Chapter 8 - The Man Who Came Back
Samuel Moretti stood at the bottom of the stairs.
I couldn't move.
Twenty-six years of believing my father was dead collapsed in one instant.
He looked older than the photograph.
But the eyes were the same.
My eyes.
He stared at me.
"Emily."
I whispered:
"You're alive."
His face broke.
"Yes."
My mother ran toward him.
Samuel caught her.
For several seconds, they simply held each other.
Then Dominic raised his gun.
"Let her go."
Samuel looked at him.
"You've become exactly like your father."
Dominic's expression hardened.
"I am nothing like him."
"Not yet."
I stepped between them.
"Why did you disappear?"
Samuel looked at me.
"To keep you alive."
"That isn't an answer."
He sighed.
"Richard Rossi wanted me dead."
"Why?"
"Because I knew the truth."
"What truth?"
Samuel looked at my mother.
Then at Dominic.
"Richard wasn't the mastermind."
Silence.
"Then who was?"
Samuel pointed toward the hallway.
"Isabella."
Dominic froze.
"No."
Samuel nodded.
"Your mother."
Dominic lowered his gun.
"You're lying."
"I wish I were."
My mother began crying.
"Samuel..."
He turned toward her.
"You promised we'd tell them."
"I was afraid."
"You've been afraid for twenty-six years."
Dominic stared at his mother.
"Tell me."
Isabella entered the room.
Her face was pale.
She looked at Samuel.
Then at me.
"Your father is telling the truth."
Dominic's voice cracked.
"Why?"
Isabella looked at me.
"Because Richard wasn't the man I married."
"What does that mean?"
"He wanted to destroy the Rossi empire."
I frowned.
"Why?"
"Because he believed the only way to save Dominic was to make the family disappear."
Dominic shook his head.
"None of this makes sense."
Isabella continued.
"Richard discovered that powerful people were using the Rossi businesses to move money and weapons. He wanted out."
"Then why kill Samuel?"
"Because Samuel stole the ledger."
I looked at my father.
"You stole it?"
Samuel nodded.
"To expose them."
"Why didn't you?"
"Because the people behind it threatened Emily."
My mother's eyes filled with tears.
"Every time we tried to speak, someone threatened you."
I remembered the surveillance.
The payments.
The shooting.
"Who?"
Samuel looked toward the window.
"Victor Costa was only a soldier."
"Then who?"
"The real enemy was a group of men who controlled politicians, police, judges, and corporations."
Dominic's expression hardened.
"The Syndicate."
Samuel nodded.
"The Rossi family was never the center."
"It was the shield."
I looked at the ledger.
"And I'm the successor."
Samuel shook his head.
"You're the key to destroying them."
Dominic stepped toward me.
"No."
I looked at him.
"Dominic."
"I won't let them use you."
"Maybe they already have."
He took my hand.
"No."
For a moment, everything became quiet.
Then Samuel handed me a small envelope.
"Your mother kept this for you."
Inside was a letter.
My father's handwriting.
Emily,
If you are reading this, I failed to protect you.
But Dominic will.
I looked up.
Samuel continued.
"He asked me to make sure you found Dominic."
"Why?"
"Because he knew his son would become powerful enough to protect you."
I looked at Dominic.
He was staring at the letter.
The final line read:
The greatest mistake I ever made was believing love could be protected by secrecy.
Then the lights flickered.
A gunshot shattered the window.
Samuel fell.
"NO!"
I ran toward him.
Dominic grabbed me.
Blood spread across Samuel's shirt.
He was alive.
Barely.
Enzo rushed in.
"We're under attack."
Dominic pulled me behind a wall.
"How many?"
"Too many."
The estate erupted.
Gunfire echoed through the halls.
Dominic looked at me.
"We have to leave."
"My father—"
"Enzo will get him out."
"I won't leave."
Dominic grabbed my face gently.
"Emily, listen."
His voice was shaking.
"They're not here for the ledger."
"What then?"
"They're here for you."
I stared at him.
"Why?"
He looked toward the attackers.
"Because you're the only person who can legally expose everything."
Then he kissed my forehead.
"Stay behind me."
We escaped through the underground tunnel.
At the end was a waiting car.
Dominic opened the door.
I climbed inside.
He followed.
For the first time since this nightmare began, I allowed myself to cry.
"I don't want this."
He took my hand.
"I know."
"I just wanted to pay my mother's medical bills."
"I know."
"I didn't ask for any of this."
"I know."
Then he looked at me.
"But you don't have to face it alone."
I stared at him.
"What happens now?"
Dominic looked toward Manhattan.
"We end it."
Behind us, the Rossi estate burned.
And somewhere in the distance, the man who had orchestrated everything watched the flames.
He made one phone call.
"She's with Dominic."
A pause.
Then:
"Good."
May you like
He smiled.
"Let them come."
