Chapter 3 - THE BROTHER WHO NEVER DIEDVincent sent everyone out.
He locked the doors.
Only Elena remained.
“You're going to tell me everything.”
She sat opposite him.
“I met Daniel five years before Mia was born.”
“How?”
“He came to the shelter where I worked.”
Vincent frowned.
“What shelter?”
“A women's shelter.”
“He told me he was looking for someone.”
“Who?”
“He never said.”
Vincent leaned forward.
“Why did he keep it secret?”
“Because he wasn't supposed to be alive.”
The statement landed like a bomb.
Elena explained.
Daniel had discovered an internal money-laundering operation involving several Moretti companies.
He had intended to expose it.
Before he could, somebody tried to kill him.
His car went over a bridge.
Everyone believed he died.
But Daniel survived.
He disappeared.
And he met Elena.
“They had found him?” Vincent asked.
“Yes.”
“Who?”
“I never learned the entire network.”
“Marco?”
Elena shook her head.
“Daniel trusted Marco.”
Vincent froze.
“Then why did Marco lie?”
“I don't know.”
“You do.”
Elena looked down.
“I know Daniel gave me a message.”
“What message?”
“He said that if he ever died, I should take Mia and stay away from the Moretti family.”
“Why?”
“Because he believed someone inside your family wanted every witness erased.”
Vincent stood.
“What did he know?”
“Enough to die for.”
“And Mia?”
Elena looked at her daughter.
“She was the reason he changed his mind.”
“How?”
“Daniel wanted to leave the city.”
He smiled bitterly.
“But when Mia was born, he said he couldn't keep running forever.”
Vincent's voice trembled.
“Did he love her?”
“Yes.”
“Did he love you?”
Elena's eyes filled.
“Yes.”
Vincent looked away.
His brother.
Alive.
A daughter.
A woman who had worked inside his estate for two years while carrying the greatest secret in the Moretti family.
He suddenly remembered the first day Elena arrived.
The borrowed shoes.
The nervous hands.
The way she had avoided his questions.
She had not been looking for money.
She had been looking for safety.
Vincent walked to the window.
“Where is Daniel now?”
Elena whispered,
“I don't know.”
“You said he was alive.”
“He was when I last saw him.”
“When?”
“Two years ago.”
Vincent turned.
“Two years?”
Elena nodded.
“He left after somebody found us.”
“Who?”
She shook her head.
“He told me never to ask.”
Vincent slammed his hand against the window.
“Where did he go?”
“I don't know.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“I don't care what you believe.”
Her voice broke.
“I've protected Mia for three years without your money, your guards or your name. I can continue doing it.”
Vincent stared.
Then his phone rang.
Marco.
Vincent answered.
“What?”
“We need to talk.”
“Now.”
“No.”
Vincent's eyes narrowed.
“Why?”
“Because somebody is inside Greystone.”
He looked toward the hallway.
“What?”
“Don't trust the guards.”
The call ended.
Then the lights went out.
Gunfire exploded downstairs.
Vincent pulled Elena behind him.
“Stay here.”
“What about Mia?”
Vincent turned.
The little girl was gone.
“Elena!”
She screamed.
“Mia!”
Vincent ran.
The mansion descended into chaos.
Doors slammed.
Guards shouted.
Emergency lights came on.
Vincent found Bunny beneath the staircase.
The toy's ear was torn.
He felt something cold enter his chest.
“Mia!”
No answer.
Then he heard a tiny voice.
“Mommy?”
Behind the library.
A hidden service door was open.
Vincent ran through it.
A man stood at the far end carrying Mia.
Vincent raised his gun.
“Put her down.”
The man froze.
Then Marco appeared behind him and shot him.
The kidnapper fell.
Mia began crying.
Vincent rushed forward.
He pulled her into his arms.
She clung to his jacket.
“Daddy?”
Vincent froze.
Mia buried her face against him.
Marco stared.
Elena arrived moments later.
“Mia!”
The little girl looked toward her mother.
Then back at Vincent.
“Daddy saved me.”
Vincent looked at Marco.
Marco's face was white again.
Vincent whispered,
“What did you know?”
May you like
Marco closed his eyes.
“Everything.”
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