Chapter 10 - THE NAME WRITTEN IN HER DRAWING

Adrian Moretti had spent years believing he knew every enemy around him.

That was how he survived.

He studied people.

Their habits.

Their weaknesses.

Their lies.

But the drawing in Lily’s notebook forced him to question everything.

Because the man she had drawn was not a stranger.

It was someone Adrian had trusted.

Someone who had stood beside him during his darkest years.

Someone who knew every secret Adrian had ever buried.

Vincent Russo.

Adrian stared at the drawing.

The familiar face.

The dark hair.

The scar above the eyebrow.

There was no mistake.

His closest friend.

The man who had saved his life.

The man who had protected him.

The man who had promised to protect Lily.

For several seconds, Adrian couldn't speak.

“Boss?”

Vincent stood at the doorway.

Adrian slowly closed the notebook.

“Come inside.”

Vincent noticed his expression.

“What happened?”

Adrian placed the drawing on the desk.

Vincent looked down.

And froze.

The silence told Adrian everything.

“You know him.”

Vincent looked away.

“Adrian…”

“Don’t.”

The warning in his voice was enough.

“Don’t protect anyone from me right now.”

Vincent took a slow breath.

“I don’t know what you think you’re seeing.”

“I’m seeing my daughter draw the face of a man who has been around my family for years.”

Vincent shook his head.

“Because she saw me.”

The answer stopped Adrian.

“What?”

Vincent looked at the drawing again.

“She saw me.”

Adrian’s expression changed.

“When?”

“Eight years ago.”

The room became silent.

Vincent sat down.

“I came to the hospital when Lily was born.”

Adrian stared.

“You never told me.”

“Because you weren’t supposed to know.”

The words cut through him.

“What does that mean?”

Vincent looked at him.

“It means Sarah was right.”

Adrian’s jaw tightened.

“About what?”

“That if you knew Lily existed, you would have destroyed everything.”

Adrian stepped closer.

“You’re saying you helped hide my daughter from me?”

Vincent didn't answer.

And that silence was enough.

For the first time in eleven years, Adrian looked at Vincent differently.

Not as his friend.

Not as his brother.

As a question.

“Why?”

Vincent’s eyes softened.

“Because I knew what you were becoming.”

Adrian laughed quietly.

“You mean dangerous?”

“I mean empty.”

The words landed.

Vincent continued.

“You had power. Money. Fear. Everything.”

A pause.

“But you had nothing that made you human.”

Adrian looked away.

“And you thought taking my daughter away would fix me?”

“No.”

Vincent shook his head.

“I thought keeping her alive mattered more.”

Adrian clenched his fists.

“You should have trusted me.”

Vincent looked at him.

“Would you have walked away?”

Adrian had no answer.

Because Vincent knew him.

The old Adrian would have hunted every enemy.

Every person involved.

Every possible threat.

And Lily would have grown up inside a war.

That night, Adrian sat beside Lily’s bed.

She opened her eyes.

“You’re sad.”

Adrian smiled slightly.

“I’m thinking.”

“About the drawing?”

He looked at her.

“You remember drawing it?”

“Yes.”

“Why did you draw that person?”

Lily looked down.

“Because he told me to.”

Adrian froze.

“Who?”

She hugged Mr. Buttons.

“He said I needed to remember him.”

A cold feeling moved through Adrian.

“What did he look like?”

Lily looked at him.

“He had a scar.”

Adrian’s heart sank.

“Did he tell you his name?”

She nodded.

“Yes.”

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