Chapter 11 - The Twin in the ShadowsThe police surrounded Marco within seconds.
Guns were raised.
Nobody fired.
Marco stood calmly beside the SUV.
He was older than Vittorio.
But the family resemblance was unmistakable.
Same eyes.
Same jaw.
Same cold stillness.
Vittorio stepped outside.
“You killed Elena.”
Marco smiled.
“No.”
“You ordered it.”
“I ordered an accident.”
“Then you had someone stop her from receiving treatment.”
“I protected myself.”
Vittorio stared at him.
“You call that protection?”
Marco shrugged.
“Families survive because someone makes difficult decisions.”
Lucy watched from inside.
Marco's eyes moved toward her.
“That is the girl.”
Vittorio stepped in front of the window.
“Don't look at her.”
Marco laughed softly.
“She looks exactly like Elena.”
Then he turned to the police.
“You have nothing that will hold me.”
Vittorio raised the flash drive.
“We have everything.”
Marco's smile disappeared.
“For now.”
One officer stepped forward.
“You're under arrest.”
Marco held out his wrists.
He seemed almost amused.
As they handcuffed him, he whispered to Vittorio:
“You still don't understand.”
“What?”
“The money wasn't the point.”
Vittorio watched him.
“What was?”
Marco leaned closer.
“Your father left something behind.”
Vittorio frowned.
“What?”
Marco smiled.
“Ask your brother.”
Police took him away.
Vittorio immediately called Luca.
No answer.
He called again.
Nothing.
Then a message arrived.
COME ALONE.
Vittorio looked at the number.
It was Luca's.
The location was an old family estate.
Emma grabbed his arm.
“Don't go.”
“I have to.”
“No. That's what they want.”
Vittorio looked at Lucy.
He knew Emma was right.
He called Detective Hale.
They went together.
The old estate was abandoned.
Dust filled the rooms.
A single lamp burned in the library.
Luca stood beneath a portrait of their father.
“You came.”
Vittorio stared at him.
“What did our father leave?”
Luca looked at the portrait.
“He knew Marco would try to destroy the family.”
“When?”
“Long before either of us understood.”
He pressed a hidden switch.
The portrait moved.
Behind it was a safe.
Inside was a sealed envelope.
Vittorio opened it.
There were bank documents.
Property deeds.
And a final letter from his father.
The letter said:
To my sons,
One of you will inherit the company.
The other will inherit the truth.
Vittorio looked at Luca.
“What does that mean?”
Luca swallowed.
“You got the company.”
“And you got the truth?”
“Yes.”
“What truth?”
Luca stared at him.
“Our father knew Elena was investigating Marco.”
“Then why did he do nothing?”
“He did.”
“How?”
“He hired someone to watch her.”
Vittorio's eyes narrowed.
“Who?”
Luca whispered:
“Emma.”
Vittorio froze.
He thought of every time Emma had been near Lucy.
Every warning.
Every recording.
Every strange piece of evidence she had produced.
He turned slowly.
Emma was standing at the library door.
Her face was unreadable.
Luca looked at her.
“Tell him.”
Vittorio stared at Emma.
“Tell me what?”
Emma closed the door behind her.
Then she said something that changed everything.
“Elena asked me to protect Lucy.”
Vittorio's voice dropped.
“From Bianca?”
“No.”
“From Marco?”
Emma shook her head.
May you like
“From you.”
Vittorio stopped breathing.
