Chapter 10 - The steel door opened.A man walked inside.
Tall.
Gray-haired.
Elegant.
Emma had never seen him before.
But Daniel knew him.
“So you finally came.”
The man's expression was cold.
Julian raised his weapon.
“You.”
Vincent suddenly appeared behind him.
He had escaped the house.
He pointed his gun.
“Put it down, Julian.”
Julian looked at Emma.
“Stay behind me.”
The old man laughed.
“You still think you can protect her.”
Emma stared.
“Who are you?”
The man looked directly at her.
“Your grandfather.”
Silence.
Emma's mind went blank.
“My grandfather?”
Daniel nodded.
“Her mother's father.”
The man smiled.
“Elias Moretti.”
Vincent's face went white.
“My grandfather died.”
Elias laughed.
“You were told that too.”
He stepped closer.
“Everyone in this family has been lying.”
Emma looked at Daniel.
“Who is my biological father?”
Elias answered.
“You were born from an affair between my son Matthias and Isabella.”
Emma's stomach dropped.
“Then why did Daniel raise me?”
“Because Daniel was the only decent man in this story.”
Elias stared at Vincent.
“And because Vincent's father ordered Daniel to protect you.”
Vincent lowered his weapon slightly.
“Why?”
“Because Matthias wanted you dead.”
Julian interrupted.
“You said you were protecting me.”
Elias looked at him.
“I was.”
“Then why did you make me believe Daniel betrayed my family?”
“Because anger makes people easy to control.”
Julian slowly lowered his weapon.
Elias smiled.
“You were useful.”
Emma looked at him.
“What do you want?”
“The company.”
“That's it?”
“No.”
Elias stepped closer.
“I want control of Daniel's shares.”
Emma frowned.
“You said my father owned 51 percent.”
“Daniel never used them.”
“Why?”
“Because he signed them into a trust.”
Daniel spoke weakly.
“For Emma.”
Everyone froze.
Emma stared.
“My shares?”
Daniel nodded.
“On your twenty-first birthday, control transferred to you.”
Vincent looked at Elias.
“That means Emma controls Moretti Global.”
“Yes.”
Elias's expression changed.
“That is why every person in this room has been trying to manipulate her.”
Emma finally understood why Victoria had stopped her from helping Isabella.
Why Matthias had hunted Daniel.
Why Julian had been manipulated.
Why people had lied.
She wasn't just a witness.
She was the key.
Elias extended his hand.
“Give me the certificate.”
Emma shook her head.
“I don't have it.”
Elias smiled.
“Of course you do.”
He looked at her necklace.
Emma touched the small silver pendant she had worn since childhood.
Daniel's gift.
Elias said,
“Open it.”
Emma froze.
She had never opened it.
She pulled the pendant free.
There was a tiny seam.
She pressed it.
The pendant opened.
Inside was a microchip.
Elias smiled.
“There it is.”
Vincent looked shocked.
“You knew?”
Daniel nodded.
“I hid it in plain sight.”
Elias stepped forward.
Vincent blocked him.
“You're not touching her.”
Elias laughed.
“You still don't understand.”
He looked at Emma.
“Your mother is dead.”
Emma froze.
“What?”
Elias turned toward the door.
Two men dragged her mother inside.
She was bleeding.
Emma screamed.
“Mom!”
Elias held a knife against her throat.
“Give me the chip.”
Emma looked at Daniel.
He shook his head.
“Don't.”
Elias pressed the blade.
“Now.”
Emma removed the chip.
Then something unexpected happened.
Julian stepped between them.
“No.”
Elias turned.
“You?”
Julian raised his gun.
“You used me.”
Elias smiled.
“Everyone gets betrayed eventually.”
Julian fired.
The bullet struck the wall.
Elias disappeared through another door.
Vincent ran after him.
Emma rushed to her mother.
Then the lights went out.
Again.
When they returned, Daniel was gone.
And the hospital monitor had been unplugged.
Emma screamed.
“Dad!”
A voice came from the hallway.
Victoria.
“You still haven't learned.”
Emma turned.
Victoria stood there holding the microchip.
“I told you from the beginning.”
Emma stared.
“Told me what?”
Victoria smiled.
“The person controlling Elias…”
May you like
She lifted the chip.
“…isn't Elias.”
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