Chapter 4 - The Man Who Raised Me
“Put it down,” I said.
Vittorio didn't move.
Marco slowly placed Lily behind him.
“You followed Dante,” Marco said.
Vittorio's eyes remained on him.
“I followed the men trying to kill him.”
“Convenient.”
“Put the gun down,” I repeated.
Vittorio finally lowered it.
“I came because your safe house was compromised.”
“How?”
“Matteo.”
Marco laughed.
“Everyone blames Matteo.”
“Because he's alive and Elena isn't here to defend herself.”
“She's alive,” I said.
Vittorio looked at me.
“For now.”
I showed him page eighty-seven.
His own name.
Payments.
Millions.
Vittorio stared.
Then he laughed.
“You think that's proof?”
“Explain it.”
“Your father used my accounts to hide money from the traitor.”
“Why your accounts?”
“Because he trusted me.”
Marco stepped forward.
“Dad stopped trusting you before he died.”
“No. He stopped telling you things because you were reckless.”
“You lied about my death.”
“I thought you were dead.”
“You never looked.”
“I spent months looking!”
Their voices rose.
Lily covered her ears.
“Enough,” I said.
Silence.
I crouched beside Lily.
“Hey.”
She looked at me.
“Would you go into the bedroom for a minute?”
“Daddy stays?”
Marco nodded.
“I'll be right here.”
She hesitated, then went.
I closed the door.
“Now,” I said. “Nobody lies.”
Vittorio sat.
“Those payments were part of Salvatore's investigation. He believed someone was moving money through charities, construction companies, and political foundations.”
“Who?”
“He never told me.”
Marco scoffed.
Vittorio ignored him.
“The night Salvatore died, he called me. He said he'd discovered the traitor. He told me to protect Dante.”
“What about me?” Marco demanded.
“He said Carlo had you.”
Marco went quiet.
“He knew I survived?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't you tell Dante?”
“Because Salvatore ordered me not to.”
I stared.
“Why?”
“Because if the traitor knew both sons were alive, he could use one against the other.”
The logic was brutal.
And exactly like my father.
My phone vibrated.
A live video.
Elena.
She was tied to a chair.
A masked man stood behind her.
Text appeared:
BRING THE LEDGER.
2:00 A.M.
OLD ROMANO HOTEL.
Marco checked the time.
1:31.
“We go.”
“No,” Vittorio said.
Marco turned.
“You don't decide.”
“They want both of you.”
“Then they'll get both of us.”
I looked at Vittorio.
“You stay with Lily.”
Marco objected.
“No.”
“She needs someone.”
“Not him.”
I understood.
Trust had become poison.
I called Sofia Alvarez, my house manager.
She had worked for my mother before she worked for me.
If anyone could protect Lily, it was Sofia.
She arrived fifteen minutes later.
When she saw Marco, she cried.
Actually cried.
Then she slapped him.
“You stupid boy.”
Marco hugged her.
“I missed you too.”
Sofia took Lily.
Before leaving, she whispered to me.
“Your mother would be proud.”
I caught her wrist.
“My mother?”
Sofia's face changed.
“What?”
“You said would.”
“Yes.”
“Lily says Isabella is alive.”
Sofia stopped breathing.
That was enough.
“You know.”
She looked at Marco.
Then at me.
“Not here.”
“Tell me.”
“Your mother survived the car explosion.”
Everything inside me went still.
“Where is she?”
“I don't know anymore.”
“You knew?”
“For years.”
“Why?”
“Because Isabella made me swear.”
My mother.
My brother.
Everyone I had buried was alive.
My entire life had been constructed from strategic lies.
“Why did she disappear?”
Sofia looked terrified.
“Because the person who killed your father tried to kill her first.”
“Who?”
Before she could answer, her phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
Unknown.
She answered.
A woman's voice spoke.
“Sofia.”
Sofia nearly dropped the phone.
I knew that voice.
Even after seventeen years.
“Mom?”
Silence.
Then:
“Dante.”
My knees weakened.
“Where are you?”
“Don't go to the hotel.”
“How do you know?”
“Because it's a trap.”
“Where are you?”
“I can't tell you.”
“Mother—”
“Listen to me. Elena knows everything. Save her.”
“Who killed Dad?”
A pause.
“Someone he treated like a son.”
The line disconnected.
Marco stared at me.
Matteo.
My father had treated Matteo like family.
We went to the hotel.
The Old Romano Hotel had been abandoned for nine years.
Elena was on the fifth floor.
We entered from separate sides.
No guards.
Too easy.
Room 512.
Elena sat inside.
Untied.
Alone.
“Dante.”
I entered carefully.
“Where are they?”
“Gone.”
“Why?”
“They got what they wanted.”
I checked the ledger.
Still in my coat.
“What?”
Elena looked at Marco.
“Lily.”
My blood turned cold.
We called Sofia.
No answer.
Marco called again.
Nothing.
Then my phone received a photograph.
Sofia unconscious.
Lily's pink ribbon on the floor.
Behind them stood a man.
Matteo Rossi.
His face was uncovered.
He held Lily's teddy bear.
And beside him stood someone else.
An older woman.
My mother.
Isabella Romano.
The caption contained one sentence:
May you like
COME HOME, DANTE.
YOUR FAMILY IS WAITING.
