Chapter 14 - The BloodlineVittorio could barely speak.
“Lucy is not Marco's daughter.”
Luca shook his head.
“No.”
“Then what do you mean?”
“Her inheritance is connected to him.”
Luca opened the old family records.
Years earlier, Vittorio's father had created a private trust.
Not only for money.
For ownership of a hidden portfolio of properties and companies acquired through shell corporations.
The controlling beneficiaries were supposed to be Vittorio and his descendants.
But there was a second clause.
If Vittorio died without a recognized heir, the control would pass to Marco's line.
Vittorio stared at the document.
“They needed me removed.”
“Yes.”
“And Lucy?”
“She was the only recognized heir.”
Vittorio looked toward the hallway.
Everything suddenly made sense.
They didn't want Lucy dead.
They wanted control over her.
They wanted her declared unstable.
They wanted Vittorio declared dangerous.
Then they would take custody.
And with custody came access to the trust.
Marco had spent years preparing the operation.
Bianca had been the face.
Marcus had been the muscle.
Ferraro had been the legal architect.
Doctors had manufactured the medical story.
And all of them had assumed Vittorio would never look closely enough.
Then Detective Hale entered.
“We found Bianca.”
Vittorio turned.
“Where?”
“She went to an old property owned by Elena.”
“Why?”
“We don't know.”
They drove there.
The house was small.
Quiet.
Hidden in the countryside.
The front door was open.
Inside, everything had been packed.
Except one room.
Lucy entered behind Vittorio.
On the wall was a collection of photographs.
Elena and Lucy.
Elena and Vittorio.
Elena and Emma.
Then one final photograph.
Elena standing beside a woman Vittorio had never seen.
The woman looked almost identical to Lucy.
Vittorio stared.
“Who is that?”
Bianca appeared in the doorway.
She looked exhausted.
For the first time, she was not hiding behind anger.
“She was Elena's sister.”
Vittorio turned.
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
“Where is she?”
Bianca looked at Lucy.
“She died before Lucy was born.”
“How?”
“Cancer.”
Vittorio frowned.
“Then why does Lucy look like her?”
Bianca laughed bitterly.
“Because Elena wanted you to believe Lucy belonged to you.”
Vittorio stepped forward.
“What are you saying?”
Bianca's eyes filled with tears.
“Lucy is your daughter.”
He stared at her.
“But her mother wanted something else.”
“What?”
“Protection.”
Bianca reached into her coat.
She pulled out one final recording.
“This is why Elena built everything.”
Vittorio played it.
Elena's voice came through.
“I know Marco will come for Lucy.”
A pause.
“He wants access to the trust.”
Another pause.
“But that isn't why I'm afraid.”
Then Elena whispered:
“Lucy is the only person who can prove where the original family assets came from.”
Vittorio frowned.
“How?”
The recording continued.
“Because the original documents are hidden inside her birth records.”
Vittorio froze.
Bianca looked at him.
“Elena discovered the trust was built using stolen assets from Marco's criminal network.”
That meant Marco didn't merely want money.
He wanted to erase the evidence.
Lucy had become the living key to exposing him.
Suddenly a noise came from upstairs.
Footsteps.
Vittorio turned.
A door slammed.
They ran.
Lucy was gone.
The room was empty.
The window stood open.
On the floor was a note.
Vittorio picked it up.
Three words.
COME TO THE LAKE.
Underneath was another sentence.
BRING NO POLICE.
He looked at Bianca.
She began to cry.
“I didn't take her.”
Vittorio's voice became deadly calm.
“Then who did?”
Bianca looked toward the open window.
“Marcus.”
Vittorio's phone rang.
Marcus.
“Hello, Vittorio.”
Vittorio said nothing.
“You have one hour.”
“For what?”
“To bring me the drive.”
“And Lucy?”
Marcus laughed softly.
May you like
“She is waiting.”
Then the line went dead.
