Chapter 6 - The Last Betrayal
Martin Shaw had disappeared after his first attempt to destroy Lily.
Now he had returned.
And he was not alone.
Men surrounded the monastery.
Alessio pulled Lily behind him.
Gabriel looked toward the windows.
"He always wanted the network."
Lily whispered:
"Who is Martin working for?"
Gabriel looked at her.
"Nobody."
She frowned.
"He works for himself."
The doors exploded inward.
Gunfire shattered the silence.
Alessio moved Lily toward the side corridor.
Gabriel stayed behind.
"Come with us," Alessio said.
The old man shook his head.
"I've spent too many years running."
He grabbed a weapon.
"This ends here."
Alessio stared at him.
"Don't die."
Gabriel smiled.
"I've been dead for fifteen years."
They ran.
The monastery's underground tunnels connected to an abandoned road.
Marco and the security team arrived from the opposite side.
Chaos erupted.
Martin escaped.
Again.
But this time he left something behind.
A blood-stained notebook.
Inside were dates.
Payments.
Names.
And Lily's name appeared on nearly every page.
She looked sick.
"I was being watched for years."
Alessio put an arm around her.
"I know."
Then she noticed another name.
Her mother.
Evelyn.
"What did he want from Mom?"
They read the entries.
Martin had been trying to force Evelyn to reveal where Daniel's final records were stored.
She had refused.
Martin had threatened her.
Lily suddenly remembered something.
"My mother has a scar."
Alessio looked confused.
"On her shoulder."
"What about it?"
"My father used to joke that it was from a broken window."
She stared at the notebook.
"No."
“What?”
"The scar is a symbol."
“What symbol?”
"Daniel had one too."
Alessio looked at her.
"A wolf."
They returned to Evelyn.
Her mother finally admitted the truth.
The scars had been used as identification marks by an old network.
People who carried them were trusted messengers.
Lily had one too.
A tiny mark beneath her ribcage.
She had always believed it was a childhood birthmark.
It wasn't.
Her father had marked her before hiding the final ownership records.
"They're on me," Lily whispered.
"The records?"
"Not literally."
She remembered.
A lullaby.
A strange lullaby her father sang.
The verses contained numbers.
Coordinates.
They decoded them.
The final location was beneath an old church.
But before they could leave, the power went out.
Every light in the house died.
Marco shouted.
"Someone's inside."
A crash came from upstairs.
Then another.
Alessio pushed Lily behind him.
A man appeared in the doorway.
Enzo.
He was holding a weapon.
Everyone froze.
"Don't shoot."
Alessio raised his gun.
"Drop it."
Enzo did.
"I know where Martin is."
"Why should I believe you?"
"Because he's after my sister."
Alessio frowned.
"What sister?"
Enzo looked toward Lily.
She felt the blood leave her face.
"Me."
"No."
Enzo swallowed.
"Lily is not your father's biological daughter."
Silence.
Alessio stared.
Lily stared.
Evelyn cried.
The truth was devastating.
Lily was actually Gabriel Romano's granddaughter.
Daniel Carter had adopted her legally to protect her.
Her real mother was Evelyn.
Her biological father was Vincent's younger brother.
The hidden records were therefore legally tied to Lily's identity.
Martin needed her alive.
Not dead.
Because only she could unlock the legal ownership structure.
Lily touched her stomach.
"My baby."
Alessio immediately took her hand.
"The baby is still ours."
Her eyes met his.
"No matter whose blood runs through me."
His answer was immediate.
"Blood never made you my family."
He placed his hand over her stomach.
"You did."
Tears ran down her face.
Martin called.
"Bring me Lily."
Alessio answered.
"No."
"You don't understand."
"I understand enough."
"Then listen."
Martin's voice became cold.
"If you don't bring her to the church, the hospital records disappear."
Alessio went still.
"What hospital records?"
"Lily's pregnancy."
His face hardened.
"You wouldn't."
"I already did."
The call ended.
Lily looked at him.
"What does that mean?"
May you like
Alessio shook his head.
"We're going to the church."
