Chapter 7 - BIANCA'S SONVittorio stood between Bianca's gunmen and Lucy.

“Let her go.”

Bianca laughed.

“You still think this is about Lucy.”

“What else is it about?”

“You.”

Vittorio's eyes narrowed.

Bianca stepped into the house.

Marcus followed.

“Do you know why I chose you?” she asked.

“I assume you had your reasons.”

“I had orders.”

“From whom?”

She smiled.

“The man you buried twelve years ago.”

Vittorio felt the blood leave his face.

“My father.”

Bianca nodded.

“He's alive.”

Emma whispered:

“No…”

Bianca smiled.

“And he wants his inheritance back.”

Vittorio looked at Marcus.

“You knew.”

Marcus shrugged.

“I always knew.”

“You worked for me.”

“I worked for him.”

“Then why pretend to be my friend?”

Marcus laughed.

“Because proximity is power.”

Vittorio stared at him.

“You manipulated Bianca too.”

Bianca's smile disappeared.

Marcus looked at her.

“You're nothing without me.”

Bianca raised the detonator.

“Careful.”

For the first time, Marcus looked nervous.

Vittorio noticed.

Then he noticed something else.

A scar on Marcus's wrist.

Three small lines.

His mother had once shown him the same symbol.

The mark belonged to his father's private organization.

But there was something beneath it.

A faded tattoo.

A name.

LUCIAN.

Vittorio stared.

“Lucian?”

Marcus froze.

Bianca's face changed.

Lucy suddenly whispered:

“Mommy used to call someone Lucian.”

Vittorio turned toward her.

“When?”

“When I was little.”

“What did he look like?”

Lucy hesitated.

“Like Marcus.”

The room went silent.

Vittorio stared.

“Who are you?”

Marcus smiled.

“I was wondering when you'd finally ask.”

He pulled a photograph from his pocket.

It showed him as a child.

Standing beside Vittorio.

Vittorio's eyes widened.

“You…”

Marcus smiled.

“I'm your half-brother.”

Nobody spoke.

Vittorio's world tilted.

“My father had another son.”

“Yes.”

“Why didn't I know?”

“Because he wanted one son to inherit the empire.”

“And one to clean it.”

Marcus looked at Bianca.

“She was assigned to marry you.”

Bianca's face tightened.

“I didn't love you,” she said.

Vittorio laughed once.

“You never loved me?”

“No.”

“Not once?”

Bianca hesitated.

Marcus looked at her.

“Answer him.”

Bianca swallowed.

“I loved what marrying you could give me.”

Vittorio looked at Lucy.

Then at Emma.

Then at Elena.

For the first time, he realized the mansion wasn't his home.

It was a battlefield.

And everyone had chosen a side.

Bianca lifted the detonator.

“Where is the ledger?”

Vittorio held up the pendant.

“You tell me where my father is.”

“First the ledger.”

“First my daughter.”

Bianca smiled.

Then a strange thing happened.

Lucy stepped forward.

“Bianca?”

Everyone turned.

Lucy looked directly at her.

“I remember you.”

Bianca's smile faded.

Lucy continued.

“You used to cry when Daddy wasn't home.”

Bianca froze.

“You said you wanted to leave.”

Marcus snapped:

“Enough.”

Lucy looked at Marcus.

“You were there too.”

Marcus's expression changed.

“You sang to me when I couldn't sleep.”

Vittorio stared.

Lucy continued:

“You told me your name was Lucian.”

Marcus went completely still.

Then Lucy smiled faintly.

“I know where you hid the key.”

Marcus's face drained of color.

“What key?”

“The key to Grandma's room.”

Marcus raised his gun.

Vittorio moved instantly.

A shot rang out.

The chandelier exploded.

The room plunged into darkness.

When the emergency lights came on, Bianca was gone.

Marcus was gone.

And so was Lucy.

Vittorio screamed:

“LUCY!”

Emma was on the floor.

Blood ran from her shoulder.

She looked up at Vittorio.

“Take the key…”

“What key?”

Emma pointed toward the old fireplace.

Behind it was a hidden compartment.

Inside sat a small black box.

Vittorio opened it.

There was only one thing inside.

A note from Isabella.

MY SON,

THE GIRL YOU CALL LUCY IS NOT WHO YOU THINK SHE IS.

AND THE MAN YOU CALL MARCUS IS NOT MY SON.

Vittorio stopped.

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At the bottom of the page was one final sentence.

I HID THE REAL CHILD IN THE PLACE YOUR FATHER WOULD NEVER LOOK.