Chapter 7 - THE SON WHO WASN'T MINENo one moved.
The rain hammered the roof.
Peter's words hung in the air.
“Dominic Moretti.”
I stared at him.
Then at Nicholas.
Then at Lucia.
“That isn't possible.”
Lucia smiled.
“Your father made sure you would never know.”
Vanessa looked horrified.
“Mother, stop.”
Lucia ignored her.
“Nicholas was supposed to inherit the empire. You were supposed to be the obedient elder son.”
I shook my head.
“My father had no reason to lie about my own birth.”
“He did.”
“Why?”
“Because your mother wasn't your mother.”
The room tilted.
Grace grabbed my arm.
I pulled away.
“Explain.”
Lucia walked toward me.
“Your father was involved with Elena Russo long before you were born.”
I stared at her.
“Elena was twenty-two.”
“She was seventeen.”
I said nothing.
Lucia continued.
“She gave birth to you.”
My heart pounded.
“No.”
“She was terrified.”
“Then why did my mother raise me?”
“Because she couldn't have children.”
That sentence shattered something inside me.
My entire childhood.
My mother's arms.
Her voice.
Her photographs.
Was any of it real?
Lucia smiled.
“Your father took Elena's children.”
“Children?”
“Nicholas was Elena's biological son too.”
I looked at Nicholas.
He closed his eyes.
I whispered:
“We're not brothers.”
Nicholas finally spoke.
“We are.”
My head snapped toward him.
“You said she gave birth to me.”
“She did.”
“So?”
“You're my half-brother.”
I didn't understand.
Nicholas looked at Peter.
“Elena had another child.”
Peter.
“But Peter isn't yours.”
Nicholas shook his head.
“No.”
Lucia interrupted.
“Peter is Dominic's.”
Silence.
I looked at the boy.
Seven years old.
My memories returned.
His face.
His eyes.
The way he looked at me.
The way he called me Uncle.
Lucia smiled.
“He was born from a relationship your father wanted hidden.”
My voice became a whisper.
“Who is his mother?”
Lucia looked at Vanessa.
Vanessa began to cry.
“No.”
Lucia said:
“Your fiancée.”
I stared at Vanessa.
She shook her head violently.
“Dominic, listen to me.”
“You knew?”
“No.”
“You knew Peter?”
“I met him once.”
“When?”
“Years ago.”
“Why?”
Vanessa couldn't answer.
Lucia stepped forward.
“Because Peter was born from a surrogate agreement between the Moretti and Bellini families.”
I laughed.
The sound was empty.
“This makes no sense.”
“It does.”
She pointed at Peter.
“He carries Moretti blood.”
Then she pointed at Vanessa.
“And Bellini blood.”
I looked at Vanessa.
“Are you his mother?”
“No.”
Her voice broke.
“I am his sister.”
The room went silent.
I stared at her.
“You're what?”
“His half-sister.”
Lucia smiled.
“The Bellini bloodline and the Moretti bloodline were tied together long before you met her.”
Marco whispered:
“Boss…”
Lucia snapped her fingers.
A man brought out an old file.
She dropped it in front of me.
I opened it.
DNA reports.
Hospital records.
Birth certificates.
Then I saw the final page.
My father's signature.
Under it:
Child designated as successor.
My name.
Not Peter's.
Mine.
But attached to the report was another document.
A medical consent form.
Signed by my mother.
The woman I'd called Mom.
She had consented to giving me away.
The paper slipped from my fingers.
Nicholas stepped forward.
“Dominic, you need to leave.”
“Why?”
“Because this whole place is about to burn.”
Lucia laughed.
“You think you can save him?”
Nicholas turned.
The lights went out.
Gunfire erupted.
Marco grabbed me.
Grace pulled Peter free.
Vanessa screamed.
Flames appeared along the walls.
Gasoline.
The winery had been rigged.
Lucia disappeared.
Nicholas shoved a door open.
“Move!”
We ran.
Behind us, fire swallowed the room.
Peter clutched my hand.
Then he screamed.
“Uncle Dominic!”
I looked back.
Nicholas was still inside.
The door collapsed.
I tried to go back.
Marco stopped me.
“Boss!”
“I won't leave him.”
Then through the flames came Nicholas's voice.
“Go!”
I froze.
He shouted again.
“Find the house on Blackwater Road!”
“Why?”
His answer came through smoke.
“Because that's where she kept your mother.”
May you like
Then the entire building exploded.
And for the second time in my life, I watched my brother disappear into fire.
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