Chapter 8 - THE WOMAN WHO WANTED EVERYTHING
Vanessa kidnapped Grace three days later.
It happened in broad daylight.
A black SUV pulled beside her outside the hospital.
Two men grabbed her.
By the time my men arrived, she was gone.
They left one thing behind.
Grace's silver ring.
I found it on the pavement.
My hands shook.
Marco stood beside me.
“We'll find her.”
“I know.”
“But Boss…”
“What?”
“You can't go after her alone.”
“I won't.”
I looked at the ring.
“I'm taking everyone.”
We traced Vanessa to a private island off the coast of Maine.
The island had once belonged to the Bellini family.
Now it belonged to no one officially.
We arrived at night.
Rain fell hard.
The mansion was lit.
I entered through the east wing.
Two guards.
Three.
Then six.
We moved silently.
Finally, I found Grace.
She was tied to a chair.
Vanessa stood behind her.
“You came.”
I raised my gun.
“Let her go.”
Vanessa laughed.
“You always did love dramatic entrances.”
“What do you want?”
“Everything.”
“It's already over.”
“No.”
She touched Grace's hair.
Grace flinched.
“You still don't understand.”
Vanessa pointed toward me.
“The government will take your empire.”
“Let them.”
“You'll lose everything.”
“I already lost everything once.”
She smiled.
“But not her.”
I looked at Grace.
Vanessa's eyes hardened.
“She is your weakness.”
Grace looked at me.
“No.”
Vanessa frowned.
Grace continued.
“She is his choice.”
Vanessa raised her weapon.
A gunshot echoed.
I moved.
Grace dropped sideways.
The bullet struck the chair.
I fired.
Vanessa escaped through the rear door.
I cut Grace free.
She threw her arms around me.
I held her tightly.
“I thought you were dead.”
“I thought you were going to come alone.”
“I never said I was smart.”
She laughed through tears.
Then her face changed.
“Dominic.”
“What?”
“She told me something.”
“Who?”
“Vanessa.”
“What?”
Grace looked terrified.
“She said Michael isn't your nephew.”
I froze.
“What?”
“She said he's your son.”
My heart stopped.
“That isn't possible.”
“She said your brother didn't father him.”
I shook my head.
“Then who?”
Grace whispered:
“You.”
I couldn't breathe.
I remembered a night six years earlier.
A woman.
A hospital.
A child I had never known existed.
But it wasn't possible.
Or was it?
Then a voice came through the speaker.
Vanessa.
“You finally understand.”
I looked toward the ceiling.
She laughed.
“Dominic, the child was yours all along.”
May you like
I stared at Grace.
Everything changed again.
