Chapter 5 - The Man Who Turned Love Into a WeaponDaniel knew.
Of course he knew.
He had spent decades collecting information.
Names.
Secrets.
Weaknesses.
And now he had Dominic's.
Chloe.
Daniel sent photographs.
Chloe at work.
Chloe leaving her apartment.
Chloe beside Rose.
Dominic stared at the images.
He had never felt fear like that.
Not for himself.
For her.
Daniel called.
“Come alone.”
“No.”
“Then she'll die.”
Chloe listened.
“He wants you to come alone.”
Dominic nodded.
“I know.”
“Don't.”
“I have to.”
“No.”
She took his hand.
“We do this together.”
That became the plan.
They would draw Daniel out.
Maya, Dominic's security chief, coordinated federal agents.
The Black Book would be copied.
Evidence would be distributed.
Daniel couldn't destroy all of it.
The trap worked.
Daniel arrived at an abandoned warehouse.
Dominic entered first.
Chloe stayed in another building with agents.
Daniel smiled.
“You always were your father's son.”
Dominic stared.
“You murdered him.”
“Yes.”
“You destroyed Marco's life.”
“Yes.”
“You tried to kill Rose.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because someone had to control the family.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“You think power is money.”
“No.”
“You've always thought that.”
“What is it?”
“Information.”
He held up a file.
“Your wife never knew about this.”
Dominic froze.
“My wife?”
Daniel smiled.
“Before Elena died, she discovered something.”
He threw the file down.
Dominic opened it.
A DNA report.
Chloe's name.
Elena's name.
And his father's.
The result stunned him.
Chloe was not Rose's biological daughter.
She was Elena Moretti's.
Dominic stared.
Impossible.
Daniel laughed.
“Your entire life has been a story.”
He revealed the truth.
Elena had given birth to Chloe years before.
Rose had raised her.
Elias believed Chloe was his niece.
Daniel knew she was the true heir to a secret family trust.
A trust containing billions.
Money that had been hidden for decades.
Chloe was the beneficiary.
That was why Daniel wanted her.
Not because of Dominic.
Because of the money.
Dominic's face hardened.
“You're lying.”
“DNA doesn't lie.”
He handed him another file.
Elena's private letter.
My daughter Chloe must never know who she is until Daniel is gone.
Dominic felt the world tilt.
His wife had a daughter.
A daughter she never saw.
And that daughter was Chloe.
The gunfire started.
Agents stormed the warehouse.
Daniel escaped.
Dominic grabbed the file and ran.
He found Chloe.
She saw his face.
“What happened?”
He couldn't speak.
“Dominic?”
He handed her the report.
She read it.
Her hands shook.
“No.”
“Chloe…”
“No.”
She dropped it.
“I'm Rose's daughter.”
“I know.”
“She raised me.”
“Yes.”
“Then why does this say Elena?”
Dominic had no answer.
Rose arrived.
She confirmed it.
Chloe was Elena's daughter.
She had been born before Dominic's parents married.
Elias had known.
Daniel had hidden her identity.
Rose had protected her.
Chloe collapsed.
“My mother lied.”
“Rose lied to keep you alive.”
“But Elena was my mother.”
Dominic knelt beside her.
“She loved you.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I found her letters.”
He handed her the pages.
Chloe read them.
Elena had written every year.
Every birthday.
Every Christmas.
She had never stopped loving her.
“I lost both mothers.”
Dominic held her.
“No.”
She cried.
“You have one who's here.”
Rose stood nearby.
May you like
And Dominic whispered:
“And one who's still part of you.”
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