Chapter 11 - The Marriage Nobody Told Me AboutThe room went silent.
Emma looked at Alessandro.
Then at Daniel.
“Which one is my daddy?”
Daniel closed his eyes.
Alessandro didn't move.
I felt tears burning my eyes.
“Nobody says anything.”
Matteo smiled.
“This is beautiful.”
“Shut up.”
He laughed.
I looked at Alessandro.
“Tell me.”
He nodded.
“Daniel is Emma's biological father.”
My heart broke again.
“Then why did Matteo call me your wife?”
“Because I married you legally.”
“When?”
“Before Emma was born.”
“Why?”
“To protect you.”
I stared.
“You married me without telling me?”
“You knew me as someone else.”
That answer was somehow worse.
“What was your name?”
“Alex.”
I remembered.
A young man.
Quiet.
Scar on his hand.
The man who helped me after my mother's funeral.
The man who disappeared from my life six months later.
The man I thought had abandoned me.
“You.”
“Yes.”
My breath shook.
“You were Alex.”
“Yes.”
“And you were Alessandro Moretti.”
“Yes.”
I slapped him again.
He let me.
Daniel looked away.
Elena stared at the floor.
Matteo lowered his gun.
“Family reunions are exhausting.”
He stepped toward Emma.
“Give me the girl.”
Alessandro moved between them.
“No.”
Matteo fired.
Alessandro turned.
The bullet struck his shoulder.
He crashed backward.
I screamed.
Emma started crying.
Daniel tackled Matteo.
Gunfire exploded.
Victor fired.
Elena fired.
The train windows shattered.
I pulled Emma behind a seat.
Alessandro was bleeding heavily.
I crawled toward him.
“Stay with me.”
He grabbed my wrist.
“Take Emma.”
“I won't leave you.”
“You have to.”
“Why?”
He looked at me.
“Because the vault isn't the target.”
“What is?”
He coughed.
“The person who opened it.”
I froze.
“Emma.”
“No.”
His eyes locked onto mine.
“You.”
“What?”
“The vault didn't recognize Emma.”
My heart stopped.
“It recognized you.”
Daniel appeared behind me.
His face was pale.
“He's right.”
I looked at both men.
“What are you saying?”
Daniel whispered:
“You are the last blood heir of Black Meridian.”
May you like
Matteo smiled from across the platform.
“Now she understands.”
