovered a little secret... Rania has another sister. One that's been kept in the shadows for years."

Rayyan's eyes widened in shock. "What are you talking about?"

Gabriel's eyes gleamed with triumph. "Ah, yes. The elusive second sister. No one knows about her, Rayyan. No one except me."

Rayyan's grip on his cane tightened. "Who told you this?"

Gabriel's smile turned enigmatic. "My sources are reliable, Rayyan. But I'll never reveal them. Let's just say... I have my ways."

Rayyan's mind raced with the implications. A second sister? It couldn't be true. But Gabriel's confidence was unnerving.

Gabriel leaned in, his voice low. "We could work together, Rayyan. With this information, we could—"

Rayyan turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Gabriel's words hanging in the air.

He didn't trust Gabriel, and he wouldn't play his game. Not yet, at least. The secrets Gabriel held were too valuable, and Rayyan needed time to process this new information.

He stalked out of the casino, his mind reeling with the possibilities.

ITALY,ROS MANSION

Rayyan sat at his desk, his eyes fixed on the wall as his mind raced with thoughts of the mysterious second sister.

Gabriel's words echoed in his head, refusing to be silenced. He couldn't concentrate on work, his usual focus blurred by the secrets Gabriel had revealed.

Suddenly, a plan formed in his mind. He needed answers, and there was one person who might be able to provide them.

Rania, the girl he had in custody. She was Rania's sister, after all. She might know something about this elusive second sister.

Rayyan's eyes narrowed as he pressed the intercom button on his desk. "Viktor, bring the girl to my office. Now."

Viktor's voice crackled through the speaker. "Yes, capo. Right away."

Rayyan leaned back in his chair, his eyes fixed on the door. He would get the truth out of the girl, no matter what it took. The game was afoot, and Rayyan was ready to play.

CALIFORNIA, SOPHIA'S BAKERY

Sophia's hands moved deftly as she arranged a bouquet of flowers, her mind focused on the task at hand. Suddenly, her phone rang, shrill in the quiet of the shop. She answered, her voice cheerful. "Sophia's Bakery", how can I help you?"

But her expression changed as she listened to the voice on the other end. Her eyes widened, her face paling. "What? How is she? I'll be right there."

Sophia's hands trembled as she hung up the phone. Her brother's words echoed in her mind: "Mom's in the hospital, Sophia. You need to come now."

Without hesitation, Sophia handed the reins of the shop to Irha. "Irha, I have to go. My mom's in the hospital. Please, take care of the shop for me."

Irha's eyes filled with concern. "Sophia, I'm so sorry. Go, go be with your family. I'll handle everything here."

Sophia nodded, already rushing out the door. Her heart raced with worry as she hastened to the hospital, her mind filled with fears for her mother's health.

ITALY, ROS MANSION

Rayyan's eyes narrowed as he gazed at the girl, his voice cold. "So, you're the one who's been hiding secrets. Tell me, what's your connection to Rania?"

The girl's eyes flashed with defiance, but she remained silent. Rayyan's expression darkened. "Viktor, persuade her to talk."

Viktor's hands moved swiftly, and the girl's eyes widened in pain. She whimpered, but her lips remained sealed.

Rayyan's voice was unyielding. "Tell me, or it will only get worse."

The girl's resolve crumbled under the torture, her words tumbling out in a desperate bid to stop the pain. "I-I was coming home from school...I found a girl lying on the floor...she was hurt so badly...I tried to help her, but she just handed me this pendant and a piece of her diary...she begged me to find her sister...warn her about the drones..."

Rayyan's eyes locked onto the pendant, his mind racing with the implications. "What drones? What sister?"

The girl's voice was barely audible. "I don't know...she didn't say...please, just stop the pain..."

Rayyan's expression turned calculating. This was just the beginning. He would uncover the truth, no matter what it took.

Rayyan's voice was cold, his eyes fixed on the girl. "Where did you last see Rania? What happened to her after she gave you the pendant and diary?"

The girl's eyes dropped, her voice barely audible. "We were at the warehouse...she was hurt so badly...she died in my arms, instantly..."

Rayyan's expression remained impassive, but his mind raced with the implications. Rania was dead, but her secrets lived on.

He turned to Viktor, his voice firm. "Release her, Viktor. But make sure she doesn't speak a word about what happened here. And keep her out of sight of our...colleagues."

Viktor nodded, his eyes gleaming with understanding. "Consider it done, capo."

Rayyan's gaze returned to the girl, his voice cold. "You're lucky I'm feeling generous. But remember, if you breathe a word about this, you'll suffer a fate worse than death."

The girl nodded, tears streaming down her face as Viktor led her away, her freedom a fragile gift from the merciless Rayyan.

******

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