Chapter 13 - THE WOMAN WHO STOLE HERVictor fired first.
Paulie moved.
The bullet struck his shoulder.
Elena screamed.
Maria pushed Tessa behind the stone wall.
Paulie disappeared through the doorway.
Victor chased him.
“Victor!”
Elena grabbed Tessa.
Tessa stared at her.
“You lied to me.”
“Yes.”
“You're not my mother.”
Elena's eyes filled with tears.
“No.”
“Who am I?”
“You are Vincent Romano's daughter.”
“My real mother?”
Elena closed her eyes.
“She was murdered.”
“By whom?”
“Massimo.”
Tessa froze.
“But Victor's father said…”
“Your father knew he was going to die.”
“Then why did you take me?”
“Because Massimo wanted you.”
“Why?”
Elena looked toward Maria.
“Because you were the only heir.”
Tessa's voice cracked.
“What about Maria?”
“Massimo had her.”
“So you saved me.”
“Yes.”
“And left my sister?”
“I tried to save both of you.”
“What happened?”
Elena looked down.
“I failed.”
Tessa stared at the woman who had raised her.
“You erased my memories.”
“I had to.”
“Why?”
“Because you saw the murder.”
“And you knew who did it.”
Elena nodded.
“Who?”
She hesitated.
“The person who ordered your father's death was not Massimo.”
Tessa's breathing stopped.
“Who?”
Elena looked toward the doorway.
“Your grandmother.”
Victor suddenly returned.
He was bleeding across his forehead.
“What?”
Elena turned toward him.
“Your grandmother ordered Vincent's death.”
Victor went pale.
“My grandmother died before my father.”
“No.”
“She died when I was eighteen.”
“She disappeared.”
Victor stared.
Elena nodded.
“She built the original criminal network.”
Maria stepped forward.
“And Massimo?”
“Her son.”
Victor's face hardened.
“So this entire thing…”
“Was your family's.”
Tessa felt sick.
All these years.
The blood.
The money.
The secrets.
The murders.
All tied to a family she had never known existed.
Then footsteps echoed in the corridor.
Paulie returned.
But he wasn't alone.
A dozen armed men entered.
And behind them stood Judge Kane.
He smiled.
“Enough family reunions.”
Victor raised his gun.
Kane laughed.
“Put it down.”
Victor didn't.
Kane pointed at Tessa.
“Or she dies.”
Victor's finger tightened around the trigger.
Tessa looked at him.
“Don't.”
Kane smiled.
“Smart girl.”
He stepped closer.
“You should know something.”
“What?”
“The money is already gone.”
Tessa frowned.
“What money?”
“Your inheritance.”
Kane held up a phone.
“Transferred this morning.”
Victor stared.
“To where?”
Kane smiled.
“Your sister.”
Maria went still.
“What?”
Kane looked at her.
“The money was never meant for Tessa.”
Maria's face drained of color.
“It was meant for you.”
Victor turned toward Maria.
Maria looked horrified.
“I didn't know.”
Kane laughed.
“Of course you didn't.”
He raised his gun.
“The real heir was never Tessa.”
Tessa stared.
“Then who?”
Kane answered:
“Victor.”
Silence.
Victor's eyes narrowed.
Kane smiled.
“Your father never intended to leave the empire to either daughter.”
He looked at Victor.
“He left it to the son.”
Victor whispered:
“Then why did Massimo want them?”
Kane's smile disappeared.
“Because the sisters were never the key.”
He pointed at Victor.
May you like
“You were.”
Then every gun in the room turned toward him.
