Chapter 19 - The Last BetrayalThe room erupted.
Snow tried to run.
Marco stopped him.
Victor dropped his gun.
Luca knelt.
Gabriel stood beside Alessandro.
For the first time, there were no secrets left powerful enough to hide behind.
Or so they thought.
Alessandro looked at Lily.
“It's over.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
He frowned.
“Grandpa said one more.”
“One more what?”
“One more bad man.”
Everyone went still.
Lily pointed toward Isabella.
Alessandro's face changed.
“Mom?”
Isabella closed her eyes.
“I am sorry.”
Gabriel stepped back.
“No.”
Isabella began to cry.
“I was protecting her.”
“Who?”
“The real mastermind.”
Alessandro stared.
“Who?”
She looked toward Lily.
“Your daughter knows.”
Alessandro's blood ran cold.
The child stared at the ceiling.
Then whispered:
“Grandpa.”
The room turned.
The grandfather was standing in the doorway.
Alive.
Smiling.
But Isabella shook her head.
“That man is not your grandfather.”
Silence.
The old man removed his coat.
A hidden mask peeled away.
His face changed.
A prosthetic mask had concealed another man.
Alessandro stared.
The eyes were familiar.
Too familiar.
Victor stepped backward.
“I know him.”
The stranger smiled.
“I should hope so.”
He was Antonio Moretti.
Alive.
For twenty years, he had been hiding behind every conflict.
He had arranged the family wars.
He had manipulated Gabriel.
He had created Lily's disappearance.
He had built the cake.
He had orchestrated the entire birthday.
And now he wanted the final heir.
“Give me the child,” Antonio said.
Alessandro raised his gun.
“Never.”
Antonio smiled.
“You still don't understand.”
He looked at the ceiling.
A monitor descended.
On it appeared the entire Moretti empire.
Accounts.
Businesses.
Politicians.
Judges.
Police.
Everything.
One click could destroy all of it.
“Your family dies with me.”
Alessandro stared.
Then Lily walked forward.
Everyone tried to stop her.
She raised her little hand.
“Daddy.”
Antonio smiled.
She looked at him.
“You forgot something.”
Antonio frowned.
“What?”
She pointed at the cake.
“Check that cake.”
Alessandro suddenly understood.
The final compartment had a microphone.
And the entire room had been recording.
Antonio's confession.
Everything.
Marco smiled.
“The whole thing is live.”
Antonio's expression collapsed.
Sirens began outside.
Dozens of them.
Alessandro looked at his father.
“For twenty years, you thought everyone was afraid of you.”
Antonio stared.
“No.”
Alessandro lowered his weapon.
“They were waiting for you to confess.”
Antonio reached for Lily.
Gabriel tackled him.
May you like
The two brothers fought side by side.
And the Moretti empire finally began to fall.
