Chapter 11 - THE TRUTH ABOUT SOPHIA’S DEATH
For years, I believed I knew exactly what happened that night.
A bombing.
A planned attack.
Enemies trying to hurt the Rossi family.
I spent months hunting every person involved.
I destroyed them.
I made them pay.
But now…
I wasn’t sure I had punished the right people.
I stood alone in my office staring at Sophia’s picture.
Her smile.
Her eyes.
The woman who made me believe I could be more than my father.
“Mr. Rossi?”
I turned.
Hannah stood at the door.
She looked exhausted.
“You should rest.”
I almost laughed.
“Rest?”
She didn’t answer.
Because she understood.
People like us didn’t rest.
Not when someone we loved was taken away.
“You knew her.”
I looked at her.
“Who?”
“Sophia.”
The room became silent.
“How?”
“She came here before.”
I frowned.
“When?”
“Before Leo was born.”
My heart started beating faster.
“What are you talking about?”
Hannah walked closer.
“She was looking into the Rossi family.”
“Why?”
She hesitated.
“Because she discovered something.”
“What?”
Hannah looked down.
“She thought someone inside the family was dangerous.”
My hands tightened.
“Who?”
Before she could answer, Marcus entered.
“Sir.”
He looked between us.
“I found the original investigation files.”
I took the folder.
“What investigation?”
“The bombing.”
My breath stopped.
“They were sealed.”
“I know.”
He placed a small device on the table.
“Someone hid them.”
I opened the file.
The first page immediately changed everything.
The bombing wasn’t random.
It wasn’t revenge.
It was a warning.
A warning to Sophia.
My eyes moved through the documents.
Then I saw the name.
The person who authorized the attack.
My mother.
Isabella Rossi.
I dropped the file.
“No.”
Hannah looked at me.
“Lorenzo…”
“No.”
I grabbed the papers.
“This isn’t possible.”
But the evidence was there.
My mother’s signature.
Her authorization.
Her money.
Her secrets.
The woman who raised me…
was connected to the night my wife died.
I felt like the entire world had disappeared.
Then my phone rang.
My mother.
I answered.
Silence.
Then her voice.
“Lorenzo.”
I couldn’t speak.
“You found it.”
The words broke me.
“Why?”
A long pause.
Then:
“Because Sophia was going to take everything from us.”
My blood ran cold.
“What did you do?”
“I protected this family.”
“You killed my wife.”
“No.”
Her voice cracked.
“I didn’t know she would be there.”
I closed my eyes.
The pain was unbearable.
“She was pregnant.”
“I know.”
The two words destroyed me.
My hand tightened around the phone.
“You knew?”
Silence.
Then she whispered:
“I’m sorry.”
I ended the call.
Because I couldn’t hear another word.
But then another message appeared on my phone.
From an unknown number.
A picture.
Leo.
Taken inside the nursery.
My heart stopped.
May you like
Underneath the photo were four words.
“We have your son.”
