Chapter 4 - Alessandro Discovered His Own Family Had Destroyed Meline’s Parents—and His Mother Had Been Hiding the Truth for YearsAlessandro's mother was found in a convent two days later.
Her name was Lucia Vitali.
She was sixty-seven.
She had disappeared from public life twelve years earlier.
When she saw Meline, tears immediately filled her eyes.
“You look like your mother.”
Meline froze.
“You knew my mother?”
Lucia nodded.
“She saved my life.”
Then she told them everything.
Twenty years earlier, the Vitali family had been involved in an illegal antiquities network.
Lucia had discovered it.
She tried to expose it.
Her brother, Stefano, threatened her.
Vincent Moretti was supposed to help.
But Vincent had already been compromised.
Meline's father, Thomas Pierce, discovered the truth.
He planned to testify.
Stefano ordered the crash.
Lucia tried to stop it.
She failed.
Meline sat silently through the entire story.
When Lucia finished, she whispered,
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I was afraid.”
“You let me think my parents died in an accident.”
Lucia cried.
“I was trying to keep you alive.”
Alessandro looked furious.
“Why did you never tell me?”
“You were a child.”
“I was twenty-two.”
“And your uncle controlled the company.”
Alessandro's jaw tightened.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“And my father?”
“He knew too.”
“Then why did everyone lie?”
Lucia looked at Meline.
“Because your father left evidence.”
“What evidence?”
“A collection.”
“Where?”
“Your antique store.”
Meline stared.
“What?”
“Your father hid everything in the store.”
They returned to Pierce & Pine.
Every shelf was searched.
Every floorboard removed.
Nothing.
Then Meline noticed the antique clock her father had repaired before he died.
She opened the back.
Inside was a small key.
The key fit a hidden basement compartment.
Inside were documents.
Photos.
Names.
Bank accounts.
A complete record of the stolen artifacts.
And one final folder.
Marked:
VITALI SUCCESSION.
Alessandro opened it.
His face changed.
“What?”
He pulled out a DNA report.
His own name.
And another.
Meline's.
He stared at the document.
“What is it?”
He couldn't answer.
Meline took it.
The report indicated that their unborn child had a genetic abnormality consistent with a hereditary condition.
But the second page showed something else.
The paternity test was inconclusive.
Meline's hands trembled.
“What does this mean?”
Alessandro looked at the doctor they had brought with them.
“We need to repeat the test.”
The physician nodded.
Days later, the new results came.
The baby was Alessandro's.
But the hereditary marker was not.
Meaning someone had forged the first report.
Meline looked at him.
“Someone wanted you to believe the baby wasn't yours.”
Alessandro stared at the documents.
Then understood.
“The inheritance.”
“What inheritance?”
“My grandfather's trust.”
“What does your baby have to do with it?”
“If the child is believed to be mine, certain shares transfer automatically.”
Meline's eyes widened.
“They wanted you to reject the baby.”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Alessandro looked at the family tree.
One name remained.
Stefano Vitali.
His uncle.
The man everyone thought was dead.
Alessandro's phone rang.
Unknown number.
A voice spoke.
“Your mother should have stayed silent.”
Alessandro gripped the phone.
“Stefano.”
“You finally found me.”
“Where are you?”
“With your inheritance.”
Alessandro's expression hardened.
“What do you want?”
“The child.”
Meline stepped backward.
Stefano laughed.
“You can lose your money.”
“You can lose your companies.”
“But you cannot lose your child.”
The call ended.
Meline started crying.
Alessandro pulled her close.
“I won't let him touch you.”
She looked up.
“What if he already has?”
Neither noticed the small red dot moving across the window.
May you like
Someone was watching the house.
And someone had already entered the nursery.
Related Stories
