Chapter 7 - The Man They Wanted Her to Blame
Charles Hart was found inside his abandoned warehouse.
One gunshot.
No witnesses.
No weapon.
The police called it murder.
Within hours, the newspapers were flooded with Dante’s name.
Crime boss.
Newlywed husband.
Business rival.
Suspect.
Olivia sat in the back of Dante’s car, staring at the headlines.
“You didn’t kill him.”
“No.”
“Were you there?”
“No.”
“Could you prove it?”
Dante looked at her through the rearview mirror.
“Yes.”
“Then why is everyone accusing you?”
“Because someone wants me distracted.”
“From what?”
“The person who killed your father.”
“My father.”
She paused.
“I still can’t believe I’m saying that.”
Dante reached for her hand.
“We need to separate Charles’s death from the old case.”
They discovered that Charles had left behind a hidden account.
The account had been accessed the night he died.
By someone using Olivia’s identity.
Olivia stared at the screen.
“I didn't.”
“I know.”
“Someone is using my name.”
“Exactly.”
They followed the transaction to a law firm.
The law firm represented Judge Alden.
Dante’s expression became cold.
“We have our connection.”
But before they could act, federal agents arrived at Moretti House.
They had warrants.
Olivia watched officers search the study.
One found a gun.
Another found copies of Evelyn’s letters.
Then an agent looked at Olivia.
“Mrs. Moretti, you need to come with us.”
Dante stepped forward.
“No.”
“Mr. Moretti, do not interfere.”
“What charges?”
“Financial conspiracy.”
Olivia looked stunned.
“What?”
The agent handed her a document.
Transactions from Evelyn’s hidden account had been traced to Olivia’s personal account.
Someone had built a case against her.
Dante grabbed the paperwork.
“This is fabricated.”
“We’ll determine that.”
Olivia was taken to the federal office.
Interrogation lasted three hours.
Then the door opened.
Judge Malcolm Alden entered.
Olivia stared.
“You.”
Alden smiled.
“You know my work.”
“I know what you did.”
He sat down.
“I’m afraid you don’t know anything.”
“My mother did.”
Alden’s smile disappeared.
“Your mother made many accusations.”
“She left evidence.”
“Evidence can be manufactured.”
Olivia leaned forward.
“You murdered her.”
Alden said nothing.
“You killed my father.”
His silence became the answer.
Then he said quietly:
“Your mother would be disappointed in you.”
“Why?”
“She spent years trying to keep you innocent.”
Olivia froze.
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because innocence is a luxury.”
The door opened again.
Dante walked in with an attorney.
Within minutes, Olivia was released.
Outside, she collapsed into Dante’s arms.
“I knew you would come.”
“I told you.”
“You told me you weren’t someone I should trust.”
“I was wrong.”
She looked up.
“You trust me.”
“Yes.”
The honesty broke something inside her.
She kissed him.
It happened without planning.
Without hesitation.
One second she was crying.
The next, her hands were on his face.
Dante froze.
Then kissed her back.
When they separated, Olivia laughed through tears.
“This was definitely not in the marriage contract.”
“No.”
“Good.”
They returned to Moretti House.
Lucas and Isabella were waiting.
The family was finally together.
But the danger remained.
That night, Olivia found Dante standing in his study.
The locked cabinet was open.
The documents had been rearranged.
A single file was missing.
“What was in it?”
Dante looked at her.
“The file on your mother’s death.”
“Someone took it.”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
“We found security footage.”
He played it.
A figure entered at 2:14 a.m.
The face was covered.
The person moved straight to the cabinet.
Then removed the file.
Olivia watched carefully.
The figure had a limp.
She remembered something.
“Helen.”
Dante looked at her.
“She walks with that limp.”
They found Helen at a private hospital.
She was dying.
Cancer.
She confessed.
But not before revealing the final secret.
“Alden ordered Evelyn’s death.”
Olivia held her hand.
“Why?”
“Because she discovered his network.”
“Who helped him?”
Helen began crying.
“Charles.”
Olivia’s heart shattered.
“My father.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did he threaten me?”
“To keep control of the inheritance.”
“What inheritance?”
Helen looked at Dante.
“The Moretti trust.”
Dante frowned.
“What?”
“Your father transferred ownership of several assets before his death.”
“To whom?”
Helen whispered.
“Evelyn Hart.”
Dante stared.
“My mother owned part of your empire.”
Helen nodded.
“And after Evelyn died, control passed to Olivia.”
Olivia was speechless.
“The marriage.”
“Yes.”
“It wasn’t about Charles’s debt.”
“No.”
“It was about controlling my inheritance.”
Dante looked at Olivia.
“So Charles forced you to marry me because he wanted your legal rights tied to his family.”
Helen nodded weakly.
“But there was one problem.”
“What?”
“You had to willingly marry.”
Olivia stared.
“That’s why he used Mother’s necklace.”
“Yes.”
Silence.
Helen closed her eyes.
“One more thing.”
“What?”
“Your mother didn’t die before she could expose Alden.”
“What do you mean?”
“She left proof.”
“Where?”
Helen looked directly at Olivia.
“With the person Alden never suspected.”
“Who?”
Helen smiled sadly.
May you like
“Your mother’s lawyer.”
Then she died.
