Chapter 8 - The Son Who Was Already GrownThe enemy nobody buriedThe photograph wouldn't leave my mind.
Gabriel stood beside Elena.
His small hand wrapped around her coat.
The photograph showed another man with the same face.
Not similar.
Identical.
I looked at Sloane.
“You expect me to believe Gabriel has a grown twin?”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“I expect you to understand that Gabriel was never the fifth child.”
I looked at Elena.
She knew.
“Tell me.”
She cried silently.
“Gabriel is ours.”
I stared.
“You said you weren't sure.”
“I wasn't allowed to know.”
“By whom?”
“My sister.”
Isabella.
Elena finally said her name.
“She told me one of the children had been replaced.”
“Which one?”
“She never told me.”
A noise sounded behind the vault.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Deliberate.
A man entered.
Tall.
Black suit.
Dark hair.
My blood froze.
He had my face.
Except older.
Harder.
Colder.
Sloane whispered one word.
“Elias.”
The man smiled.
“Finally.”
He looked at the boys.
Then at me.
“You took your time, Dominic.”
I raised my gun.
“Stay where you are.”
He laughed.
“You still think guns solve everything.”
“Who are you?”
“I told you.”
“Elias Barrett.”
“No.”
He stepped forward.
“That's the name they gave me.”
He looked toward Sloane.
“She knows my real name.”
Sloane couldn't move.
“What is it?”
The man smiled.
“Julian Moretti.”
Silence.
I lowered my gun.
“Moretti?”
He nodded.
“Your father's firstborn.”
My mind raced.
“I have no brothers.”
“You did.”
He stared at me.
“Your father erased me because I refused to become him.”
I looked at Sloane.
“You knew this.”
She nodded.
“My father raised him as Elias after your father erased him.”
Julian looked at the children.
“And then your father created another generation of heirs.”
He took a step toward the boys.
“You're looking at five boys.”
He smiled.
“But one of them isn't just an heir.”
My stomach turned.
“Which one?”
Julian pointed toward Luca.
“Your firstborn.”
I froze.
“Luca.”
Elena screamed.
“No!”
Julian smiled.
“Exactly.”
I looked at Luca.
He was staring at me with terrified eyes.
Julian continued.
“Your father had a prophecy.”
I almost laughed.
“A prophecy?”
“He believed the firstborn male would destroy the Moretti empire.”
“So he tried to kill Luca.”
“No.”
Julian's smile disappeared.
“He tried to make you kill him.”
I felt sick.
“What are you talking about?”
Julian pulled out a medical report.
“Luca was diagnosed with a heart condition six years ago.”
I looked at Elena.
She nodded.
“We were told he wouldn't live.”
“And?”
“He survived.”
Julian smiled.
“Because the diagnosis was fake.”
I couldn't breathe.
“Who falsified it?”
Julian looked at Sloane.
She whispered:
“My father.”
Julian laughed.
“And now you finally understand why your engagement mattered.”
I stared at Sloane.
She looked away.
“What happens if I marry you?” I asked.
She lifted her eyes.
“The contract transfers control of every Moretti asset to the Barrett family.”
“And the children?”
Julian answered for her.
“They disappear.”
A gunshot exploded.
Sloane staggered.
Blood spread across her dress.
She collapsed.
The shooter disappeared.
May you like
And Julian looked at me.
“Now we're out of time.”
Related Stories
