Chapter 5 - The Trust
We found Margaret's location through a hidden signal in the toy car.
She had activated something inside it before leaving the mansion.
A tracker.
The signal led to an abandoned church on the west side.
Luca refused to bring a full security team.
Too many people.
Too much noise.
Just four of us.
Luca.
Me.
Vanessa.
And Daniel.
When we entered the church, Isabella was waiting near the altar.
Margaret sat behind her.
Alive.
Unharmed.
But terrified.
Isabella smiled.
“Anthony.”
Luca stopped.
“My name is Luca.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You were always Anthony.”
He looked at Margaret.
“Are you okay?”
She nodded.
Isabella laughed softly.
“You came for her.”
“Yes.”
“Not the ledger?”
“Not yet.”
“You're lying.”
“I learned from the best.”
Isabella's smile disappeared.
“I deserve that.”
Luca stepped forward.
“Why?”
“Because I took your identity.”
“You didn't.”
She frowned.
“Who did?”
“My mother.”
Isabella looked at Margaret.
“You told him.”
Margaret didn't answer.
Luca continued.
“My mother didn't abandon me.”
“No.”
“She wanted me to escape.”
“Yes.”
“And you helped her.”
Isabella's face became colder.
“I helped myself.”
“What does that mean?”
“Your mother had the Bellini trust.”
“She wanted freedom.”
“She wanted to take my power.”
“You killed her.”
“No.”
Luca's eyes sharpened.
“Then where is she?”
Isabella looked toward me.
“She is closer than you think.”
My heart stopped.
“What?”
Isabella smiled.
“Your mother was alive for years.”
“Where?”
“Hidden.”
“By whom?”
“Your father.”
“Richard?”
“No.”
She looked at Luca.
“Your biological father.”
The room went silent.
Luca's face changed.
“My biological father?”
Isabella nodded.
“His name was Marco Bellini.”
Vanessa gasped.
“My grandfather?”
“Yes.”
“But he died.”
“Officially.”
Luca stared.
“So my father isn't Richard Moretti.”
“No.”
He closed his eyes.
“My entire life.”
“You were born Anthony Bellini.”
“Then why was my mother Moretti?”
“She married Richard to protect you.”
“Why?”
“Because Marco wanted you to inherit the Bellini empire.”
“And she refused.”
“Yes.”
“So Richard helped her hide me.”
“Yes.”
“And then?”
Isabella looked away.
“Marco found us.”
“What happened?”
“He took your mother.”
“And me?”
“Richard took you.”
“Where did he take me?”
“Margaret's home.”
Margaret nodded through tears.
“He left you there for six years.”
“Why?”
“Because Marco was looking for you.”
“And then my father came.”
“Richard came.”
“He took me.”
“To save you.”
Luca stared.
“Why didn't he tell me?”
“Because Marco had people everywhere.”
Isabella looked at Vanessa.
“I tried to stop Marco.”
Vanessa whispered,
“You became him.”
Isabella looked at her daughter.
“That is not your decision.”
“Yes, it is.”
Vanessa stepped forward.
“I grew up watching you lie to everyone.”
“You don't understand.”
“I understand that you made me pretend to be someone else.”
“You had to survive.”
“I don't want to survive like this.”
Her voice broke.
“I want to live.”
Luca looked at Vanessa.
For the first time, he didn't see the woman who had deceived him.
He saw a woman trapped by the same family that had trapped him.
Isabella reached into her coat.
A gun appeared.
Daniel moved.
Luca raised his hand.
“No.”
He looked at Isabella.
“Put it down.”
She smiled.
“You sound like your mother.”
“Maybe that's not a bad thing.”
“You're weak.”
“No.”
He stepped closer.
“I know exactly what you're trying to do.”
“What?”
“You want me to kill you.”
She blinked.
“Why?”
“Because then you become the victim.”
Isabella's hand lowered slightly.
“You want control.”
“You want me angry.”
“You want me to inherit the hatred.”
She said nothing.
“And I won't.”
Isabella's face broke.
“What will you do?”
“End it.”
“How?”
“I'll expose everything.”
She stared.
“You would destroy both families.”
“No.”
He looked at Vanessa.
“I'll save them.”
Isabella laughed.
“You think truth saves people?”
“No.”
Luca's expression hardened.
“But lies destroy them.”
He nodded to Daniel.
“Take her.”
The guards moved.
Isabella didn't resist.
As they handcuffed her, she looked at Luca.
“Your mother is alive.”
He froze.
“What?”
“She has been waiting thirty years.”
“Where?”
Isabella smiled.
“She'll tell you herself.”
A door opened behind us.
An old woman stepped inside.
Dark hair streaked with silver.
A red scarf around her neck.
Luca stopped breathing.
Margaret whispered,
“Elena.”
The woman looked at him.
“Anthony.”
He stared.
Then whispered,
“Mom?”
May you like
She nodded.
And broke into tears.
