Chapter 8 - Blood Is Not Loyalty
Sophia could not move.
The woman turned.
Hope died first.
Then confusion replaced it.
She had Isabella’s face.
Almost.
But the eyes were different.
Older.
Harder.
“Valentina,” Alessandro said.
The woman nodded.
Sophia’s knees weakened.
“You sound like her.”
“We were twins.”
Sophia stared.
“You knew my mother?”
Valentina’s expression softened.
“I loved your mother more than anyone.”
“Is she dead?”
A long pause.
“Yes.”
The word finally gave Sophia something solid.
Painful.
But solid.
“What did Vittorio mean about the body?”
“Your father buried an empty coffin.”
Sophia stared.
Valentina explained that Isabella survived the staged accident.
For nearly three years, she lived under protection while gathering evidence.
Then Vittorio found her.
“What happened?”
Valentina’s eyes filled.
“She died protecting me.”
Sophia looked away.
Alessandro moved closer.
Again, he waited.
Sophia reached for him.
His hand closed around hers.
Valentina noticed.
“You’re Carlo’s son.”
“Yes.”
“You have his eyes.”
“I’ve been told.”
“He regretted what he built.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
Alessandro’s jaw tightened.
Valentina walked toward a desk.
“Your father helped Isabella disappear. Antonio believed she died because that was the only way to keep Sophia and Elena safe.”
Sophia whispered, “Dad mourned her.”
“He wasn’t pretending.”
Valentina handed Sophia a letter.
“He learned the truth only after Isabella actually died.”
Sophia understood her father differently then.
He had lost his wife twice.
Once to a lie designed to protect their daughters.
Again for real.
“Why didn’t you come to us?”
“Because Vittorio watched you.”
“All these years?”
“Yes.”
Sophia felt sick.
“Why now?”
“Because Daniel contacted him.”
Alessandro stiffened.
Valentina continued.
“He reopened everything.”
Daniel appeared in the doorway.
“I didn’t know.”
Valentina looked at him.
Her face changed.
Vittorio’s son.
“You look like him.”
Daniel swallowed.
“I wish people would stop saying that.”
Valentina almost smiled.
Then footsteps sounded behind him.
Security shouted.
Daniel turned.
Vittorio walked into the hall with two men.
Alessandro pushed Sophia behind him.
Valentina did not move.
Vittorio looked at her.
“My wife.”
“Not for twenty years.”
His smile vanished.
Then he looked at Daniel.
“My son.”
Daniel’s face twisted.
“No.”
Vittorio extended a hand.
“You came to me because you wanted what Carlo denied you.”
“I came because you lied to me.”
“I told you the truth.”
“You told me blood made us family.”
“It does.”
Daniel looked at Alessandro.
“No.”
Everyone went silent.
Daniel stepped backward until he stood beside his brother.
“Blood made you my father. It didn’t make you my family.”
For the first time, Vittorio looked genuinely angry.
His gaze moved to Sophia.
“Give me the drive.”
“No.”
“The shares belong to me.”
“They belong to me.”
“You don’t understand what you possess.”
Sophia stepped from behind Alessandro.
He glanced at her but did not stop her.
“I understand exactly enough.”
Vittorio smiled.
“You think Alessandro is different?”
Sophia looked at him.
“He wants the company.”
Alessandro said nothing.
“He needs your shares.”
Still nothing.
Vittorio continued.
“He offers his hand. He protects you. He waits until you fall in love. Then suddenly the company is whole again.”
Sophia’s heart pounded.
She looked at Alessandro.
“Tell him.”
Alessandro’s voice was calm.
“The shares are yours.”
“Tell her you don’t want them.”
“I want them.”
Sophia froze.
Vittorio laughed.
Alessandro looked directly at her.
“I want them because they would give me control of the company my father spent his life rebuilding.”
Sophia swallowed.
“But?”
“There is no but.”
His honesty hurt.
Then he continued.
“Wanting something you own does not entitle me to it.”
Sophia stared at him.
“If you sell them tomorrow, I’ll disagree. If you keep them, I’ll support your voting rights. If you burn the certificates in front of me, I’ll probably call three lawyers and have a terrible evening.”
Daniel almost laughed.
Alessandro’s eyes remained on Sophia.
“But they are yours.”
Vittorio’s smile disappeared.
Sophia realized that was the difference.
Daniel had wanted something from her and disguised it as love.
Alessandro wanted something from her and told her directly.
Choice.
Again.
Sirens approached.
Vittorio heard them.
He looked at Valentina.
“You called police?”
“No.”
Daniel raised his phone.
“I did.”
Vittorio stared at his son.
Daniel’s hand trembled.
“You wanted me to choose blood.”
He looked toward Alessandro.
“I did.”
Vittorio moved suddenly.
Security surged forward.
Sophia heard a crash.
Someone shouted.
The lights went out.
Alessandro grabbed her hand.
“Sophia!”
“I’m here.”
Another crash.
Then silence.
Emergency lights flickered on.
Vittorio was gone.
So was Valentina.
The rear door stood open.
Daniel stared at it.
On the floor lay Valentina’s necklace.
Beneath it was a folded note.
Sophia picked it up.
May you like
Three words.
BRING SOPHIA ALONE.
