Chapter 4 - My Father Returned From the Dead—But Instead of Explaining Himself, He Accused Me of Becoming the Monster He Had Tried to StopMy father appeared at 3:00 a.m.
No warning.
No guards saw him enter.
He simply walked into my study.
Older.
Thinner.
But alive.
I raised my gun.
He didn't move.
“Put it down, Lorenzo.”
I couldn't breathe.
“You're dead.”
“Yes.”
“I buried you.”
“I know.”
“You let me believe you were dead.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you weren't ready.”
I laughed.
“You don't get to decide that.”
He looked at me.
“I do when your life is at stake.”
I wanted to shoot him.
Instead, I asked:
“Did you kill Isabella?”
His face changed.
“No.”
“Did you order someone to poison Leo?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
“Your uncle.”
“Salvatore.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because he wants the empire.”
I shook my head.
“He already has money.”
“He wants legitimacy.”
“What does that mean?”
“He wants to transform the Rossi organization into something no one can touch.”
“Politics.”
“Yes.”
“Law enforcement.”
“Yes.”
“Business.”
“Yes.”
“He wants everything.”
My father nodded.
“And Leo?”
“He is the obstacle.”
“Why?”
“Because you will eventually give everything to him.”
I looked toward the nursery.
“He's a baby.”
“To Salvatore, he is an heir.”
My father explained the plan.
Salvatore wanted Leo dead.
He wanted me blamed.
Then he would take control of the organization.
But there was another layer.
Isabella had discovered the plan.
She had tried to protect Leo.
She had hired Clara.
She had hidden evidence.
And then she had died.
“Was her death an accident?”
My father shook his head.
“No.”
“Who killed her?”
“Salvatore's physician.”
“Where is he?”
“Dead.”
I stared.
“Convenient.”
My father sighed.
“You still don't trust me.”
“I shouldn't.”
“No.”
He looked down.
“You shouldn't trust anyone.”
Then he handed me a key.
“What is this?”
“The place where Isabella hid the ledger.”
I stared at him.
“Where?”
“The nursery.”
I returned to Leo's room.
Clara followed.
We searched everything.
Nothing.
Then she noticed the rocking chair.
The same chair where I had caught her feeding Leo.
She turned it upside down.
A hidden compartment opened.
Inside was a small wooden box.
My hands trembled.
The key fit.
Inside was a flash drive.
A letter.
And a photograph.
I opened the letter.
It was from Isabella.
Lorenzo,
If you are reading this, I failed to tell you the truth.
I didn't stop loving you.
I was afraid of what would happen if you learned what your family was doing.
Our son is innocent.
Do not let them turn him into the next Rossi king.
Break the cycle.
I cried.
I hadn't cried in years.
But my wife's handwriting broke something inside me.
Then I read the final line.
The person you trust most is the person you should fear most.
I looked at Clara.
She looked at me.
Neither of us spoke.
Then my phone rang.
Salvatore.
I answered.
His voice was calm.
“Lorenzo.”
“What do you want?”
“I want my nephew.”
“No.”
“You don't understand.”
“I understand perfectly.”
“Then listen carefully.”
A pause.
“If you don't hand Leo over by sunrise…”
May you like
My heart stopped.
“…your mother dies.”
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