Chapter 13 - The Bellandi WitnessClaire Gallagher was alive.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then Norah ran.
Mother and daughter crashed into each other.
Claire sobbed.
Norah held her tightly.
“You're real.”
Claire laughed through tears.
“You were always real.”
Dominic stood several feet away.
He couldn't move.
Claire saw him.
Her expression changed.
“Dominic.”
He swallowed.
“I thought you were dead.”
“I thought you were dead too.”
“That was Victor.”
“Yes.”
He stepped toward her.
“Why didn't you come back?”
Claire looked at Rosa.
“Because your mother made a promise.”
Rosa nodded.
“I promised to protect her.”
Dominic looked furious.
“You protected everyone except me.”
Rosa said quietly:
“You were the one Victor needed.”
Claire took Dominic's hand.
“Listen to me.”
He did.
“For twenty-six years, Victor built his power around one lie.”
“What lie?”
“That Salvatore ordered my death.”
Salvatore lowered his head.
Claire continued.
“He didn't.”
Dominic looked at his father.
“Then why did the recording say he ordered the west wing burned?”
Claire stared at Salvatore.
“Because Victor forged the order.”
Norah's eyes widened.
“How?”
Claire explained.
“Victor had access to your grandfather's seal.”
Dominic's face went cold.
“He could authorize anything.”
“Yes.”
“Then why was Matteo blamed?”
“Because Victor needed a witness.”
Matteo stepped forward.
“And that was me.”
Claire nodded.
“You saw the wrong car.”
“The one with Dominic's plates.”
“Yes.”
“So Victor framed me too.”
Claire looked at Norah.
“He framed everyone.”
A sound came from the hallway.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Measured.
Victor entered.
No guards.
No weapon visible.
Just a black suit and a smile.
Everyone froze.
Victor looked at Claire.
“You survived.”
Claire stared.
“So did you.”
Victor laughed.
“I knew the moment the phone rang.”
Dominic aimed his gun.
“You're finished.”
Victor looked at him.
“No.”
He held up a remote.
A screen lit up behind him.
Images appeared.
Banks.
Accounts.
Politicians.
Judges.
Police commanders.
Then photographs of Dominic.
Victor said:
“Pull that trigger and every file goes public.”
Dominic's gun lowered slightly.
Norah stared.
“You built insurance.”
“I built certainty.”
Victor looked at Salvatore.
“Thirty years ago, this family was mine.”
Salvatore suddenly spoke clearly.
“No.”
Everyone froze.
It was the strongest word he had spoken since his stroke.
Victor stared.
Salvatore continued.
“You were never family.”
Victor's smile disappeared.
Salvatore forced himself upright.
“You were a servant.”
Victor's face darkened.
“And you treated me like one.”
“No.”
Salvatore's voice strengthened.
“You treated yourself like a king.”
Victor raised the remote.
“You want truth?”
He pressed a button.
Another file appeared.
THE MURDER OF ROSA BELLANDI.
Norah froze.
Her grandmother turned white.
Dominic looked at her.
“What is that?”
Victor smiled.
“The final secret.”
He looked directly at Norah.
“Your grandmother didn't disappear.”
Rosa's breathing stopped.
Victor whispered:
“She was the one who betrayed you.”
Dominic stared at Rosa.
May you like
Norah turned toward her grandmother.
“What did you do?”
