Chapter 8 - Marcus laughed.It wasn't a normal laugh.
It was the kind people made when reality became too terrible to accept.
“My mother?”
Dominic nodded.
“She authorized the operation.”
“No.”
“She gave Vittorio the order.”
“No.”
“She knew Daniel had discovered the truth.”
Marcus shook his head.
“My mother loved him.”
“She did.”
Sadie looked between them.
“Then why kill him?”
Dominic said:
“Because Daniel was going to expose all three families.”
Marcus stepped backward.
“What truth?”
Dominic looked at Sadie.
“The Russo family didn't create the blood program.”
Sadie frowned.
“Program?”
“The Bellantes did.”
Elena appeared in the doorway.
“And the Vosses financed it.”
Marcus stared.
“You're lying.”
Elena shook her head.
“I wish I were.”
She placed a folder on the table.
“Twenty-seven years ago, three families agreed to secretly manipulate medical records and newborn identities.”
Sadie looked at her.
“For money?”
“No.”
“For power.”
The folder contained photographs.
Hospital records.
Contracts.
Bank transfers.
Names.
Then Sadie saw her mother's name.
Her hand flew to her mouth.
“No.”
Elena nodded.
“Your mother signed.”
“Why?”
“She was told you would both die.”
Sadie shook her head.
“Both?”
“The doctors said neither child would survive.”
“Then why?”
“Because they lied.”
Silence.
Gabriel stepped into the room.
Everyone turned.
His injured leg made every step painful.
He tossed another envelope onto the table.
“It wasn't about saving Dominic's brother.”
Dominic looked at him.
“Then what?”
Gabriel said:
“It was about creating leverage.”
Sadie opened the envelope.
Inside was a single photograph.
A newborn baby.
But beneath the photograph was a number.
SUBJECT 001
She stared.
Marcus stepped closer.
“That's me.”
Sadie looked at him.
“No.”
Gabriel shook his head.
“No.”
He pointed toward the photograph.
“That's your brother.”
Marcus frowned.
“But I'm her brother.”
“Yes.”
Gabriel looked at Sadie.
“You have another brother.”
Her mind stopped.
“What?”
Dominic closed his eyes.
He had known.
The entire time.
Sadie turned toward him.
“You knew?”
He couldn't answer.
“You knew!”
“Yes.”
“How many people are there?”
Dominic's voice was low.
“Four.”
Sadie stared.
“Four?”
“Your family had quadruplets.”
The room fell silent.
Marcus whispered:
“No.”
Dominic continued.
“One died at birth.”
“Two survived.”
“Three survived.”
Sadie looked at Elena.
“Where's the fourth?”
Elena didn't answer.
Gabriel did.
“He's the one trying to kill Dominic.”
Sadie's blood ran cold.
“The giant?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
A phone rang.
Everyone froze.
Dominic slowly pulled his phone from his pocket.
The caller ID showed an unknown number.
He answered.
A voice whispered:
“Hello, little sister.”
Sadie froze.
Marcus lunged for the phone.
Dominic pulled it away.
The voice laughed.
“I've waited a long time to meet you.”
Sadie shouted:
“Who are you?”
The reply came softly.
“Your oldest brother.”
The call ended.
Dominic stared at the screen.
Then it lit up again.
A text message appeared.
A photograph.
Sadie.
Sleeping in her apartment.
Taken that night.
May you like
Beneath it were six words.
I'VE BEEN WATCHING YOU SINCE CHILDHOOD.
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