Chapter 11 - Victoria dropped the chip onto the table.Emma stared at it.
“Then who?”
Victoria looked toward Vincent.
“You should ask him.”
Vincent's face hardened.
“I've had enough.”
Victoria laughed.
“You always say that when you're scared.”
Emma turned toward Vincent.
“What does she mean?”
Vincent didn't answer.
Victoria stepped closer.
“Twenty-two years ago, your father discovered that Daniel was not the only person who knew about the stolen money.”
She looked at Emma.
“There was a second ledger.”
“Where?”
“Inside the Moretti family vault.”
Vincent's expression changed.
“My father locked it.”
Victoria smiled.
“He didn't.”
She pulled out a key.
“He gave it to me.”
Emma stared.
“Why would he trust you?”
“Because he knew I was the only person willing to expose the family.”
Emma frowned.
“You've been threatening Isabella for years.”
“I needed her to remember where the ledger was.”
“Why?”
“To stop Elias.”
Vincent looked confused.
“Elias?”
Victoria nodded.
“He came back because the ledger contains evidence that he murdered Matthias.”
Emma stopped breathing.
“Then Matthias is dead?”
“No.”
Victoria looked at Julian.
“Matthias is alive.”
Julian stared.
“Where?”
Victoria looked toward him.
“In the vault.”
Everyone fell silent.
They traveled to the old Moretti estate before sunrise.
The mansion had been abandoned for years.
Dust covered the furniture.
Old portraits lined the walls.
Vincent led them into the library.
He pressed a button behind a painting.
A stone wall moved.
A staircase descended.
Emma followed.
At the bottom was an enormous steel door.
Vincent inserted Victoria's key.
The door opened.
Inside were shelves filled with documents.
Bank records.
Photographs.
Contracts.
And one locked box.
Victoria opened it.
Inside was the second ledger.
Emma turned the first page.
Hundreds of names.
Payments.
Bribes.
Secret accounts.
Murder.
Then she saw one name.
MATTHIAS MORETTI.
Next to it was a payment.
$5,000,000.
Recipient:
Elias Moretti.
Date:
Twenty-two years ago.
Emma looked at Vincent.
“Elias paid Matthias.”
Victoria shook her head.
“No.”
She pointed to another line.
The payment was reversed.
Then another entry.
Elias receives payment from Victoria Langford.
Emma stared.
“You paid him?”
Victoria nodded.
“To get the truth.”
Emma turned the page.
The next name was shocking.
VINCENT MORETTI.
Next to it:
AUTHORIZED EXECUTION.
Emma stepped backward.
“No.”
Vincent stared.
“I never authorized anything.”
Victoria looked at him.
“Someone used your signature.”
“Who?”
A voice answered.
“Your mother.”
Isabella stepped from the shadows.
Emma stared.
“Mom?”
Isabella looked exhausted.
“It wasn't me.”
The lights flickered.
A gunshot rang out.
The ledger flew from Victoria's hands.
Everyone dove for cover.
A figure stood in the doorway.
Daniel.
Alive.
Emma screamed,
“Dad!”
He raised his hand.
“Don't move.”
Vincent stared.
“Where were you?”
Daniel looked at Isabella.
Then at Emma.
“I had to make them believe I was captured.”
Emma ran toward him.
Daniel embraced her.
But something felt wrong.
His heartbeat was too fast.
His hands were shaking.
Emma pulled back.
“You're afraid.”
Daniel nodded.
“Because the person behind everything is here.”
A second figure stepped into the doorway.
Julian.
Emma looked confused.
“You were with us.”
Julian smiled.
“No.”
He closed the vault door.
“Your brother has been with them from the beginning.”
Emma's heart sank.
Daniel stared at Julian.
“Why?”
Julian slowly raised his gun.
“Because I finally know who my real father is.”
Emma's voice trembled.
“Who?”
Julian looked at Vincent.
“My father.”
Vincent went completely still.
Julian smiled.
“You never knew.”
Emma stared between them.
“That can't be possible.”
Julian stepped forward.
“Vincent Moretti isn't my uncle.”
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He pointed the gun at Vincent.
“He is my father.”
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