Chapter 14 - THE WOMAN BEHIND THE EMPIRE
Luca went completely still when I told him.
“My mother died twelve years ago.”
“That’s what everyone thought about mine.”
He didn’t appreciate that.
We dug through the evidence.
Then Luca’s security chief found offshore transactions.
Millions.
Signed by Alessandra Moretti.
Luca’s mother.
Alive.
Controlling shell companies from Switzerland.
Luca stared at the screen.
“She financed Matteo.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
My mother answered.
“Because she hated Sofia.”
Luca turned.
“What?”
“She believed Sofia destroyed Matteo’s life.”
“Matteo destroyed his own life.”
“Parents don’t always see that.”
Luca looked exhausted.
Then his phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
A woman’s voice came through.
“Hello, son.”
His face emptied.
“Mother.”
I felt chills.
She laughed softly.
“You always were too sentimental.”
“What do you want?”
“The child.”
“No.”
“She is Moretti blood.”
“She is Emma’s daughter.”
“Same thing now.”
Luca’s eyes moved to me.
His mother continued.
“Bring Grace to the old family estate tomorrow.”
“No.”
“Then Emma’s mother dies.”
We looked toward the doorway.
My mother was gone.
I ran.
Her chair was empty.
A guard lay unconscious in the hall.
On the floor sat one white envelope.
Inside was a photograph of my mother tied to a chair.
Below it were three words.
Come alone, Emma.
Luca tore the note in half.
“You’re not going.”
I looked at him.
“Yes, I am.”
“No.”
“She’s my mother.”
“And this is a trap.”
“I know.”
He grabbed my shoulders.
“I almost lost you twice.”
I stared at him.
For the first time, the words between us were no longer about protection.
They were about something else.
May you like
Something neither of us had said.
I whispered, “Then don’t lose me.”
