Chapter 7 - The Man They Wanted Me to Hate
Dominic spent two weeks in county detention.
The evidence against him was overwhelming.
Too perfect.
Grace knew it was manufactured.
She also knew the police didn't.
Anthony worked with Thomas and Evelyn to find the missing documents.
Grace returned to the salon.
Customers came.
Hair was cut.
Money changed hands.
Life pretended to be normal.
But Grace felt as if every reflection in every mirror contained a different version of the truth.
Then a little girl came in.
Seven years old.
With an older woman.
Grace recognized her face from the ledger.
One of the missing children.
She stared.
The woman accompanying her introduced herself.
"My name is Rachel."
Grace went still.
"Where did you get her?"
Rachel looked afraid.
"She was given to me."
"By whom?"
"Roberto."
Grace's blood chilled.
Rachel whispered:
"He told me to bring her to you."
The little girl looked at Grace.
"Are you Grace?"
"Yes."
"My name is Emma."
Grace knelt.
"Hello, Emma."
Emma held out a small envelope.
"This is for you."
Grace opened it.
One line.
COME TO THE RIVERFRONT ALONE OR DOMINIC DIES.
Grace knew it was a trap.
She went anyway.
Not because she trusted Roberto.
Because she trusted herself.
She told Anthony where she was going.
She gave him the address.
Then she went.
Roberto waited in an empty warehouse.
Dominic was there.
Bruised.
Tired.
Alive.
Grace's chest tightened.
"You said he would die."
Roberto smiled.
"He will if you don't listen."
Grace stepped forward.
"What do you want?"
"The ledger."
"You have one."
"I want the original."
"I don't know where it is."
"You do."
He stepped closer.
"Your grandmother taught you how to hide things."
Grace stared.
"You're afraid of her."
Roberto smiled.
"I am."
"Why?"
"Because she knows the truth."
"What truth?"
"That I didn't build this empire."
Grace frowned.
"Then who did?"
Roberto laughed.
"Your father."
Grace froze.
"What?"
"Thomas built the legitimate businesses."
"And the illegal ones?"
"Others."
"Who?"
He whispered:
"My brother."
Dominic stared.
"You had a brother?"
"Yes."
"Who?"
Roberto smiled.
"Marco."
Grace felt something shift.
Anthony's face had gone pale.
"Marco Romano."
Roberto nodded.
"The original founder."
"Why did he disappear?"
"He didn't."
Silence.
"He's alive."
Grace looked at Dominic.
There were too many Romani secrets.
Too many dead men who weren't dead.
Too many dead women who weren't dead.
Roberto continued.
"Marco built the criminal network."
"And you?"
"I inherited it."
"Then why destroy your own son?"
"Because Dominic was weak."
Grace's eyes hardened.
"He's stronger than you will ever be."
Roberto smiled.
"That's why I had to break him."
He nodded toward Dominic.
"Kill him."
A gunman stepped forward.
Grace moved.
A shot rang out.
Someone screamed.
But the gunman fell.
Anthony stood behind him.
Police rushed in.
Everything exploded into chaos.
Roberto ran.
Dominic grabbed Grace.
"Are you okay?"
She nodded.
He touched her face.
"You shouldn't have come."
"I had to."
"I know."
They hugged.
For one second, the entire world disappeared.
Then Dominic whispered:
"You're shaking."
"So are you."
"I'm fine."
"You're terrible at lying."
He smiled.
"You're terrible at staying away from me."
"True."
Anthony approached.
"We found the legal documents."
Grace turned.
"Where?"
"In the old family church."
They drove there.
Beneath the altar was a hidden safe.
Inside were contracts.
Bank records.
And a handwritten confession from Marco Romano.
Grace read it aloud.
Marco admitted everything.
He had created the network.
Roberto had taken control.
Dominic's mother had tried to expose it.
Thomas had joined the investigation.
Evelyn had protected the evidence.
And Grace had been marked as leverage.
But one sentence shocked them most.
If Dominic ever learns the truth, he must know that his father did not make him a monster.
Grace looked at Dominic.
He was crying.
"I spent my entire life believing I was broken."
She took his hand.
"You weren't."
He squeezed it.
Then the church doors opened.
An old man entered.
Gray hair.
Walking cane.
Amber eyes.
Dominic stared.
"Marco."
May you like
The old man smiled.
"My son."
