Chapter 3 - The Woman Roman Believed Had Died Twenty Years Ago Was Waiting in the Abandoned Moretti Estate
The old Moretti estate sat outside the city behind iron gates and overgrown trees.
Harper had passed it once.
Everyone in New York's old-money circles knew the property.
A mansion built before the Moretti family became powerful.
It had been abandoned after Roman's parents died.
Or so everyone believed.
Roman drove through the gates without slowing.
Harper sat beside him.
Neither spoke.
Elena followed in another vehicle.
Rain struck the windshield.
Roman's hands were tight around the steering wheel.
“Your mother,” Harper said quietly.
He didn't answer.
“You really think she's alive?”
“No.”
“But Elena said—”
“Elena was manipulated for years.”
“You don't believe her?”
“I want to.”
That was the difference.
Harper looked at him.
Roman's voice became quieter.
“My mother died when I was fourteen.”
“You saw her body?”
“No.”
“Then how do you know?”
He swallowed.
“Because my father told me.”
Harper understood.
The entire family had been built on lies.
They entered the mansion.
Dust covered the furniture.
But fresh footprints crossed the floor.
Someone lived there.
Roman drew his weapon.
Harper followed.
They moved through the hallway.
A door opened.
An elderly woman stepped out.
Harper stopped.
Roman stopped breathing.
The woman looked at him.
“Hello, sweetheart.”
Roman's gun fell from his hand.
“Mom?”
The woman smiled.
“Yes.”
Roman crossed the room.
For several seconds, he was not a mafia boss.
He was a son.
He dropped to his knees.
She held his face.
He began crying.
Harper turned away.
She had never seen him cry.
Not once.
Not during the months they worked together.
Not after the attack.
Not when Leo was rescued.
But now he couldn't stop.
“I thought you were dead.”
“I know.”
“Why?”
“Because your father wanted everyone to believe it.”
Roman looked at her.
“Dad?”
“He was trying to protect me.”
“From Victor?”
She nodded.
“Your uncle believed he controlled the family.”
Roman stood.
“Did he kill Dad?”
“Yes.”
The answer was immediate.
“He arranged the accident.”
“Why didn't you come back?”
“Because Victor threatened you.”
Roman's jaw tightened.
“He was fourteen.”
“He said he would kill you if I returned.”
Harper felt tears in her eyes.
Roman turned away.
His mother continued.
“I stayed hidden because I thought it was the only way to keep you alive.”
“And all these years?”
“I watched.”
Roman looked at her.
“You watched me become him.”
His mother shook her head.
“No.”
“I watched you become yourself.”
Silence.
Then she looked at Harper.
“And this must be Harper.”
Harper froze.
“How do you know me?”
Roman's mother smiled.
“I know everything.”
Harper looked at Roman.
He looked equally confused.
His mother explained.
“You were investigating Victor before Roman hired you.”
Harper nodded.
“Yes.”
“You found the transfers.”
“Yes.”
“You found the shell companies.”
“Yes.”
“But you never found the original account.”
Harper frowned.
“What original account?”
His mother walked to a desk.
She opened a drawer.
Inside was an old ledger.
She placed it before Harper.
“This.”
Harper opened it.
Her heart stopped.
The numbers were familiar.
She had seen fragments.
But never the complete chain.
Money had been moving through Moretti companies for twenty-five years.
Victor had not started stealing six months ago.
He had started before Roman was born.
And there was another name.
Harper stared.
Her mother's name.
“Why is my mother here?”
Roman's mother looked at her.
“Because she worked for us.”
Harper's voice shook.
“My mother was an accountant.”
“She was more than that.”
“She knew about Victor?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't she tell me?”
“Because she was killed.”
Harper's fingers froze.
“My mother died in a car accident.”
Roman's mother shook her head.
“No.”
Harper's world shifted.
“She was murdered.”
Harper couldn't breathe.
Roman came to her.
She stepped backward.
“No.”
He reached for her.
She didn't pull away.
“My father said it was an accident.”
“Your father was protecting you.”
Harper looked at Roman.
“Our parents knew each other.”
“Yes.”
“Were they working together?”
“Yes.”
“For how long?”
“Years.”
The room became silent.
Harper realized the truth.
Her entire life had been built on a lie.
Her mother had not been an ordinary accountant.
She had been investigating the Moretti family.
And she had been murdered because she found something.
“What did she find?”
Roman's mother looked at the ledger.
“The original ownership documents.”
“Of what?”
“Everything.”
She turned a page.
“Victor never legally owned the empire.”
Roman frowned.
“Then who did?”
She looked at him.
“Your father.”
Roman stared.
“Dad?”
“He created the legitimate companies.”
“Victor stole control.”
“How?”
“Through forged signatures, hidden trusts, and manipulated debt.”
Harper immediately understood.
The shell companies weren't the real crime.
They were camouflage.
The true crime was ownership.
Victor had spent decades stealing an empire.
And Roman had inherited the stolen pieces without knowing.
Then the front door slammed.
Victor entered.
He was holding a gun.
Behind him stood six armed men.
Roman stepped in front of Harper.
Victor smiled.
“This family reunion is touching.”
Roman's mother stood.
“Victor.”
“Maria.”
Roman's face hardened.
“You killed my father.”
Victor shrugged.
“He made a mistake.”
“You killed my mother.”
“You were supposed to believe she was dead.”
“And my mother's friend?”
Victor looked at Harper.
“She became inconvenient.”
Harper stepped forward.
“My mother?”
Victor smiled.
“She should have minded her own books.”
Roman's hand tightened around his weapon.
Victor raised his.
“Don't.”
Roman stopped.
Victor looked at Harper.
“Now you understand.”
Harper's voice shook.
“You arranged Leo's kidnapping.”
“Yes.”
“You wanted me inside Roman's organization.”
“Yes.”
“You wanted me to discover the accounts.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Victor smiled.
“Because I needed you to destroy Roman's credibility.”
Harper stared.
Victor continued.
“You were supposed to expose him.”
“Then I would have stepped in.”
“And the Moretti empire would have been mine.”
Roman laughed.
“You failed.”
Victor looked at him.
“No.”
He pointed at Harper.
“She hasn't failed me yet.”
Harper frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Victor pulled out a photograph.
Leo.
Alive.
But tied to a chair.
Harper's blood ran cold.
Victor smiled.
“Because your brother is still mine.”
Roman's expression became murderous.
“Where?”
Victor stepped backward.
“Come and find him.”
Then the lights went out.
Gunfire erupted.
Roman grabbed Harper.
His mother disappeared into the darkness.
And when the emergency lights returned, Victor was gone.
So was Leo's photograph.
But on the floor was a small silver necklace.
May you like
Harper recognized it immediately.
It belonged to her mother.
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