Chapter 10 - The Trap Beneath the Estate
I couldn't move.
The woman stared at me.
Same eyes.
Same shape of mouth.
Same small scar near the eyebrow.
She looked like the reflection I had never known I had.
Dominic stood between us.
“Who are you?”
The woman smiled.
“My name is Evelyn.”
My mother's name.
I whispered, “That's impossible.”
She touched the necklace around her throat.
“It isn't.”
Clara stepped forward.
“You found her.”
Evelyn looked at her.
“You knew where I was.”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't you tell Dominic?”
Clara looked away.
“Because he wasn't ready.”
Dominic's voice hardened.
“Ready for what?”
Evelyn looked at him.
“To meet the daughter you lost.”
Dominic went still.
I stared.
“Daughter?”
Evelyn's eyes filled with tears.
“I was the second baby.”
The world seemed to disappear.
Leo came running from behind me.
He looked at Evelyn.
Then at me.
“Bea?”
I couldn't answer.
Evelyn crouched.
“Leo.”
He stared at her.
“You look like Bea.”
She smiled.
“So do you.”
Dominic walked toward her.
“Where were you?”
Evelyn looked down.
“Hidden.”
“By whom?”
She glanced at Clara.
Then at me.
“Your father.”
Dominic's face changed.
“My father was dead.”
“Yes.”
“But he died five years ago.”
“He knew I was alive.”
“Why?”
“Because he ordered your mother to hide me.”
I felt dizzy.
“Why would he hide his own granddaughter?”
Evelyn looked at me.
“Because someone wanted both of us dead.”
“Who?”
She didn't answer.
Dominic did.
“My uncle.”
Evelyn nodded.
“Your uncle wanted control of the family.”
Dominic stared at her.
“Then why attack Leo now?”
“Because he discovered I was still alive.”
“And Beatrice?”
Evelyn looked at me.
“He discovered her too.”
My blood ran cold.
“So I was part of this.”
“You were the key.”
“To what?”
Evelyn took a folded document from her coat.
She handed it to Dominic.
He opened it.
His expression changed.
“What is it?”
“A trust.”
“For whom?”
He read the first line.
Then looked at me.
“For Beatrice.”
I stared.
“What?”
Evelyn whispered:
“Your mother left you everything.”
I shook my head.
“I don't want money.”
“It's not money.”
“Then what?”
“Control.”
Dominic read further.
The trust gave me legal ownership of a company connected to the Russo family.
A company worth hundreds of millions.
I stepped backward.
“This is insane.”
Evelyn shook her head.
“It's why they want you dead.”
Dominic folded the papers.
“No one touches her.”
A gunshot shattered the chapel window.
Evelyn screamed.
Dominic pulled me down.
Guards rushed in.
Another shot.
Then another.
Leo cried.
Dominic covered him with his body.
I grabbed Evelyn's hand.
“Stay down.”
She looked at me.
“I've waited my whole life to meet you.”
I squeezed her fingers.
“You found me.”
Then the chapel doors slammed shut.
The lights died.
May you like
And a voice came through the darkness.
“Now let's see which sister Dominic chooses to save first...”
