Chapter 4 - The Truth in the Blood
Eighty minutes later, the door to the observation lounge opened. Dr. Hannah Mercer stepped inside, holding a single sheet of paper. Her expression was solemn, a mix of disbelief and professional awe.
She handed the document to Vincent without a word.
Vincent’s hands, which had commanded an empire of thousands and never wavered under the threat of rival guns, trembled as he unfolded the sheet.
*PROBABILITY OF PATERNITY: 99.998%*
*ALLELIC MATCH CONFIRMED.*
The paper dropped onto the mahogany desk. Vincent sat down heavily, burying his face in his hands. A raw, ragged breath escaped his chest.
Twenty-nine years ago, Rebecca Miller had been the only light in the dark labyrinth of his life. She was an art student, pure and untainted by the syndicate war brewing in Philadelphia. When the rival Moretti family had bombed Vincent’s car, Rebecca had vanished the very next day, leaving behind a note saying she could not live in fear.
For nearly three decades, Vincent believed she had hated him. He had believed she wanted to forget he ever existed.
She hadn't abandoned him out of disgust. She had fled into the shadows to protect his unborn daughter from the crossfire of a mafia war. She had suffered poverty, hardship, and an early grave—all to keep Vincent’s enemies from discovering his child.
“Boss?” Marco asked softly. “What do we do?”
Vincent wiped his face, his demeanor transforming instantly from devastated grief to unyielding resolve.
May you like
“Clear the floor,” Vincent ordered. “No one enters that room without my permission. And find out who helped Rebecca disappear twenty-nine years ago. Someone inside our organization gave her fake documents to slip out of the city. I want to know who knew my daughter was alive while I mourned in the dark.”
***
