Chapter 11 - NICHOLAS'S SONPeter was Nicholas's son.
The revelation should have answered everything.
Instead, it created a thousand new questions.
I pulled Nicholas into a private room.
“You had a son.”
“Yes.”
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
“For seven years?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because Peter was the only leverage they had left.”
“Who was they?”
He stared at the floor.
“Lucia. Your father. Everyone who believed blood gave them ownership.”
I didn't understand.
Nicholas continued.
“Peter was born after I discovered the ledger.”
“You were twenty-two.”
“I was twenty-one.”
“And Elena?”
“Protected him.”
“Then why did everyone say she was dead?”
“She disappeared.”
“And the woman who died three months ago?”
“Someone pretending to be her.”
My stomach tightened.
“What?”
Nicholas finally looked at me.
“She's alive.”
I froze.
“Elena?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“Right now?”
“Somewhere close.”
“Where?”
He whispered:
“She works in this city.”
The door opened.
Grace stood there.
Her face had changed.
“Dominic.”
“What?”
“I know who Elena is.”
My heart jumped.
“You've met her?”
Grace nodded.
“She came to the hospital six months ago.”
“Why?”
“To ask about Peter.”
“What did she look like?”
Grace hesitated.
“Like someone who knew she was being followed.”
I stared at her.
“Name.”
Grace took a breath.
“Evelyn Ross.”
I looked at Nicholas.
He smiled faintly.
“That's her.”
We went back downstairs.
Lucia was gone.
So was Vanessa.
Only Carlo remained.
He was bleeding.
“Where did they go?”
“Lucia took Vanessa.”
“Where?”
“The Bellini chapel.”
“That place is abandoned.”
“Not anymore.”
We drove.
The chapel stood on a cliff above the sea.
Wind tore through the broken windows.
Candles burned inside.
Vanessa was tied to a wooden chair.
Lucia stood behind her.
And beside Lucia...
was a woman with silver hair.
Elena.
Alive.
My breath caught.
Nicholas stumbled forward.
“Mom.”
Elena looked at him.
Then at me.
Tears filled her eyes.
“Dominic.”
I couldn't move.
Twenty years of unanswered questions collapsed inside me.
“You let me believe you were dead.”
“I had no choice.”
“You watched me grow up.”
“I watched from a distance.”
“Why?”
“Because your father threatened your life.”
I laughed bitterly.
“Then why come back now?”
“Because he isn't your greatest danger.”
I stepped closer.
“Who is?”
Elena looked at Lucia.
“Her.”
Lucia smiled.
“You always were dramatic.”
Elena turned to me.
“Your father didn't create the network alone.”
“What network?”
“The one hidden inside the Moretti fortune.”
“What is it?”
“A private registry.”
“For what?”
“Ownership.”
“Of what?”
She looked at Peter.
“People.”
Silence.
“The families registered children as assets.”
I felt sick.
“Why?”
“Because the children inherited companies.”
“They were legal heirs.”
“They were supposed to obey.”
“And Peter?”
“He is the last unregistered heir.”
Lucia laughed.
“Which makes him dangerous.”
“To whom?”
“To everyone.”
She looked at Vanessa.
“Because Vanessa is the legal key.”
Vanessa stared at her.
“I never agreed to this.”
“You didn't need to.”
Lucia pulled out a contract.
“Your wedding was designed to merge the Bellini and Moretti estates.”
My eyes went to Vanessa.
Our wedding.
The reason for it.
The contract would transfer control of the registry.
I understood.
She hadn't been chosen as my bride.
She had been chosen as the lock.
And Peter was the key.
Then the chapel doors slammed shut.
Smoke began pouring in.
Lucia smiled.
“This family always ends the same way.”
Fire.
Again.
Nicholas grabbed Peter.
Elena pulled Vanessa loose.
Grace found a side exit.
We escaped onto the cliff path.
Behind us, the chapel burned.
Then Lucia appeared at the doorway.
She wasn't running.
She was smiling.
She held up a phone.
A video was playing.
My father appeared on screen.
He looked into the camera.
And said:
“Dominic, if you're watching this, you've already married Vanessa.”
I stared at him.
May you like
Then looked at Vanessa.
The wedding was tomorrow.
