Chapter 9 - THE TRAP INSIDE THE FAMILY

Adrian Moretti had survived because he trusted his instincts.

His instincts were built from years of betrayal.

Years of war.

Years of knowing that every person around him had a reason.

But now his instincts were fighting against his heart.

Because his heart wanted to believe.

Believe Sarah.

Believe Vincent.

Believe that Lily could finally have a normal life.

But normal was something Adrian Moretti had never been allowed to have.

The next morning, Vincent entered the room with a file.

“We found something.”

Adrian looked up.

“What?”

Vincent placed the file on the desk.

“Someone has been moving money through accounts connected to Sarah.”

Adrian's expression darkened.

“Sarah?”

Vincent immediately shook his head.

“I don't think she did it.”

“But someone used her.”

“Yes.”

Adrian opened the file.

The transactions.

The dates.

Everything pointed back eight years.

The year Lily was born.

“Why didn’t you find this before?”

Vincent looked uncomfortable.

“Because someone erased it.”

Adrian stared at the documents.

“The Ghost.”

Vincent nodded.

Then Adrian noticed something.

One name.

One account.

One signature.

His blood froze.

“No.”

Vincent looked at him.

“What?”

Adrian slowly turned the paper.

“This person.”

Vincent read the name.

His face changed.

Because it belonged to someone they both knew.

Someone who had worked beside Adrian for years.

Someone who had been trusted.

Someone who knew every secret.

Adrian whispered:

“He was there from the beginning.”

That evening, Adrian confronted Sarah.

“You knew someone was inside my organization.”

Sarah looked terrified.

“I suspected.”

“You suspected?”

“I was trying to protect Lily.”

“You should have told me.”

“And what would you have done?”

Adrian stopped.

Because he knew.

He would have started a war.

Sarah stepped closer.

“You would have destroyed everyone.”

A pause.

“And Lily would have grown up surrounded by blood.”

The words hurt because they were true.

Adrian looked away.

Then Sarah said something that changed everything.

“There’s something else.”

He looked back.

“What?”

“Lily knows more than you think.”

Adrian froze.

“What are you talking about?”

Sarah looked toward the stairs.

“She heard conversations.”

“With who?”

Sarah whispered:

“With the person who came to our house before.”

Adrian’s heart tightened.

“Lily saw him?”

Sarah nodded.

“She drew him.”

Adrian immediately turned.

“Where is the drawing?”

Sarah pointed upstairs.

Adrian ran.

He found Lily’s notebook beside her bed.

Page after page.

Stars.

Families.

Houses.

And then—

A drawing of a man.

Not faceless.

A real face.

Adrian stared.

Because the man in the drawing...

Was someone he knew.

Someone he trusted.

Someone standing beside him for years.

The final line written beneath the picture made Adrian’s hands shake.

Mom said never tell Dad because Dad will make him disappear.

Adrian slowly closed the notebook.

And for the first time in years...

He was afraid.

Not of losing power.

Not of dying.

But of discovering that the person who had been protecting his daughter...

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TO BE CONTINUED...