Chapter 10 - THE DEAD MAN IN THE HALLWAYNobody moved.
The hallway camera showed a man with white hair walking slowly past the west-wing staircase.
Older than the man in the photograph.
But unmistakably the same face.
Luca stared at the screen.
“My grandfather died thirty years ago.”
Daniel nodded.
“Yes.”
“Then who is that?”
“We don't know.”
Vanessa had gone silent.
Anthony looked at her.
“You knew.”
She didn't answer.
Luca turned.
“Vanessa.”
She looked at him.
“Tell me who he is.”
“He isn't your grandfather.”
“Then who?”
She whispered,
“Victor Moretti's brother.”
Luca froze.
“My father had a brother?”
“He wasn't supposed to.”
She lowered her eyes.
“He was erased.”
“Why?”
“Because he knew what the Moretti family built.”
I felt confused.
“What is MMC?”
Vanessa looked at me.
“Moretti Management Consortium.”
Daniel frowned.
“That company was dissolved decades ago.”
“It was never dissolved,” Vanessa said.
“It went underground.”
Luca shook his head.
“Why would my grandfather create a criminal organization?”
“Because it wasn't criminal at first.”
She looked toward him.
“It started as a private investment network.”
“Then?”
“People became greedy.”
Silence.
Vanessa explained that Luca's grandfather had used the consortium to move money through legitimate businesses.
Restaurants.
Construction.
Shipping.
Security companies.
But eventually members began using it for darker operations.
Your father tried to leave.
“My father discovered it?”
“Yes.”
“And my mother?”
“She helped him.”
“Then why did she destroy the evidence?”
“Because she realized your father wasn't fighting the consortium anymore.”
Luca frowned.
“What was he fighting?”
Vanessa looked at me.
“His own family.”
The door behind us slammed shut.
Bruno began barking.
A shadow passed beneath the gap.
Luca turned.
Daniel drew his weapon.
The door opened slowly.
Maria stood there.
Blood covered one side of her face.
“Luca.”
He rushed toward her.
“What happened?”
She grabbed his arm.
“You have to listen.”
She looked at me.
“Emma's father never died that night.”
I stared.
“What?”
“Vivian staged his death.”
Luca stared at her.
“Why would she?”
“To protect him.”
Maria shook her head.
“Your father and Emma's father were working together.”
“So where is he?”
Maria's eyes filled with tears.
“He never left the city.”
My heart stopped.
“Where?”
She whispered a location.
The old Bellini warehouse.
Anthony immediately backed away.
“No.”
Maria looked at him.
“Your father is there.”
Anthony's face went white.
“My father died.”
“He didn't.”
“Then who was cremated?”
Maria looked toward Vanessa.
“She knows.”
Everyone turned.
Vanessa said nothing.
Then something unexpected happened.
Bruno began growling.
He wasn't looking at Vanessa.
He was staring at the hallway.
A man's voice came from the darkness.
“Enough.”
The lights came on.
A tall older man stood at the end of the corridor.
White hair.
Dark coat.
Silver ring.
He smiled at Luca.
“My boy.”
Luca froze.
The man raised one hand.
On his wrist was a scar shaped like three black lines.
And beside him stood Frank Bellini.
Alive.
Vanessa stepped forward.
“Father.”
Luca stared.
The older man smiled.
“You've finally opened your mother's box.”
He glanced at Bruno.
“And you've finally brought the dog back where he belongs.”
May you like
Then he looked at me.
“And the little girl remembered.”
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