Chapter 4 - The Woman Who Raised Me After My Family Died Had Been Feeding Information to Matteo for Fifteen Years—and the Pendant Proved My Father Knew ItRenata was missing.
Her bedroom was empty.
Her office was clean.
Too clean.
We searched the entire estate.
No trace.
Then my security chief found something beneath her mattress.
A locked box.
Inside were photographs.
Me.
As a child.
Me leaving school.
Me entering restaurants.
Me meeting associates.
Every major moment of my life had been documented.
Why?
The answer was in a file.
MATTEO DUCA - PERSONAL ASSET
Renata had been working for him.
For fifteen years.
She had guided my decisions.
Redirected contracts.
Removed people loyal to my father.
Promoted men loyal to Matteo.
She had quietly shaped the empire.
I had trusted her because she had been there after everyone else died.
That was the point.
She had become my substitute for family.
The betrayal hurt more than the massacre.
Marina watched me.
“You believed her.”
“Yes.”
“She wanted you to.”
I asked:
“Did you know?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because she would have killed me.”
I understood.
Then I found one final photo.
Renata standing beside Matteo.
Taken five days ago.
He had been in my mansion.
Maybe more often than I'd known.
We tracked his car.
A private warehouse.
We went.
The building was empty.
Except for one room.
A wall of files.
My entire life.
And a photograph of my father holding me as a child.
Underneath was written:
THE BOY WHO SURVIVED.
I stared.
Then a speaker came alive.
Matteo.
“You always were your father's favorite.”
I looked around.
“Come out.”
“No.”
“Coward.”
He laughed.
“You still think strength means standing in front of a gun.”
“What does it mean?”
“Knowing who holds it.”
Then the screen changed.
A live feed of Marina and Bella.
I turned.
They weren't there.
My men looked around.
“How?”
Matteo said:
“Your housekeeper helped.”
I went cold.
Renata had found them.
She had taken Marina's daughter.
I ran.
We returned to the estate.
Renata was standing in the grand hall.
Bella was in her arms.
Marina was on her knees.
Renata smiled.
“Put down your weapon.”
I stared at her.
“You raised me.”
“Yes.”
“You betrayed me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because your father failed.”
“To do what?”
“To understand power.”
I looked at Bella.
“Let her go.”
Renata shook her head.
“She belongs to the family.”
“No.”
“She is leverage.”
I raised my weapon.
Marina shouted:
“Lorenzo, don't!”
Renata smiled.
“See?”
She knew me.
She knew exactly how far I would go.
Then Bella screamed:
“Mommy!”
Renata looked away for one second.
It was enough.
My men moved.
Renata dropped.
Bella ran.
I caught her.
Marina rushed toward us.
But before Renata could be restrained, she laughed.
“You think you've won?”
She looked at me.
“You still don't know who ordered the massacre.”
May you like
Then she smiled.
“It wasn't Matteo.”
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