Chapter 9 - The Truth Beneath The Family Name
The torn fabric was from an expensive suit.
A suit only members of the Rossi family wore.
Leo looked at Daniel.
“You know whose this is.”
Daniel nodded slowly.
“Yes.”
“Whose?”
Daniel hesitated.
“Victor Rossi.”
Leo’s face darkened.
“My father.”
The impossible became possible again.
Victor was alive.
His mother survived.
His sister existed.
Now his father might still be involved.
Leo felt like his entire life was collapsing.
“How many ghosts does this family have?”
Nobody answered.
Because nobody knew anymore.
Daniel tracked Victor’s movements.
Three days later, they found him.
An abandoned property outside the city.
Leo entered first.
The building was empty.
Except for one room.
A room filled with photographs.
His mother.
His sister.
Himself.
Someone had been watching them for years.
Clare looked around.
“This is obsession.”
Leo picked up a file.
Inside were detailed reports.
Every move he made.
Every person he met.
Every business decision.
Someone had monitored his entire life.
Then he found a name on the file.
Victor Rossi.
A sound came from behind them.
They turned.
Victor stood there.
Older.
Different.
But unmistakable.
Leo stared.
“You’re alive.”
Victor looked at his son.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Victor looked at the photographs.
“Because someone had to protect the family.”
Leo laughed.
“Protect?”
“You destroyed it.”
Victor’s expression changed.
“You think you know everything.”
“No.”
“I know enough.”
Victor stepped closer.
“Your mother told you about Anthony?”
“Yes.”
Victor smiled.
“She left out the most important part.”
“What?”
Victor looked directly at Leo.
“Anthony wasn’t the person controlling everything.”
Leo felt cold.
“Then who was?”
Victor stayed silent.
“Tell me.”
Victor looked at Clare.
Then back at Leo.
“The person who hired her.”
Everyone froze.
Clare’s face changed.
“What?”
Victor smiled.
“Did you really think a random housekeeper ended up inside the Rossi mansion by accident?”
Leo turned toward Clare.
For the first time…
A small doubt appeared.
Not about Clare.
But about the plan.
Victor continued.
“Someone placed her there.”
“Someone wanted her to find that song.”
“Someone wanted you to discover your mother.”
Leo stared.
“Who?”
Victor slowly answered.
And the name shocked everyone.
Because the person behind everything…
Was not an enemy.
Not a stranger.
May you like
Not someone hiding outside the family.
It was someone who had been standing beside Leo Rossi every single day.
