Chapter 5 - The Father Who Never Died
Roberto Romano was not supposed to be alive.
For twelve years, every record indicated that he had died overseas.
Dominic had attended a private funeral.
He had watched a coffin buried.
He had spent years believing his father was gone.
Now the man stood in the middle of his home as though he had simply returned from a business trip.
Grace hated how calm he looked.
"You've been watching me?"
Roberto smiled.
"Of course."
Dominic stepped between them.
"You don't go near her."
"I never needed to."
"You used my family."
"Your family used itself."
Dominic's jaw tightened.
"What do you want?"
"The ledger."
Grace's hand instinctively moved toward her purse.
Roberto noticed.
"Still carrying it?"
Dominic looked at her.
"You have it?"
Grace nodded.
"I found it in my grandmother's salon."
Roberto smiled.
"Then we can finish this."
Dominic raised his weapon.
"Move away from us."
His father laughed.
"You still think this is about money."
"What is it about?"
"Legacy."
Grace frowned.
Roberto looked at her.
"Your grandmother believed the ledger contained evidence."
"It does."
"Not enough."
"What else is there?"
"A second ledger."
Grace felt a chill.
"Where?"
"In the possession of your father."
She stared.
"My father is dead."
"No."
Roberto shook his head.
"Thomas Miller is alive."
Grace's knees nearly gave out.
"Where?"
"That depends on whether you're willing to come with me."
Dominic stepped forward.
"She isn't."
Roberto looked at his son.
"Then she'll never see him."
A gunshot shattered the room.
Roberto's men scattered.
Dominic tackled Grace to the ground.
Someone returned fire.
When the smoke cleared, Roberto was gone.
Only a folded note remained.
COME ALONE.
MIDNIGHT.
THE OLD TRAIN DEPOT.
The note was addressed to Grace.
Dominic tore it apart.
"No."
"You can't stop me."
"I can."
"You cannot make this choice for me."
He looked at her.
"You think I'm trying to control you."
"You are."
"I'm trying to keep you alive."
"I understand that."
"No, you don't."
His voice cracked.
"My father destroys everyone who gets close to him."
Grace stared.
"Then help me destroy the secret."
Dominic looked at her for a long moment.
Finally, he nodded.
"We go together."
The old train depot was abandoned.
Wind moved through broken windows.
They found Thomas Miller tied to a chair.
Grace stopped.
Her father looked older.
Thinner.
But unmistakably himself.
"Dad."
Thomas opened his eyes.
For a second, neither spoke.
Then he whispered:
"Grace."
She ran to him.
Dominic cut the ropes.
Thomas grabbed Grace's face.
"I thought I'd never see you again."
"Why did you leave us?"
"Because I had no choice."
"You could have come back."
"I tried."
He looked at Dominic.
"Your father stopped me."
Dominic's face hardened.
"What did he do?"
"He threatened Grace."
Grace cried.
"He told me that if I spoke to your family, he'd have her killed."
Dominic clenched his fists.
"Why did you work for him?"
"I didn't."
Thomas looked at Grace.
"I went undercover."
"For the police?"
"For a federal task force."
Dominic stared.
"Then the rumors were true."
Thomas nodded.
"Your father was connected to a network moving stolen assets, weapons, and vulnerable people through fake shipping companies."
Grace's stomach turned.
"Why was my grandmother involved?"
"She wasn't. She discovered it."
"And she disappeared."
"Yes."
"Was she killed?"
Thomas looked down.
"No."
Grace froze.
"What?"
"She's alive."
The room went silent.
"My grandmother?"
"She's been in witness protection for years."
Grace couldn't breathe.
"Why didn't she contact us?"
"Because every person who knew she survived became a target."
Dominic looked toward the door.
"Your father knew."
Thomas nodded.
"Roberto knew everything."
A slow clap echoed from the darkness.
Roberto stepped into view.
"Very touching."
Dominic turned.
"You don't get to interrupt this."
Roberto smiled.
"You still believe you are the hero."
"No."
Dominic raised his gun.
"I believe I'm the son who finally stopped being afraid of his father."
Roberto's smile faded.
"Then you're going to die."
Men emerged around them.
Thomas shoved Grace behind him.
Dominic fired.
The room erupted.
Grace grabbed Daniel and pulled him toward the exit.
Rose shouted.
Then one attacker reached for Grace.
A shot rang out.
The attacker fell.
Gianna stood in the doorway.
She had a gun in her hand.
Dominic stared.
"You."
Gianna's eyes filled with tears.
"I'm sorry."
She fired again.
Roberto disappeared through a side door.
Dominic chased him.
Grace followed until Thomas grabbed her.
"Let him go."
"Why?"
"Because his father wants him angry."
"What does that mean?"
"It means Roberto has spent his entire life teaching Dominic to become him."
Grace looked toward the door.
Then heard Dominic scream.
She ran.
He was on the ground.
Blood covered his shirt.
His father had escaped.
Dominic looked up at her.
"I'm okay."
"No, you're not."
"It's a graze."
Grace knelt beside him.
Her hands shook as she pressed the wound.
He caught her wrist.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For making you part of this."
Grace looked into his eyes.
"You didn't."
He smiled faintly.
"You danced with me."
"You asked for a second song."
"I should have known that would ruin my life."
She laughed through tears.
Then Thomas spoke behind them.
"Grace."
She turned.
"What?"
He held out an old envelope.
"Your grandmother sent this years ago."
Grace opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
Her grandmother.
Alive.
And beside her stood a young woman Grace had never seen.
Thomas whispered:
"Your grandmother has a message for you."
Grace stared at the photograph.
"What message?"
May you like
Thomas looked toward the burning depot.
"She knows who ordered your father's disappearance."
