Chapter 15 - They returned to the estate three days later.The house was damaged.
The west wing was gone.
The greenhouse was destroyed.
But the old bedroom remained.
Adrienne stood beside Sofia and Mia.
Bruno lay near the fireplace.
He was recovering.
Mia sat on the floor drawing.
Adrienne watched her.
“What box?”
Sofia shook her head.
“I don't know.”
Mia looked up.
“Mommy hid it.”
“Where?”
“In the floor.”
Adrienne remembered the old nursery.
They searched every room.
Nothing.
Then Bruno suddenly lifted his head.
He stood.
Walked to the nursery.
And scratched at the floor.
Adrienne followed.
A loose board.
Underneath was a small wooden box.
Sofia covered her mouth.
“I've never seen that.”
Adrienne opened it.
Inside was a letter.
A photograph.
And a small key.
He read the letter.
It was from Sofia's mother.
Not Sofia.
Her mother.
Adrienne's face tightened.
She had written:
IF YOU ARE READING THIS, THEY FAILED.
THEY WILL TELL YOU THE TRUST WAS ABOUT MONEY.
IT NEVER WAS.
Adrienne continued.
THE MONEY WAS NEVER THE REAL POWER.
The next line made him stop.
THE REAL POWER WAS THE NAMES.
Sofia frowned.
“What names?”
Adrienne turned the page.
Hundreds were listed.
Judges.
Police commanders.
Lawyers.
Bank executives.
Political operatives.
People who had helped the Moretti family build its empire.
At the bottom was one final name.
Anthony Cole.
Beside it:
REAL NAME: LUCIEN MORETTI.
Adrienne stared.
He looked at Isabella.
“Wait.”
Isabella shook her head.
“That's impossible.”
“Your father was Lucien.”
“No.”
Adrienne pointed to the document.
“Lucien Moretti was the eldest heir.”
Isabella's face went white.
“My father died when I was a child.”
The letter contained one final paragraph.
THE MAN CALLED ANTHONY COLE IS NOT LUCIEN.
HE IS NOT ADRIEN'S UNCLE.
HE IS NOT YOUR FATHER'S TWIN.
Adrienne's stomach dropped.
Sofia whispered:
“Then who is he?”
Adrienne turned the page.
The final sentence was written in red.
HE IS THE MAN WHO KILLED LUCIEN.
Silence.
Mia suddenly stopped drawing.
“Daddy.”
Adrienne looked at her.
“What?”
She pointed toward the front window.
A black sedan was parked outside.
Adrienne grabbed his weapon.
Tony moved toward the door.
But Mia shook her head.
“No.”
“Why?”
She stared at the car.
“The dog knows him.”
Adrienne turned toward Bruno.
The mastiff was standing.
His body stiff.
His eyes fixed on the sedan.
Then Bruno did something he had never done before.
He walked toward the front door.
Adrienne followed.
The sedan door opened.
A man stepped out.
Older.
Tall.
Gray coat.
He lifted both hands.
“I don't want trouble.”
Adrienne stared.
He recognized the face.
It was in the old photographs.
It was the face everyone thought belonged to Lucien.
The man looked at Bruno.
The dog immediately stopped growling.
Adrienne lowered his weapon.
“Who are you?”
The man answered:
“The man who trained Bruno.”
Adrienne's heart raced.
“What's your name?”
The man looked at Mia.
Then at Sofia.
Finally, at Adrienne.
“Lucien.”
Isabella stepped forward.
“That’s my father's name.”
Lucien smiled sadly.
“I know.”
Adrienne's eyes narrowed.
“Anthony said Lucien died.”
“He lied.”
“Then who is Anthony?”
Lucien's expression changed.
“The most dangerous man your family has ever created.”
Adrienne stared.
“Created?”
Lucien nodded.
“Anthony Cole was never a Moretti.”
“Then who?”
Lucien looked toward Bruno.
“He was the first man your grandfather hired to protect the family.”
Adrienne frowned.
“Why would a bodyguard do all this?”
Lucien answered:
“Because he discovered the trust.”
“And?”
“He learned the heir could destroy everything.”
Adrienne looked at Mia.
Lucien continued.
“So he spent twenty-two years making sure the heir would never know her power.”
Adrienne took a breath.
“Why tell me now?”
Lucien smiled.
“Because Anthony is in custody.”
“Yes.”
“And because he left one final message.”
Adrienne waited.
Lucien reached into his coat.
He handed Adrienne an envelope.
Adrienne opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
Mia.
Sleeping in the nursery.
Taken only hours earlier.
Behind her stood Anthony.
And someone else.
Adrienne's father.
Alive.
Again.
Adrienne's face went pale.
He looked at Lucien.
“You told me my father was dead.”
“I told you nothing.”
Adrienne looked toward the trees.
A movement.
Someone was watching them.
Lucien whispered:
“Your father escaped before the police arrived.”
Adrienne tightened his grip on the photograph.
“Where is he?”
Lucien looked at Bruno.
The dog was staring toward the woods.
Then, from somewhere in the darkness, a man's voice called:
“Adrienne.”
Adrienne froze.
His father's voice.
Exactly as he remembered.
“Bring my granddaughter.”
Mia clutched Adrienne's hand.
Bruno growled.
The lights around the estate suddenly went out.
A car engine started.
Then another.
Then another.
Adrienne looked through the window.
Three black vehicles rolled toward the gates.
His father had come back.
And this time…
he wasn't asking for the money.
May you like
He was asking for his heir.
TO BE CONTINUED…
