Chapter 2 - The Photograph That Should Not Exist
By sunrise, Dominic had not slept.
The doctor had admitted Lillian to a private hospital under another name.
Emma and Noah were in the guest apartment connected to the Vale security building, under the watch of two women Dominic trusted.
He had not told Emma why.
He had not told anyone.
Not even Vincenzo.
The photograph remained on his desk.
Matteo.
Lillian.
Twelve years ago.
The year before Matteo died.
Dominic picked up the photo again.
He remembered his brother's funeral.
He remembered standing beside their mother while the priest spoke.
He remembered their father saying, "No family survives two sons who believe they are immortal."
Matteo had always been the more reckless one.
The warmer one.
The one who helped strangers.
Dominic had inherited the business.
Matteo had inherited the heart.
That was why Dominic never understood how he died.
The official story said Matteo had been ambushed while transporting cash.
But Dominic had always suspected something was missing.
Now he knew.
"Boss."
Vincenzo entered.
"What did you find?"
"Her full name is Lillian Grace Reynolds."
Dominic looked up.
"Born in Chicago. Twenty-nine years ago."
"And before that?"
"She used a different surname."
Dominic's fingers tightened.
"Which one?"
"Bell."
Silence.
"Why?"
"We don't know."
"Keep going."
Vincenzo opened a file.
"Lillian's mother died when she was young. She moved frequently."
"Father?"
"Unknown."
Dominic frowned.
"What about Emma?"
"Birth certificate lists Lillian as mother. Father is blank."
Dominic stared.
"And Noah?"
"Same."
He looked toward the photograph.
"Matteo."
Vincenzo hesitated.
"We found something else."
"Speak."
"Matteo had an account."
Dominic stood.
"Where?"
"Geneva."
"How much?"
"Eleven million."
Dominic looked stunned.
"When was it opened?"
"Twelve years ago."
"Why did I never know?"
"Because the account had no Moretti name attached to it."
Dominic stared.
"Whose name?"
Vincenzo lowered his voice.
"Lillian Bell."
The room fell silent.
Dominic slowly sat.
"What did Matteo leave her?"
"We don't know."
"Find out."
Vincenzo nodded.
"There's another problem."
"What?"
"Someone accessed the account two weeks ago."
Dominic looked up sharply.
"Who?"
"No name."
"How?"
"Security token."
"Whose?"
"Matteo's."
Dominic's jaw tightened.
His brother's token should have been destroyed years ago.
Unless someone still possessed it.
"Get me everything."
Hours later, Dominic went to the hospital.
Lillian was awake.
She looked exhausted.
Emma sat beside her.
Noah slept in a bassinet.
Dominic entered.
Lillian stared.
"You found out."
He stopped.
"Found out what?"
She looked away.
"Who you are."
Dominic's voice went quiet.
"You knew."
"I knew you were a Moretti."
"But you didn't know me."
"I knew enough."
"How?"
Lillian swallowed.
"Matteo told me."
The name hit Dominic like a physical blow.
"Tell me everything."
Lillian shook her head.
"No."
"Why?"
"Because knowing killed him."
Dominic stepped closer.
"My brother died twelve years ago."
"I know."
"Then tell me what you know."
She stared at him.
"He loved you."
Dominic froze.
"What?"
"Not romantically."
She smiled faintly.
"He loved you because you were his little brother."
The memory hurt.
Dominic had not allowed himself to think about Matteo's voice in years.
Lillian continued.
"Matteo came to me after your father tried to kill him."
Dominic's face changed.
"My father?"
"He wanted to leave the organization."
Dominic stared.
"Why?"
"Because he discovered something."
"What?"
Lillian's eyes moved to Emma.
"He discovered children were being used to hide money."
Dominic went cold.
"What children?"
"Children whose names could be used as beneficiaries."
"The trust."
Lillian nodded.
"You know about it."
"I know my family had a trust."
"Not the one you're thinking of."
She reached beneath her pillow.
She pulled out a small brass key.
"Matteo gave me this."
Dominic took it.
"What does it open?"
"I don't know."
"Why keep it?"
"Because he told me to give it to Emma when she turned eighteen."
Dominic stared.
"Why Emma?"
Lillian's eyes filled.
"Because she is his."
Silence.
Dominic looked at Emma.
Emma had gone pale.
"What?"
Lillian closed her eyes.
"I tried to keep her away from your family."
Dominic couldn't breathe.
"No."
"She is Matteo's daughter."
Emma stood abruptly.
"Mom?"
Lillian looked at her.
"I'm sorry."
Emma's face crumpled.
"No."
Dominic watched.
The girl from Lombardi.
The little girl who had asked for leftovers.
His dead brother's daughter.
His niece.
The realization hit him harder than any bullet.
Noah stirred.
Lillian touched Emma's hand.
"You were always his child."
Emma looked at Dominic.
He expected fear.
Instead she asked the question he could barely answer.
"Was he kind?"
Dominic swallowed.
"Yes."
"Did he love me?"
Dominic looked at his dead brother's photograph.
"I think he spent every day trying to find a way to protect you."
Emma began crying.
Dominic approached.
He wanted to hug her.
But he didn't know if he had earned the right.
So he simply stood there.
Then Emma stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him.
Dominic froze.
Nobody had hugged him in years.
He placed one careful hand on her back.
"I didn't know you existed."
"I know."
"I'm sorry."
She cried harder.
Lillian watched them.
Then whispered:
"There is another problem."
Dominic looked at her.
"Someone else knows Emma is Matteo's daughter."
"Who?"
"The man who killed Matteo."
Dominic's face hardened.
"Who?"
Lillian's lips trembled.
"Your father."
Dominic felt the room go cold.
"My father is dead."
Lillian shook her head.
"No."
"He died eight years ago."
"I know what they told you."
May you like
She looked at him.
"Your father never died."
