Chapter 9 - The Heir Who Was Never Born
Nobody spoke.
Dominic stared at the document on the screen.
REPLACEMENT CHILD.
The words felt heavier than any weapon.
He had spent his entire life believing he understood who he was.
Dominic Valente.
Son of Lorenzo Valente.
Heir of the family.
The man who would carry the name forward.
But now a stranger was telling him that even his birth was a lie.
That he wasn't chosen.
He was created.
"What does that mean?"
His voice was quiet.
Nobody answered.
Dominic turned around.
His eyes moved from Lorenzo to Clara.
Then to Matteo.
Then Adrian.
Everyone had a piece of the truth.
Everyone except him.
"What does that mean?"
This time his voice was louder.
Lorenzo looked broken.
"Dominic..."
"No."
He stepped back.
"Not my name."
The old man stopped.
"You don't get to say my name like nothing happened."
Dominic pointed toward the screen.
"Explain this."
Lorenzo looked at the document.
"I never wanted you to know."
Dominic laughed bitterly.
"That's the problem."
He walked closer.
"You never wanted me to know anything."
A long silence.
Then Clara spoke.
"He's not lying about everything."
Dominic looked at her.
"Careful."
Her eyes filled with sadness.
"Your birth was not planned the way you think."
Dominic froze.
"What?"
Clara looked at Lorenzo.
"Tell him."
Lorenzo closed his eyes.
Because there was no hiding anymore.
"When I married your mother, the Valente family was already falling apart."
Dominic listened.
"Your grandfather had created a system where blood meant everything."
A pause.
"He believed the family could only survive with the perfect heir."
Dominic looked at the screen.
"The first heir."
Lorenzo nodded.
"Marco."
Adrian looked away.
"But Marco wasn't what they wanted."
Dominic frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Lorenzo continued.
"They wanted someone they could control."
"They wanted a child who would grow up knowing only obedience."
Dominic felt cold.
"And Marco refused."
Adrian spoke quietly.
"I was a child."
Everyone looked at him.
"I didn't understand what they were doing."
His voice became heavier.
"But I knew something was wrong."
He looked at Dominic.
"Because every person around me told me I belonged to them."
A pause.
"Not because they loved me."
"Because they owned me."
The room became silent.
Dominic looked at Adrian differently.
For the first time, he didn't see the man who betrayed him.
He saw the child hidden inside the story.
But that didn't erase the lies.
"Then what am I?"
Nobody answered.
The question hung there.
Dominic looked at his father.
"What am I?"
Lorenzo stepped forward.
"You are my son."
Dominic's expression hardened.
"Am I?"
The words hurt.
Lorenzo stopped.
Because he had no argument.
Dominic turned away.
His entire identity felt unstable.
Every memory had a shadow.
Every moment had a question.
Was it real?
Was it planned?
Was he loved?
Or was he just another piece in someone else's game?
Then Clara walked toward him.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Like approaching someone who had been wounded.
"Dominic."
He didn't look at her.
"When you were born..."
Her voice trembled.
"I held you."
A pause.
"And I knew."
He finally looked at her.
"Knew what?"
"That none of their plans mattered."
Her eyes filled with tears.
"You were not a replacement."
"You were not a weapon."
"You were my son."
Dominic said nothing.
Because a part of him wanted to believe her.
And another part was afraid.
Then the man on the screen laughed.
A cold laugh.
Everyone turned back.
The stranger was still there.
Watching.
"You always were emotional, Clara."
Her face changed.
She recognized him.
"Victor."
The name left her mouth like a warning.
Dominic looked at her.
"Who is Victor?"
Nobody answered.
The man smiled.
"Finally."
He looked directly at Dominic.
"Someone remembers me."
Lorenzo stepped closer to the monitor.
"Victor Moretti."
The man's smile widened.
"Hello, Lorenzo."
Dominic looked between them.
Moretti.
The same family name as Isabella.
The same name connected to the old files.
"Who is he?"
Lorenzo's face became serious.
"He was the person who created the replacement plan."
Dominic stared.
"Why?"
Victor answered himself.
"Because your family was weak."
The screen showed his face clearly.
"The Valentes had power."
"But they had no discipline."
Dominic's eyes narrowed.
"So you tried to control us."
Victor smiled.
"I tried to save you."
Dominic almost laughed.
Another person claiming protection.
"By destroying my family?"
Victor leaned closer.
"By rebuilding it."
Silence.
Then Victor said:
"Your father chose the wrong child."
Dominic looked at Lorenzo.
Victor continued:
"Marco was supposed to become the heir."
"Then your father made the mistake of loving you."
Those words hit harder than Dominic expected.
Victor continued.
"So we created another solution."
Dominic stared.
"Me."
Victor nodded.
"Yes."
The room became silent.
"You were designed to be perfect."
Dominic felt his stomach tighten.
"What does that mean?"
Victor smiled.
"It means every part of your life was arranged."
"No."
"Your education."
"No."
"Your friendships."
"No."
"Your position."
Dominic stepped closer to the screen.
"Stop."
Victor didn't.
"Even Adrian."
Dominic froze.
Victor smiled.
"Especially Adrian."
Everyone looked at Adrian.
Adrian's face changed.
"Don't listen to him."
Victor continued.
"He was placed beside you because we needed someone close enough to guide you."
Dominic stared.
"Is that true?"
Adrian said nothing.
That silence destroyed him.
"Adrian."
A long pause.
Then Adrian whispered:
"At first."
The room went completely still.
Dominic looked at him.
"What?"
Adrian lowered his head.
"When I first met you..."
His voice shook.
"I was sent there."
Dominic felt betrayed all over again.
"But later..."
Adrian looked up.
"I chose you."
Dominic couldn't answer.
Because he didn't know which part to believe.
The screen suddenly flickered.
Victor's expression changed.
Like he had received something.
Then he smiled.
"Interesting."
Lorenzo looked at the monitor.
"What did you do?"
Victor ignored him.
Instead, he looked at Dominic.
"You want the truth about your birth?"
A pause.
"Then go to the old hospital."
Dominic frowned.
"What hospital?"
Victor smiled.
"The place where you were created."
The screen went black.
A location appeared.
An abandoned medical facility outside the city.
Dominic stared.
Nobody spoke.
Then Clara whispered:
"No."
Dominic looked at her.
"You know that place?"
Her face turned pale.
"Yes."
"Why?"
She looked at him.
Because she knew what was waiting there.
"Because that's where they took you from me."
The room froze.
Dominic stared.
"Taken?"
Clara nodded.
"They didn't let me leave with you."
A pause.
"They told me you were dead."
Dominic felt the world shift again.
"Who told you that?"
Clara looked toward the door.
Her expression changed.
Because someone else had entered the archive.
Someone who had been listening.
Someone who knew the truth.
And then Clara whispered the name:
"The doctor."
Everyone turned.
A man stood in the doorway.
May you like
Holding an old medical file.
And on the cover was Dominic's name.
