Chapter 7 - My Father Was the Hidden Architect Behind the Rossi War—And He Had Been Using My Family for Years Without Me KnowingMy father was alive.
His name was Michael Seymour.
He had disappeared when I was nineteen.
I had believed he was dead.
Now he was connected to Matteo.
I couldn't understand it.
“Why would my father work with them?”
Lorenzo looked at me.
“We need to find him before you ask that question.”
We found him at an old warehouse in Brooklyn.
He didn't resist.
He looked older.
Tired.
Broken.
When he saw me, he cried.
“Karen.”
I stared.
“You're alive.”
“So are you.”
“I couldn't come back.”
“Why?”
“Because I was protecting you.”
“From what?”
“The Rossis.”
I almost laughed.
“You knew them?”
“Yes.”
“You sold information about us.”
“Yes.”
“You threatened my life.”
“No.”
“Then what?”
He explained.
Years earlier, he had worked for Lorenzo's father.
He discovered Matteo's plan.
He tried to expose it.
Matteo threatened my family.
My father disappeared to keep me safe.
But he continued working undercover.
The messages were designed to scare me away from the Rossi family.
He had been trying to protect me.
I didn't know whether to forgive him.
But I understood.
Lorenzo remained beside me.
My father looked at him.
“Take care of her.”
“I will.”
Then he gave us the final evidence.
Bank records.
Phone calls.
Contracts.
Matteo had been laundering money through charities.
He had ordered Isabella's kidnapping.
He had arranged the fake accident.
He had bribed police.
He had tried to manipulate Mia's inheritance.
And he planned to kill Lorenzo.
The evidence was enough.
But Matteo attacked first.
He took over Rossi headquarters.
Employees were evacuated.
Security was overwhelmed.
Lorenzo ordered me to stay away.
I refused.
“I know the building.”
He stared.
“Why?”
“Because your mother had me study old floor plans.”
Isabella nodded.
“She's right.”
We entered through a maintenance tunnel.
I found the server room.
Destroyed the backup system.
The power failed.
Matteo's operation collapsed.
Security moved in.
Lorenzo confronted him.
“You lost.”
Matteo smiled.
“You think this changes anything?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because my family knows the truth now.”
Matteo laughed.
“You never had a family.”
Lorenzo looked toward Mia.
“She is my family.”
Then at Isabella.
“So is she.”
Then me.
“And so is Karen.”
Matteo looked at me.
“You?”
I stepped forward.
“The woman you thought nobody would notice.”
His smile disappeared.
“You're the reason he changed.”
“Yes.”
“Then you're his weakness.”
I shook my head.
“No.”
“I am his reason.”
Matteo raised his gun.
I didn't move.
Lorenzo did.
He tackled him.
Police entered.
Matteo was arrested.
This time, there was nowhere left to run.
The final evidence was handed to federal prosecutors.
The Rossi empire survived.
But it changed.
Lorenzo abandoned illegal operations.
He kept the legitimate businesses.
Shipping.
Real estate.
Technology.
And a foundation in Isabella's name.
My father testified.
He was given a reduced sentence because he had cooperated.
I visited him once.
“I don't know if I can forgive you.”
“I understand.”
“But I don't hate you.”
He cried.
“That is more than I deserve.”
I left.
May you like
Some wounds didn't disappear.
They simply stopped controlling us.
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