Chapter 3 - The Dead Man in the Photograph
We remained inside the mausoleum for almost five minutes without speaking.
Emma was too young to understand.
Marco stood near the entrance.
My mother wouldn't meet my eyes.
Sophia looked like she had been carrying a mountain on her shoulders for years.
Finally, I said, “Start from the beginning.”
She took a breath.
“Daniel and I married when I was twenty-three.”
“And Emma?”
“Emma was born three years later.”
“Is Daniel her father?”
“Yes.”
She looked at the photograph.
“But not biologically.”
My mother's expression changed.
“Then who is?”
Sophia closed her eyes.
“I don't know.”
That answer didn't make sense.
“You don't know who your daughter's father is?”
“I was told it was Daniel.”
“By whom?”
“My husband.”
I looked at the photograph.
The man beside Daniel's brother had the same dark eyes as Emma.
That didn't prove anything.
But my instincts were screaming.
Sophia continued.
“Daniel was sick when we married. He couldn't have children. We both knew.”
My mother inhaled sharply.
“Then—”
“Someone arranged an embryo.”
Sophia's voice was barely audible.
“Daniel believed it came from a private fertility clinic.”
“What clinic?”
She named one.
I knew it.
It belonged to a Moretti company.
My blood turned cold.
My father had once owned the clinic.
I called the records department.
The manager answered immediately.
“Boss?”
“Pull every file under Sophia Bell.”
A pause.
Then silence.
“Boss, those records were destroyed years ago.”
“Who destroyed them?”
Another pause.
“Matteo.”
I closed my eyes.
Everything was connected.
My father.
Matteo.
Daniel.
Sophia.
Emma.
And now a fertility clinic.
There was only one explanation.
Someone had used genetic material from a Moretti family member.
I looked at Sophia.
“Who authorized the procedure?”
She shook her head.
“Daniel said your father helped.”
“My father?”
“He told me that the Morettis owed him a favor.”
I looked at my mother.
She finally met my eyes.
“I never knew.”
“What did you know?”
“That your father wanted to protect Sophia.”
“Why?”
“Because Daniel had discovered the financial records.”
I turned toward the photograph.
The young man beside Daniel's brother stared back at me.
I recognized him.
He was my older cousin.
Luciano.
He had died before I turned ten.
Or so the family said.
I looked at my mother.
“Luciano was alive when Emma was conceived.”
“Yes.”
“What happened to him?”
“He died in a car accident.”
The same lie.
Again.
A Moretti man.
A secret.
An accident.
And Matteo.
I felt anger rise.
“Why did nobody tell me?”
My mother stepped closer.
“Because your father wanted to keep you out of the war.”
“And how did that work?”
She began crying.
“It failed.”
A noise came from outside.
Marco immediately drew his weapon.
Someone was approaching.
We extinguished the lights.
Footsteps crossed the gravel.
A man's voice called out.
“Alessandro.”
I recognized it.
Matteo.
He was standing outside.
“Come out.”
I motioned for everyone to stay back.
Then I stepped through the doorway.
Matteo stood alone.
No gun in his hand.
His suit was torn.
There was blood on his cheek.
“Where's Isabella?” I asked.
“Alive.”
“Where?”
“She betrayed me.”
“And?”
“She ran.”
“Why are you here?”
“To warn you.”
I laughed.
“You've been trying to steal my empire.”
“I was trying to save it.”
“From yourself?”
He looked genuinely hurt.
“You know nothing about your father.”
“I know he was poisoned.”
Matteo went silent.
“So it's true.”
He looked away.
“I didn't kill him.”
“Who did?”
Matteo didn't answer.
“Tell me.”
He looked toward Sophia.
“Her husband.”
Sophia's face twisted.
“Daniel?”
“Not Daniel.”
Matteo shook his head.
“Luciano.”
I felt dizzy.
“My cousin was alive.”
“Yes.”
“He killed my father?”
“Not exactly.”
Matteo took a breath.
“Luciano discovered that your father planned to turn the entire criminal network legitimate.”
I stared.
“My father wanted out?”
“Yes.”
“He wanted to dismantle the empire.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did he not tell me?”
“Because he knew you would take over.”
I had spent my entire life believing my father wanted me to inherit everything.
Maybe he had been trying to free me from it.
Matteo continued.
“Luciano wanted the empire for himself. Daniel discovered the plan. Sophia discovered Daniel's files.”
“Then what happened?”
“Luciano staged the accident.”
“But Luciano died.”
Matteo looked at me.
“No.”
A chill moved down my spine.
“He changed identities.”
“What?”
“He disappeared.”
“And Daniel?”
“Daniel helped him.”
Sophia stepped forward.
“You're lying.”
Matteo looked at her.
“Daniel loved you.”
“But?”
“But he was terrified of Luciano.”
I stared at him.
“Why did he help?”
“Because Luciano had something over him.”
“What?”
Matteo hesitated.
“Emma.”
Sophia froze.
“Emma?”
“Luciano believed Emma was his daughter.”
Sophia shook her head.
“He was wrong.”
Matteo looked at Emma.
“No.”
He pointed at the little girl.
“He wasn't.”
The world stopped.
Sophia grabbed Emma.
“No.”
Matteo stepped backward.
“The fertility records were altered.”
I looked at my mother.
She was crying.
“Tell me.”
She whispered, “I thought Luciano was dead.”
My heart pounded.
“Mom.”
She couldn't speak.
I shouted.
“Tell me!”
She finally said it.
“Your father used Luciano's genetic material because he wanted to protect him from the war.”
Sophia looked at Emma.
“No.”
My mother continued.
“He intended the child to be raised by Daniel and Sophia.”
Sophia covered her mouth.
“So Emma…”
“Is Luciano's daughter.”
I looked at Emma.
Three years old.
A little girl with one crooked white sock.
She had no idea the adults around her had spent years fighting over her bloodline.
I knelt.
Emma smiled.
“Mister?”
I couldn't speak.
She reached for me.
I picked her up.
She rested her head against my shoulder.
Matteo looked at us.
“That's why everyone is after her.”
“Why?”
“Because if Luciano is alive, Emma becomes the legal heir to a portion of the old Moretti assets.”
I narrowed my eyes.
“What assets?”
“The international trusts.”
I understood.
The real empire wasn't the one I controlled.
The real fortune was hidden.
My father's last insurance policy.
A legal structure designed to prevent anyone from controlling it through violence.
And Emma was the beneficiary.
Matteo was quiet.
“You wanted Isabella to marry Alessandro because you needed access.”
I looked toward Sophia.
“Did you know?”
She shook her head.
“No.”
Matteo laughed bitterly.
“She knew about the papers. She didn't know the entire plan.”
I turned to Matteo.
“Then who has Emma's original records?”
He smiled.
“Luciano.”
I felt cold.
“Where is he?”
Matteo's expression changed.
“Closer than you think.”
A gunshot tore through the night.
Matteo collapsed.
I grabbed Emma and shielded her.
Marco fired toward the tree line.
Sophia screamed.
Someone ran.
We found no one.
But Matteo was still alive.
Barely.
As Marco called for help, Matteo grabbed my sleeve.
“He's coming for her.”
“Who?”
Matteo whispered one name.
“Luciano.”
Then he lost consciousness.
I looked toward Sophia.
She was trembling.
Emma hugged my neck.
“Mister?”
“Yes?”
“Are we going home?”
I held her tighter.
“Yes.”
But I knew one thing now.
The person we had believed was dead wasn't just alive.
May you like
He was coming for his daughter.
And he knew exactly where she was.
