Chapter 8 - THE MAN WHO WANTED THE HEIRThe Family DinnerVictor didn't raise his voice.

That frightened Alina more than shouting ever could.

He walked toward the table as if entering his own home.

Matteo's gun remained aimed at his chest.

"Take one more step."

Victor stopped.

"My son."

Matteo's jaw clenched.

"You should've stayed dead."

Victor smiled.

"And you should have learned obedience."

Alina stepped between them.

"What do you want?"

Victor looked at her.

"Everything that belongs to you."

"The empire?"

"No."

He touched the ledger.

"The truth."

Alina frowned.

"You already have the truth."

"I have my version."

He opened the ledger to a final page.

There was a signature.

Gabriel's.

"I need this page destroyed."

"Why?"

"Because it proves I wasn't the mastermind."

Silence.

Matteo stared.

"Who was?"

Victor looked toward Carlo.

Carlo lowered his eyes.

Alina understood.

"No."

Victor smiled.

"At last."

"Carlo?"

"Not Carlo."

Carlo stepped forward.

Victor handed him the ledger.

"His real name is Adrian Vale."

Alina stared.

"Who is Adrian Vale?"

"The man who built the dragon organization before the Vescari name ever mattered."

Matteo's face went blank.

"Impossible."

Victor laughed.

"You were always told the dragon belonged to the Vescari."

He pointed at Matteo's neck.

"It never did."

Matteo touched his tattoo.

"Then whose is it?"

Adrian answered.

"Mine."

He tore open his shirt.

A matching dragon covered his chest.

Different design.

Same symbol.

"The dragon was a syndicate."

Victor continued.

"The Vescari family inherited it. Gabriel wanted to dismantle it. Matteo wanted to control it."

"And you?"

Adrian smiled.

"I wanted all of you dead."

A gunshot shattered the chandelier.

Darkness.

Alina dropped.

Someone grabbed her.

She kicked.

Broke free.

Another shot.

Matteo shouted:

"Alina!"

Emergency lights flickered on.

Victor was gone.

Adrian was gone.

The ledger was gone.

But Leo's blanket lay on the floor.

Alina picked it up.

A note was pinned to it.

Bring the original ledger to the old chapel. Midnight.

Underneath:

Come alone.

Matteo took the note.

"You aren't going."

"My family is involved."

"So am I."

"No."

He looked at her.

"I've lost enough family."

Alina met his eyes.

"You haven't lost me yet."

For the first time, something broke across his face.

Then his phone rang.

A hospital call.

A nurse was screaming.

Leo was gone again.

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