Chapter 6 - I Met My Father for the First Time—And He Asked Me to Choose Between Him and Leo
We went to the old Moretti family estate.
The gates were open.
No guards.
No vehicles.
No resistance.
That was worse.
Inside, the house looked frozen in time.
Family portraits.
Old furniture.
Dust.
Leo walked beside me.
“You okay?”
“No.”
“Good.”
“Why do you keep saying that?”
“Because honesty matters.”
We entered the main hall.
Julian Moretti stood at the top of the staircase.
He was older than I expected.
Gray hair.
Tired eyes.
He looked at me.
And everything in his expression broke.
“Leora.”
My name sounded strange in his voice.
I had imagined this moment thousands of times without knowing I was imagining it.
“What do you want?”
He looked at Leo.
“You brought him.”
“He's my family.”
Julian flinched.
“He is my son.”
Leo stepped forward.
“You lost the right to say that.”
Julian nodded.
“You're right.”
That shocked us.
He came down the stairs.
“I failed both of you.”
I stared.
“Why?”
“Because I thought power could protect people.”
He looked at me.
“It cannot.”
He admitted everything.
He had loved my mother.
But the family rejected their relationship.
She was not considered suitable.
When she became pregnant, Julian was ordered to abandon her.
He refused.
So his own father arranged her disappearance.
Julian spent years searching.
But by the time he found her, she had already hidden me.
She wanted me to grow up away from the family.
Julian allowed it.
Then Matteo discovered the truth.
And the war began.
“Why didn't you come for me?”
I asked.
Julian's eyes filled.
“Because every person I sent disappeared.”
“Then you should have come yourself.”
“I was afraid.”
The answer shocked me.
A Mafia boss afraid?
“Yes.”
He looked at me.
“I was afraid that loving you would get you killed.”
I stepped closer.
“You don't get to call that love.”
He nodded.
“I know.”
Leo stood quietly.
Julian turned toward him.
“I am sorry.”
Leo looked away.
“My entire life, I thought you were untouchable.”
“I wasn't.”
“Then why did you let me become like you?”
Julian's voice broke.
“Because I didn't know how to stop.”
Silence filled the hall.
Then doors opened.
Samuel entered.
“Beautiful reunion.”
Everyone turned.
Samuel was holding a gun.
He smiled.
“I'm afraid this is where the family meeting ends.”
Leo drew his weapon.
Samuel raised his.
“Don't.”
I stepped forward.
“What do you want?”
“The trust.”
“The trust is mine.”
“For now.”
“Why?”
“Because your father was never the real owner.”
He looked at Julian.
“Matteo and I changed the documents years ago.”
Julian shook his head.
“You lied.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Samuel smiled.
“Power.”
Leo moved.
Samuel fired.
Julian stepped in front of him.
The bullet struck Julian.
He collapsed.
“Dad!”
Leo caught him.
I screamed.
Samuel ran.
Leo chased him.
I stayed with Julian.
Blood spread across his shirt.
He looked at me.
“Don't…”
“Don't talk.”
“I should have…”
He coughed.
“I should have found you.”
I held his hand.
“You're here now.”
He smiled faintly.
“Good.”
Leo returned.
“Samuel escaped.”
Then sirens filled the distance.
Federal agents.
State police.
News helicopters.
The evidence had gone public.
There was no place left to hide.
Julian survived.
Barely.
The trust was frozen.
The Moretti family was investigated.
Samuel disappeared.
Matteo was arrested.
And I?
I became the legal owner of the trust.
For the first time in my life, I had money.
Power.
A family.
And no idea what to do with any of it.
Leo found me outside the hospital.
“You okay?”
“No.”
“Good.”
I laughed.
“You really need another line.”
He smiled.
“You saved my life.”
“You saved mine.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“You opened the door.”
May you like
I looked at him.
“And that saved both of us.”
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