Chapter 8 - THE NAME ON THE ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATEArthur vanished before we could reach him.
A hidden door opened behind the theater stage.
By the time Marcus reached it, Arthur was gone.
Only one thing remained.
A folder.
I picked it up.
Inside was an original birth certificate.
Noah Cole.
Except the surname was different.
Rossi.
I stared at the document.
Tessa covered her mouth.
Daniel whispered:
“No.”
I looked at him.
“What is this?”
He didn't answer.
I turned to Tessa.
“Was Noah adopted?”
“No.”
“Then why does this say Rossi?”
She looked at Daniel.
He finally spoke.
“Because your father was Noah's biological father.”
The room seemed to tilt.
I looked at Tessa.
Her eyes filled with tears.
“You knew?”
“No.”
“I swear I didn't.”
Daniel nodded.
“She didn't.”
I looked at the certificate again.
The mother's name was Elena Cole.
The father's name was Enzo Rossi.
My father.
I sat down.
“Noah is my brother.”
Tessa nodded.
“But that isn't the whole truth.”
I looked at Daniel.
He explained that my father had an affair with Elena before meeting my mother.
Noah was born in secret.
My father created the trust to protect him.
Then Victor discovered Noah's existence.
A child with a legitimate claim to Rossi wealth.
A witness to the company's hidden dealings.
A threat.
Everything suddenly made sense.
The food.
The notebooks.
The surveillance.
The fear.
Victor wasn't interested in a maid.
He was interested in the boy she was protecting.
I turned toward Tessa.
“Why didn't you ever tell me?”
“Because I didn't know.”
“You're sure?”
“Yes.”
She reached into her bag.
Pulled out one of her mother's letters.
“She wrote that Noah's father was powerful but dangerous.”
I read it.
She never named him.
Only one sentence stood out.
HE WILL PROTECT YOU ONLY AFTER HE KNOWS WHAT YOU ARE.
I looked at Noah.
Eleven years old.
Confused.
Terrified.
He was not a secret anymore.
He was family.
Then my phone rang.
Victor.
I answered.
“Where are you?”
“At your theater.”
“Good.”
I tightened my grip.
“You know about Noah.”
“I know everything.”
“What do you want?”
“The trust.”
“It's gone.”
“No.”
His voice was calm.
“It's hidden.”
“Where?”
“Your father hid it in something you see every day.”
I looked around the theater.
“What?”
“Your house.”
I froze.
Victor continued.
“The original money is still there.”
“How much?”
“Twenty-eight million.”
“Where?”
“You'll never find it.”
“I'll tear the house apart.”
“I know.”
He laughed.
“That is exactly what I want.”
“What does that mean?”
“I want you searching for something while I take something else.”
“What?”
“The boy.”
The line went dead.
I immediately called Marcus.
“Get to my estate.”
He was already moving.
We arrived ten minutes later.
The front gate was open.
No guards.
No staff.
Silence.
I ran inside.
“Tessa!”
Nothing.
We searched the kitchen.
Bedrooms.
Library.
Empty.
Then I heard crying.
Upstairs.
Eli was hiding under a bed.
I pulled him out.
“Where's Noah?”
His face was wet.
“They took him.”
“Who?”
“The man with the silver ring.”
Victor.
I stood.
“Where's Tessa?”
Eli pointed downstairs.
“She fought them.”
We found Tessa in the basement.
Her wrists were tied.
Blood ran from her forehead.
I cut the rope.
“Where's Noah?”
“I don't know.”
“Victor?”
She nodded.
“Who else?”
Her eyes filled with terror.
“The second man.”
“Arthur?”
“No.”
“Who?”
She whispered:
“My father's boss.”
I stared.
“Your father has a boss?”
“He always did.”
“What is his name?”
Tessa looked at the floor.
Then she said a name I knew.
A name that belonged to someone who had been standing beside me for years.
“Marcus Dean.”
I turned.
My head of security wasn't there.
He had disappeared.
May you like
So had Noah.
And suddenly the person I trusted most inside my house was gone with the only child who could destroy the Rossi family's oldest secret.
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