Mafia's Little Sister

Chapter 4: Secrets in the Dark

The tension in the Park mansion was thicker than ever. After the unsettling events in the basement, Ryuvyna couldn't shake the man's words. "The secret your brother has been hiding for years."

What could they be hiding from her? And why was it so important to their enemies?

That night, sleep was out of the question. She paced her room, her mind racing with questions. Jayden's refusal to explain only deepened her resolve. If she wanted answers, she'd have to find them herself.

Quietly, she slipped out of her room, her bare feet silent on the cold marble floors. The mansion was dimly lit, with only a few guards patrolling the halls. She knew she had to avoid them if she wanted to investigate without Jayden finding out.

Her destination was Jayden's office. If there were any clues about the family's secrets, they would be there.

The door was locked, of course. But years of being the youngest in a family of criminals had taught her a few things. She retrieved a hairpin from her pocket and carefully picked the lock. The click of the mechanism sent a small thrill through her, but she quickly pushed it aside.

The office was as imposing as she remembered-dark wood, towering bookshelves, and Jayden's massive desk dominating the space. She closed the door behind her, her heart pounding as she moved toward the desk.

She rifled through drawers, careful not to disturb anything too noticeably. Most of what she found were ledgers, documents about shipments, and coded notes she couldn't decipher. But then, tucked beneath a stack of papers, she found something strange-a small, locked box.

Her fingers brushed over the intricate design, her curiosity piqued. Why would Matteo keep something like this hidden?

She searched the desk for a key, and after a few tense minutes, she found it taped underneath a drawer. Her hands trembled as she unlocked the box. Inside was a bundle of old photographs, a faded envelope, and a single gold pendant shaped like a crescent moon.

Ryuvyna's breath hitched as she picked up the photographs. The first few were of her family, Jayden, her brother, and even herself as a baby. But then she froze.

One of the photographs showed her mother standing beside a man Ryuvyna didn't recognize. He had sharp features and the same piercing green eyes she saw every time she looked in a mirror.

She flipped through more photos, her heart racing. In each one, the man was there-smiling, standing close to her mother, even holding her as a baby.

Ryuvyna's fingers moved to the envelope. She pulled out of a letter, the handwriting unfamiliar but elegant. 

"To my dearest Ryuvyna," It began.

Her hands shook as she read the words. The letter spoke of love, regret, and promises unfulfilled. It was written by the man in the photos, a man who claimed to be her father.

The realization hit her like a punch to the gut. The man she had always believed was her father wasn't. And if this letter was someone Jayden had kept hidden from her.

"Ryuvyna."

The voice startled her, and she whirled around to see Jayden standing in the doorway. His expression was a mixture of anger and regret.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded, stepping into the room.

She held up the photographs and the letter, her voice trembling. "Who is he, Jayden? And why you didn't tell me?"

Jayden's face hardened. "Put those down. You don't know what you're messing with."

"No," she snapped, her anger flaring. "You've kept this from me my whole life! Who is he?"

Jayden's silence was defeating. Finally, he let out a heavy sigh. "His name was Junghyun Jeon."

Ryuvyna's breath caught. "Jeon? As in the Jeon family? He was one of them?"

Jayden nodded grimly. "Your mother loved him before she married our father. But when Junghyun's family betrayed ours, she was forced to cut ties. She married our father to protect you, Ryuvyna. To keep you out of their world."

The room spun around her. "So, what does that make me? Half-Jeon?"

Jayden stepped closer, his voice softening. "It doesn't matter. You're a Park. That's all that's ever mattered to us. That's why we kept this from you. To keep you safe."

Ryuvyna shook her head, tears stinging her eyes. "Safe? Is that what this is? I've been lied to my whole life. And now their war is my war too, isn't it?

Jayden's silence was answer enough.

Ryuvyna turned away, clutching the pendant in her hand. She didn't know who she was anymore, but one thing was clear life would never be the same.

To be continued...