Chapter 3 - The Brother Who Had Been Living as the EnemySienna's brother was alive.
For eleven years, Daniel had lived under another name.
He had infiltrated Victor Santoro's organization.
He had sent information to Nico whenever possible.
But communication stopped eight months earlier.
Now Nico had reason to believe Daniel had been discovered.
Sienna wanted to find him.
Nico refused to let her go.
They argued for nearly an hour.
Finally, Sienna looked at him.
"Do you think I'm weak?"
"No."
"Then stop treating me like I am."
"I think you're brave."
"That's not the same."
"No."
He stepped closer.
"I think you don't understand how dangerous this is."
"Then teach me."
Something in her voice changed his expression.
He nodded.
They began preparing.
Sienna learned about the Valente organization.
The legitimate companies.
The legitimate businesses.
The old rivalries.
The people who wanted Nico dead.
She discovered he had spent years dismantling his father's criminal network.
Victor wanted to rebuild it.
Daniel was one of the few people who could prove it.
The ledger contained the names of corrupt officials.
Bankers.
Police.
Judges.
The black card was access to the old network.
And Sienna's mother had hidden it.
Why?
Because she had believed one day someone would need it.
That day had arrived.
They traveled to a warehouse near the lake.
Daniel appeared.
Thin.
Exhausted.
Alive.
Sienna ran to him.
He caught her.
"I'm sorry."
She hit his shoulder.
Then hugged him again.
"You idiot."
Daniel laughed.
"I missed you too."
Nico stood several feet away.
Daniel looked at him.
"You found her."
"I promised I would."
Sienna stared.
"You promised him?"
Daniel nodded.
"Before I disappeared."
Sienna turned to Nico.
"Why?"
"Because Daniel knew what Victor would do."
Daniel looked at her.
"He promised Mom."
Sienna's heart stopped.
"Mom?"
Daniel nodded.
"She was alive when I left."
"That's impossible."
"No."
Daniel looked at Nico.
"She survived the attack."
Sienna could barely speak.
"Where is she?"
Daniel said quietly:
"She's been hiding."
"From whom?"
"Victor."
The next morning, they found her.
Claire Brooks.
Older.
Gray-haired.
But alive.
Sienna didn't know whether to hug her or scream.
She did both.
Her mother cried.
"I'm sorry."
"You let me think you were dead."
"I had no choice."
"Everyone says that."
Claire looked at Nico.
"He protected you."
Sienna stared.
"He knew about me."
"Yes."
"How long?"
"Since the night you were born."
Sienna looked at Nico.
He didn't look away.
Her mother continued.
"Your father betrayed Victor."
"Who was my father?"
Claire swallowed.
"A Valente."
Silence.
Nico closed his eyes.
Sienna stared.
"My father was a Valente?"
"Yes."
"Then why did we use the Brooks name?"
"Because your father died trying to escape."
Nico stepped forward.
"His name was Luca Valente."
Claire nodded.
Sienna looked at Nico.
"What does that make me?"
His voice was quiet.
"My family."
The word frightened her.
But it also warmed something inside her she didn't understand.
Then Claire opened another box.
Inside was the original ledger.
Sienna stared.
"Mom."
Claire said:
"I kept it for thirty years."
Nico looked at it.
"The truth."
Claire nodded.
"Everything."
Before they could open it, the windows shattered.
Gunfire erupted.
Nico dragged Sienna down.
Daniel grabbed Claire.
Men entered.
Victor Santoro's people.
The family had been found.
Nico fired back.
Security moved.
Sienna crawled toward her mother.
Then she saw a man in the doorway.
Victor.
He smiled.
"Finally."
His eyes landed on Sienna.
"The missing Valente daughter."
Sienna froze.
Nico stepped in front of her.
Victor laughed.
"Exactly like her father."
Then he disappeared.
But the war had changed.
Sienna was no longer a random waitress.
She was the daughter of a Valente.
May you like
The key to the ledger.
And the woman Victor had spent thirty years trying to find.
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