Chapter 7 - Lily's Father
Vincent stopped.
Rebecca watched.
"What does that mean?"
She folded her hands.
"I think you already know Giovanni likes leverage."
"Who is Lily's father?"
"Ask Elena."
Vincent stepped closer.
"If you're involved in hurting that child—"
"I'm involved in surviving your family."
"That wasn't my question."
Rebecca's confidence flickered.
Good.
Vincent left.
On the drive home he called Elena.
No answer.
Marco answered instead.
"She's with Lily."
"Put her on."
"Boss—"
"Now."
Seconds later Elena's voice came through.
"Vincent?"
"Who is Lily's father?"
Silence.
That was the worst answer.
"Elena."
"I wanted to tell you."
"Who?"
"My husband."
"Then why would Giovanni imply otherwise?"
"Because technically—"
Vincent closed his eyes.
"Technically?"
"Lily wasn't conceived naturally."
Vincent almost laughed from sheer frustration.
"Continue."
"My husband couldn't have children. We used a donor."
"Who?"
"I didn't know."
"Didn't?"
"Rose arranged the clinic."
Vincent's grip tightened around the phone.
"Rose."
"Yes."
Of course Rose.
"Does she know who the donor was?"
"I think so."
Vincent hung up.
Rose was still at the estate.
When he arrived, Giovanni had vanished.
Nobody understood how he'd entered or left.
Vincent went directly to Rose.
"Who is Lily's biological father?"
Rose's face told him.
She knew.
"Vincent—"
He laughed once.
"Please don't say my name like that."
"I can explain."
"Everyone can explain after someone disappears."
Rose sat down.
"Lily's donor was anonymous."
"Who?"
"Your father."
Vincent stared.
"Thomas?"
Rose nodded.
"Why?"
"Elena's husband needed fertility treatment. Thomas had frozen samples stored years earlier as part of medical procedures."
"How did you get access?"
"A clinic director owed me."
Vincent could barely process it.
"You knowingly used our father's genetic material."
"I needed the encryption to connect Lily to a Moretti trust."
"You made a child part of your plan before she was born."
Rose's eyes filled with guilt.
"Yes."
Vincent turned away.
That changed Lily's relationship to all of them.
Biologically, Thomas was her father.
Vincent was her half-brother.
Rose her half-sister.
Giovanni her grandfather.
No wonder the archive trusted Lily's identity.
No wonder Giovanni wanted her.
"Does Elena know?"
"She learned later."
"Does Thomas?"
"I don't think so."
Vincent looked at her.
"Giovanni does."
Rose went pale.
That meant Giovanni could use Lily not only as a key.
As blood.
An heir.
A tool.
A replacement.
Vincent's phone buzzed.
Another message.
COME TO ST. MICHAEL'S CHURCH.
BRING ROSE.
NO SECURITY.
He showed her.
Rose stood.
"I'm coming."
"Obviously."
This time he didn't argue.
They went.
St. Michael's had closed years ago.
Vincent and Rose entered through the front doors.
Candles burned near the altar.
Giovanni sat in the first pew.
Eighty-seven.
Thin.
Perfectly dressed.
His cane rested beside him.
"Children."
Vincent almost laughed.
"That's what you call this?"
Giovanni smiled.
"Family."
Rose said, "Where are Carlo and Mom?"
"Safe."
"Thomas?"
"Less safe."
Vincent studied him.
"You control Thomas."
"I created Thomas."
"That explains a lot."
Giovanni chuckled.
"You have your mother's tongue."
"No. I have thirteen years of questions."
"Ask."
Vincent did.
"Why Rose?"
"She betrayed us."
"Why Mother?"
"She tried to steal my grandchildren."
"Why Elena's husband?"
"He found something."
"Why Lily?"
Giovanni's smile faded.
"Because Rose made her important."
Rose stepped forward.
"Leave her out of it."
"You put her in it."
That was true.
Rose knew it.
Vincent hated that Giovanni could weaponize truth.
"What do you want now?" Vincent asked.
"The archive."
"And after?"
"Peace."
"Men like you don't know what that means."
Giovanni smiled.
"Perhaps."
He gestured toward the altar.
A laptop waited.
"Rose will transfer the archive."
"No."
"Then I release certain information."
Vincent laughed.
"That's your threat?"
"Not against you."
A video appeared.
Lily.
Playing in the estate garden earlier that year.
Then another.
Her daycare.
Another.
Elena shopping.
Another.
Vincent entering a restaurant.
Giovanni said, "I can reach anyone."
Vincent looked at the old man.
"Not forever."
"No."
Giovanni leaned on his cane.
"That is why I need succession."
Vincent understood before Giovanni finished.
"You want Lily."
"I want the child protected."
"By turning her into you?"
"By giving her everything."
"She's four."
"Not forever."
Rose raised her gun.
Giovanni smiled.
"You still think bullets solve architecture."
Footsteps sounded behind them.
Men emerged from side aisles.
Six.
Vincent and Rose were surrounded.
Giovanni continued.
"The archive created this family. It protected us for half a century."
"It destroyed us," Vincent said.
"Power always costs."
"Lily won't pay it."
Giovanni's eyes hardened.
"That is not your decision."
Vincent stepped toward him.
"It is now."
Gunfire cracked outside.
Windows shattered.
Smoke filled the nave.
Marco.
Vincent smiled.
Giovanni's first genuine surprise appeared.
"I said no security."
"I lied."
Rose laughed.
Chaos followed.
Vincent tackled Giovanni behind the pew.
Marco's team entered.
Two guards surrendered.
Three ran.
One fired.
Rose pursued him.
Vincent grabbed Giovanni's cane.
A blade slid from its shaft.
He tossed it away.
"You really are a cliché."
Giovanni glared.
Then something exploded near the altar.
Vincent looked up.
The laptop burned.
Giovanni smiled.
"Too late."
"What did you do?"
"I sent the order."
"What order?"
"To Thomas."
Vincent grabbed his collar.
"What order?"
Giovanni's smile turned cold.
"Bring me Lily."
Vincent punched him.
Then his phone rang.
Elena.
He answered.
Screaming.
"Vincent!"
"What happened?"
"He's here!"
"Who?"
A man's voice spoke behind her.
Thomas.
"Hello, son."
Then the line went dead.
Vincent opened the estate camera feed.
One image remained.
May you like
Thomas stood in Lily's bedroom doorway.
And Lily was nowhere in sight.
