Chapter 8 - Isabella walked through the rain as if the armed men around her didn't exist.Elena couldn't move.
There was something deeply disturbing about seeing a face so similar to her own.
Not identical.
But close enough.
The same eyes.
The same jaw.
The same slight tilt of the head.
Isabella stopped several meters away.
“Dante.”
His gun remained raised.
“You should be dead.”
“I was.”
Elena frowned.
Isabella smiled.
“Eleven years is a long time to stay dead.”
“What do you want?”
“Her.”
Isabella pointed at Elena.
Dante stepped forward.
“You're not taking her.”
“You've already taken enough from both of us.”
“I didn't take anything from you.”
Isabella laughed.
“You took my father.”
Dante froze.
Elena's eyes widened.
“Her father?”
Isabella looked at Elena.
“You really don't know?”
“No.”
“Of course you don't.”
She slowly removed her coat.
A scar crossed her collarbone.
“Elena Hart.”
“Yes.”
“You were born because Claire needed leverage.”
Elena stared.
“What?”
Isabella took another step.
“Your mother knew she was dying.”
Dante's voice was low.
“Don't.”
“She knew Harold Mercer wanted the archive.”
Isabella continued.
“She knew Dante would come after it.”
Elena looked at Dante.
“So I was part of the plan?”
“No.”
“You're lying.”
“No.”
Isabella smiled.
“He's always been good at lying to you.”
Dante fired.
Isabella moved.
The bullet struck the vehicle.
Chaos erupted.
Security opened fire.
Dante grabbed Elena.
They ran toward the unfinished tower.
Julian crawled after them.
“You can't leave me!”
Elena stopped.
Dante looked back.
Julian was bleeding badly.
“Help him.”
Dante hesitated.
Then turned.
He dragged Julian inside.
The doors slammed shut.
They climbed six floors.
The stairwell was dark.
Elena could hear helicopters above.
“Why didn't you tell me about Isabella?”
Dante answered between breaths.
“Because I didn't know she was alive.”
“You knew about her.”
“Yes.”
“Then you lied.”
“Yes.”
Elena stopped.
“You don't get to say yes like that fixes anything.”
“I know.”
“Why marry me?”
Dante stared at her.
“I loved you before you knew my name.”
“That doesn't answer me.”
“I married you because I wanted you protected.”
“From Isabella?”
“From everyone.”
She looked away.
He reached for her.
She stepped back.
Before he could speak, the elevator doors at the end of the hallway opened.
No one was inside.
A phone sat on the floor.
It began ringing.
Elena picked it up.
A video started automatically.
Claire appeared on screen.
“Elena, you're watching this because Isabella found you.”
Claire looked exhausted.
“I need you to understand something.”
She glanced off-screen.
“Dante is not the enemy.”
Elena's eyes filled with tears.
“But he is hiding a terrible truth.”
The video paused.
Then Claire continued.
“I was pregnant when I met Harold Mercer.”
Elena froze.
“My father?”
“No.”
Claire whispered:
“Your father was a Moretti.”
Elena slowly looked at Dante.
He didn't deny it.
“Your biological father is Dante's older brother.”
Her breath stopped.
“Matteo Moretti.”
Dante lowered his eyes.
Claire continued.
“Matteo died before you were born.”
Elena stared.
So Dante wasn't her father.
But he was family.
Her husband.
And he'd known.
The video ended.
Elena whispered:
“You knew who my father was.”
“Yes.”
“For how long?”
“Since the day I met you.”
She slapped him.
The sound echoed through the stairwell.
Dante didn't react.
Then a second phone rang.
Julian answered it.
His face drained.
“What?”
He listened.
Then whispered:
“My father is alive.”
Elena turned.
Julian looked at them.
May you like
“Harold Mercer isn't dead.”
And from somewhere above them came a slow clap.
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