Chapter 10 - The Man Behind the FireEverything stopped.
I had shot Vittorio?
Twenty-four years of history had suddenly become a maze.
Vittorio walked into the room.
Ricardo aimed directly at his head.
“Don't move.”
Vittorio smiled.
“You're still protecting the wrong people.”
Ricardo's finger tightened.
“Tell me what happened that night.”
Vittorio looked at me.
“Your father discovered the truth.”
“What truth?”
“He learned Sofia planned to leave the family.”
“With her children.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because she discovered something about me.”
“What?”
Vittorio laughed.
“She discovered I wasn't Leo's biological father.”
Ricardo froze.
“What?”
Vittorio looked at him.
“Leo isn't your biological son.”
Ricardo stared.
“No.”
“Sofia was already pregnant before she married you.”
Ricardo's face became unreadable.
I looked at Leo.
The boy had been listening.
His eyes were wide.
Vittorio continued.
“She had three daughters first.”
Then he pointed at Leo.
“Then she had him.”
Ricardo didn't move.
“Who is his father?”
Vittorio smiled.
“You.”
Ricardo's face changed.
Vittorio continued.
“After Leo was born, Sofia planned to expose me. So I stopped her.”
“You killed her.”
“No.”
“Then who?”
Vittorio pointed toward me.
“Your father.”
I stared.
“Daniel?”
“He shot Sofia.”
“No.”
“He believed she had betrayed him.”
I shook my head.
“My father loved her.”
“He loved you.”
Vittorio looked at me.
“And when he realized I had ordered your death too, he betrayed me.”
“What happened?”
“Daniel shot me.”
I touched my chest.
“The photograph…”
“Yes.”
“You were the man behind me.”
Vittorio nodded.
“You shot me in self-defense.”
My head spun.
“So why do I remember nothing?”
“Because Daniel knew the Morettis would hunt you.”
He looked at Ricardo.
“So he made a bargain.”
“With whom?”
“Me.”
Ricardo stepped forward.
“What bargain?”
Vittorio smiled.
“Daniel agreed to erase Clara's memories.”
“For what?”
“To let her live.”
Ricardo went silent.
I whispered.
“My father traded my memories for my life.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did he disappear?”
“Because he broke the agreement.”
“How?”
“He hid the ledger.”
The hidden ledger.
Everything finally connected.
Vittorio stared at me.
“It contains proof that the Moretti family bought judges, police officers, politicians, witnesses, doctors.”
Ricardo looked furious.
“Where is it?”
Vittorio smiled.
“Ask Clara.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“You've had it all your life.”
The room went silent.
I looked at the silver ring.
The ring my father gave me.
I touched it.
Vittorio nodded.
“Yes.”
Ricardo took one step toward me.
“Take it off.”
“I can't.”
“Try.”
I twisted.
The ring slipped free.
Inside the band was a tiny mechanism.
A hidden compartment opened.
A memory card fell into my palm.
Everyone stared.
Isabella whispered.
“The ledger.”
Vittorio smiled.
Then his expression changed.
“Too late.”
A timer appeared on the television.
00:59.
Ricardo looked at the screen.
“What is that?”
Vittorio backed away.
“A dead man's insurance policy.”
00:45.
The mansion doors locked automatically.
Red lights flashed.
I looked at Ricardo.
“What's happening?”
He grabbed Leo.
“Everyone down!”
00:30.
Vittorio smiled.
“The house is about to burn.”
May you like
00:10.
And then every window shattered at once.
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