Chapter 9
Matteo walked out.
Nobody tried to stop him.
Luca stayed seated.
That was worse.
Carlo had just told him his father planned to frame him for Matteo's disappearance.
Seven years of grief.
Seven years of lies.
And apparently Adrian had intended Luca to carry the blame if the truth ever surfaced.
Vanessa sat beside Carlo, but she wasn't touching him anymore.
Too many reunions had turned poisonous.
I followed Matteo.
He stood outside near the fountain.
Morning light was starting to break over the lake.
He had his hands on the stone edge.
"Matteo."
He didn't turn.
"I spent seven years protecting him."
I stayed a few feet away.
"In safe houses. Cheap hotels. Different names."
His voice was shaking.
"I thought he saved me."
"Maybe part of him did."
He laughed.
"That's the problem, Mia. Everyone in this family does one decent thing after ten terrible things and calls it love."
I didn't know what to say.
He looked at me.
"Do you trust Luca?"
The question surprised me.
"Yes."
"Why?"
I thought about the dinner table.
My torn shoulder.
The pantry door that didn't exist.
The way he noticed Vanessa's lie.
The way he'd risked everything for people who had deceived him.
"Because he asks questions even when he knows the answer might hurt him."
Matteo looked away.
"That sounds like him."
Inside, Carlo explained the plan.
Adrian wanted to vanish with Matteo because Matteo had discovered financial crimes.
But Adrian also wanted control of the narrative.
If Matteo disappeared, Luca would become the obvious beneficiary.
If evidence appeared showing Luca's credentials on a termination order, investigators would look at him.
Adrian could later return as the grieving father, take control, and claim Luca had destroyed the family.
"But the plane actually crashed," Naomi said.
Carlo nodded.
"Domenico changed Gabriel's instructions."
"Why?"
"Because Domenico didn't want Adrian coming back."
Luca finally spoke.
"And Victor?"
"Victor wanted everyone dependent on him."
"Gabriel?"
"Gabriel wanted money."
Simple.
Ugly.
Believable.
Luca looked at Sophia.
"Did Mom know Dad planned to frame me?"
Sophia closed her eyes.
"Yes."
"How long?"
"Two days before the flight."
"Why didn't she tell me?"
"She was trying to gather proof."
Luca stared at her.
"Everyone was always gathering proof."
Nobody answered.
Daniel entered.
"Sir, we have a location on Adrian."
Luca stood instantly.
"Where?"
"A private airfield outside Kenosha."
"Gabriel?"
"Likely."
"Victor?"
"Unknown."
Naomi stepped forward.
"Federal teams are already moving."
Carlo stood too.
"I'm coming."
Vanessa grabbed his arm.
"No."
"I know the site."
"You just came back."
"I came back to end this."
She stared at him.
Then released his arm.
Luca looked at me.
This time he didn't say stay.
He said:
"You're going with Mrs. Carter to the secure house."
I opened my mouth.
"No argument."
I shut it.
He almost smiled.
Almost.
At the safe house, before the convoy ever left, Mrs. Carter had tried once more to convince me to stay behind.
"You've done enough."
I looked at her.
"People keep saying that like this is volunteer work."
"You know what I mean."
"I do."
She sat across from me.
For the first time since I had known her, she looked old.
Not weak.
Just tired in a way sleep couldn't fix.
"Elena used to say courage becomes stupidity when you stop measuring the cost."
"Did she say anything about what to do when the cost follows you home?"
Mrs. Carter smiled.
"Frequently."
I looked down at my hands.
"Was my mother afraid?"
Her expression changed.
"Yes."
"Of Adrian?"
"Sometimes."
"Of Gabriel?"
She looked away.
That was enough.
I swallowed.
"What did he do to her?"
"Mia—"
"What did he do?"
"He loved her."
I stared.
That wasn't the answer I expected.
Mrs. Carter continued.
"And sometimes love is the most dangerous thing a controlling man can feel."
My skin went cold.
"Did she love him?"
"Once."
I stood.
"No."
"Mia."
"No. My father was Luis Torres."
Mrs. Carter's eyes filled.
"That was the name Rosa gave you."
The room tilted.
I felt suddenly angry at every person who had ever decided silence was protection.
"Who was my father?"
Mrs. Carter reached for my hand.
I stepped back.
She whispered:
"I promised Rosa."
"She's dead."
"I know."
"Then tell me."
Before she could, Daniel's radio cracked outside.
The convoy was ready.
Mrs. Carter looked at me with something close to apology.
"If we get through today, I will."
We never got the chance.
Twenty minutes later, the fake federal team boxed us in.
And when I woke in Gabriel's hangar, I finally understood why he had looked at me as though he already knew my face.
The secure house was thirty minutes away.
I never made it.
The convoy stopped at an intersection.
A truck blocked the road.
Daniel's backup vehicle reversed.
Another truck appeared behind us.
Mrs. Carter whispered:
"Oh no."
Men in tactical gear surrounded the car.
Federal markings.
But the agent driving us went pale.
"Those aren't ours."
Gunfire cracked.
Windows spiderwebbed.
The agent shoved us down.
The rear door opened.
A man grabbed me.
I kicked.
Another grabbed Mrs. Carter.
Smoke filled the car.
My eyes burned.
Someone injected something into my neck.
The world disappeared.
When I woke, I was in a chair.
Not tied.
That was strange.
A warehouse office.
Glass walls.
Below, an empty hangar.
Gabriel sat across from me.
He had a bandage on his arm.
Blood match.
"Good morning."
I stared at him.
"Where's Mrs. Carter?"
"Safe."
"Everyone says that right before proving they're not."
He smiled.
"I understand why Luca likes you."
My stomach tightened.
"He doesn't."
"Of course."
I said nothing.
Gabriel leaned back.
"You've been very inconvenient."
"Thank you."
He laughed.
"Matteo was right. You are difficult."
"Where is he?"
"On his way."
My blood went cold.
"Luca?"
"Also."
"Why bring me here?"
"Because Luca has stopped responding predictably."
"And I make him predictable?"
"Yes."
I hated that answer.
Gabriel slid a phone across the desk.
Live camera.
Luca and Matteo entering the hangar below with Naomi and agents.
"They think Adrian is here."
"Is he?"
Gabriel nodded.
"Below."
A second feed.
Adrian tied to a chair.
This time real.
Bruised.
Alive.
"You kidnapped him?"
Gabriel looked amused.
"He kidnapped himself."
"What?"
"He came here willingly. Then tried to change the deal."
"What deal?"
"Archive for immunity."
My stomach turned.
Adrian wanted to trade the evidence.
Again saving himself.
Gabriel continued.
"But he no longer has the archive."
"The chip."
"Yes."
"You have it."
"For now."
He held up the small chip.
I remembered Victor being shot.
"Did you kill Victor?"
"No."
I blinked.
"He survived."
"Where is he?"
"Exactly where he wants to be."
That was not comforting.
Gabriel stood.
"Come."
"No."
He sighed.
"Mia."
"No."
He pulled out a gun.
I stood.
"Better."
We descended to the hangar.
Luca saw me first.
His face changed instantly.
"Mia."
"I'm okay."
Gabriel stood behind me.
Gun low against my back.
Matteo looked furious.
"You touch her—"
Gabriel laughed.
"Everyone says that."
Naomi's agents aimed weapons.
Gabriel pressed the gun harder.
"Lower them."
Nobody moved.
Then Adrian's chair rolled into view on a platform.
He was conscious.
Luca stared at him.
"Dad."
Adrian looked ashamed.
"Mia shouldn't be here."
I almost laughed.
"Nice timing."
Gabriel held up the chip.
"Here's the arrangement."
Luca's voice was cold.
"No arrangements."
"Then Mia dies."
Silence.
Gabriel smiled.
"I want full control of Moretti Holdings for seventy-two hours."
Matteo frowned.
"Why?"
"Access to the legacy servers."
"You already have the archive."
"Not all of it."
So the chip wasn't complete.
Luca understood.
"Mom split it."
Gabriel's smile faded.
"Elena was irritatingly cautious."
"Where is the rest?"
"Inside Moretti Holdings."
"Then why do you need control?"
"Because Elena embedded a release protocol inside the company's financial system. If the wrong person accesses it, the files go public."
Matteo looked impressed.
"Mom built a dead man's switch."
"Yes."
Luca looked at Adrian.
"Did you know?"
Adrian nodded weakly.
"Some."
"Of course."
Gabriel extended a tablet.
"Sign."
Luca looked at me.
I shook my head.
"No."
Gabriel pressed the gun into my spine.
Luca's jaw tightened.
"Mia."
"Don't."
"You don't get a vote."
"I absolutely get a vote if I'm the hostage."
Matteo almost smiled despite himself.
Gabriel did not.
"Sign."
Luca picked up the tablet.
Then Adrian shouted:
"Don't!"
Gabriel fired.
The bullet hit Adrian in the leg.
He screamed.
Luca dropped the tablet.
Matteo moved.
Agents moved.
Gabriel grabbed me.
Gunfire erupted.
I ducked.
Matteo hit Gabriel from the side.
The gun skidded away.
Naomi's agents opened fire at men appearing on the catwalk.
I crawled behind a crate.
Luca reached me.
"You okay?"
"Yes."
He pulled me up.
Then a voice came over the hangar speakers.
"Enough."
Everyone froze.
Victor Halden walked onto the catwalk.
Alive.
Bandage around his head.
Gun in one hand.
Vanessa beside him.
Her hands tied.
Carlo stood behind them.
Also tied.
Victor smiled down.
"Family should never negotiate without the elders."
Gabriel, bleeding from the mouth, laughed.
"You should be dead."
Victor looked at him.
"You first."
He raised his gun.
Shot Gabriel in the chest.
Gabriel collapsed.
Vanessa screamed.
Victor looked down at Adrian.
Then Luca.
Then Matteo.
"Now that the employee problem is solved..."
He smiled.
"Let's discuss inheritance."
Behind him, Carlo suddenly moved.
He slammed his shoulder into Victor.
The gun fired.
Vanessa dropped.
Carlo grabbed the weapon.
Victor punched him.
They struggled near the railing.
Luca ran toward the stairs.
Matteo followed.
I looked at Gabriel.
He was still breathing.
Barely.
His hand moved.
Toward the fallen chip.
I stepped on it first.
His eyes met mine.
"Give me..."
"No."
He smiled weakly.
"You have no idea what that is."
"Neither do you anymore."
I picked it up.
Then Gabriel whispered:
"Elena chose you."
I froze.
"What?"
He coughed.
"Not Mrs. Carter."
My blood went cold.
"Elena."
"She knew your mother."
I stared.
"My mother?"
Gabriel smiled.
Then his eyes closed.
May you like
At that exact moment, above us—
a body went over the railing.
