Chapter 10 - LuciaNobody moved.
Lucia looked at Ivy as though she were looking at a ghost.
Carmine approached carefully.
“Mother.”
Lucia raised one hand.
“Don’t.”
Carmine stopped.
“You’re alive.”
“Obviously.”
“You let me believe you were dead.”
“I let you believe what you needed to believe.”
Ivy stared.
“What does that mean?”
Lucia’s eyes settled on her.
“Your father was trying to protect you.”
“From Maria?”
“From everyone.”
“Why?”
Lucia looked at Carmine.
“Because your father discovered the truth.”
“What truth?”
“That the organization was being manipulated from the inside.”
Carmine’s jaw tightened.
“By Maria?”
Lucia shook her head.
“No.”
She pointed toward him.
“By someone much closer to you.”
A noise came from the hallway.
Lucia immediately whispered:
“Too late.”
The lights died.
Emergency lamps illuminated the room in red.
Carmine drew his weapon.
A voice echoed through the estate.
“Carmine.”
Ivy recognized it.
Gideon.
“Your accounting department belongs to me now.”
Carmine looked toward the hall.
“Where are you?”
“Everywhere.”
A screen flickered on.
Security footage showed armed men entering the estate from three different entrances.
Gideon continued.
“You spent too much time hunting Rocco.”
Carmine said nothing.
“You never realized Rocco was expendable.”
Lucia closed her eyes.
Ivy saw the fear on her face.
For the first time, the woman looked old.
“Who is behind you?” Carmine demanded.
Gideon laughed.
“You know him.”
The screen changed.
A photograph appeared.
An older man.
Carmine’s father.
Ivy stared.
“He’s alive?”
“No,” Lucia whispered.
“Then who is that?”
Lucia’s voice trembled.
“Your father’s brother.”
Carmine stared at the screen.
His uncle had supposedly died twenty years ago.
Gideon spoke again.
“He built this empire.”
Carmine’s grip tightened.
“He was my father’s enemy.”
“No.”
Gideon smiled.
“He was your father.”
Silence.
Ivy turned toward Carmine.
Carmine didn’t move.
Gideon said the final words.
“Your mother lied to you, Carmine.”
The estate doors exploded open.
Men stormed inside.
May you like
Carmine grabbed Ivy.
“Run.”
