Chapter 3 - The basement doors slammed shut simultaneously.Tony tried his radio.
Nothing.
“Signal's dead.”
Adrienne looked at the ceiling speaker.
“Show yourself.”
A soft laugh echoed through the intercom.
“You were always impatient.”
Adrienne's hands curled into fists.
“My father died.”
“Did he?”
Adrienne stared into the darkness.
The voice continued.
“You believed what they told you.”
Vivien whispered, “Stop.”
The speaker crackled.
“Vivien.”
She flinched.
“You've kept your promise.”
Adrienne looked at her.
“What promise?”
No answer.
“Vivien.”
She shook her head.
“I can't.”
The speaker came alive again.
“Bring the child to the east house.”
Adrienne's blood turned cold.
“Mia?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Then Bruno dies next.”
Adrienne looked at the dog.
Bruno's breathing was failing.
Tony whispered, “Boss…”
Adrienne answered without looking away.
“Break the door.”
Tony and two guards attacked the main security door.
Steel groaned.
The intercom voice laughed.
“You've always thought force solved everything.”
Adrienne turned toward the speaker.
“You know me.”
“I know you better than anyone.”
“Then you know I'm coming for you.”
“Eventually.”
The line went dead.
The lights came back.
Tony broke the door open.
They rushed upstairs.
Mia was gone.
Elena was on the floor.
Adrienne dropped beside her.
“Where is she?”
Elena's hands trembled.
“They took her.”
“Who?”
“Two men.”
“When?”
“Just now.”
Adrienne looked at Vivien.
She was standing motionless beside the staircase.
Adrienne crossed the room.
“You said they'd kill her.”
Vivien's eyes filled with tears.
“I warned you.”
“You didn't warn me. You watched.”
“I was trying to protect her.”
“By letting them take Bruno?”
Vivien closed her eyes.
“I didn't know they would hurt him.”
Adrienne grabbed her wrist.
“Start talking.”
She looked at him.
“I helped them get into the house.”
The admission hit the room like a gunshot.
Tony raised his weapon.
Adrienne released her.
“Why?”
“Because they had Mia's mother.”
Adrienne froze.
“Mia's mother is dead.”
Vivien shook her head.
“No.”
Silence.
Adrienne's voice became quiet.
“When did you learn this?”
“Three years ago.”
“You lied to me for three years.”
“I was afraid.”
“Of whom?”
“The family.”
Adrienne stepped closer.
“What family?”
Vivien looked toward the ceiling.
“Your father's family.”
Adrienne laughed once.
“My father had no family.”
“That is what your father wanted you to believe.”
Vivien reached inside her robe pocket.
She removed an old photograph.
Adrienne took it.
A woman stood in front of the Moretti estate.
She looked twenty-five.
Beautiful.
Dark hair.
And beside her stood Adrienne's father.
But that wasn't what made Adrienne's hand shake.
The woman was holding a baby.
On the back was a handwritten date.
September 14.
The year Adrienne was born.
He looked up.
“Who is she?”
Vivien whispered:
“Your father's first wife.”
Adrienne stared.
“My mother was his first wife.”
“No.”
Vivien shook her head.
“Your mother was his second.”
Adrienne's head spun.
“Then who is that?”
Vivien looked toward the stairs.
“Mia's mother.”
A voice came from behind them.
“She's not Mia's mother.”
Everyone turned.
It was Carlo.
Adrienne's driver stood in the doorway.
He was holding a gun.
Tony raised his weapon.
Carlo smiled.
“Put it down.”
Adrienne stared at him.
“You?”
Carlo's expression did not change.
“I was going to tell you.”
“When?”
“When Bruno was dead.”
Adrienne took one step forward.
Carlo's gun shifted toward him.
“You don't understand what you've inherited.”
Adrienne's voice was cold.
“I inherited a house.”
Carlo smiled.
“No.”
“You inherited a war.”
He pressed a button.
A television screen on the far wall flickered alive.
Mia appeared on camera.
She was sitting in a dark room.
Bruno's collar hung around her neck.
Adrienne's entire body went still.
A voice spoke through the television.
“Twenty-four hours.”
The screen went black.
Then Carlo lowered his weapon.
Adrienne stared at him.
“Where is she?”
Carlo smiled.
“Where your father hid the money.”
Adrienne's eyes narrowed.
“What money?”
Carlo answered softly.
“The Moretti trust.”
Adrienne shook his head.
“The trust was dissolved.”
Carlo laughed.
May you like
“That is what they wanted you to believe.”
Then he fired.
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