Chapter 2 - MY FATHER’S NAME
Eight years earlier, two police officers had stood in our kitchen and told my mother that my father died instantly.
Industrial accident.
Equipment failure.
Wrong place.
Wrong time.
Case closed.
My mother cried for three days.
I didn’t cry until the funeral.
After that, I stopped fighting competitively because every gym reminded me of Dad sitting in the front row yelling, “Hands up, Avery!”
Now Dominic Moretti was standing six feet away from me, saying Dad’s name like he knew him.
“How did you know my father?”
Vanessa climbed to her feet.
“Dominic, are you seriously doing this now?”
He ignored her.
I stepped closer.
“I asked you a question.”
His security team exchanged looks.
Apparently people didn’t talk to Dominic Moretti that way.
I didn’t care.
“How did you know Daniel Carter?”
Dominic studied my face.
“He worked for a construction company my family owned.”
“I know where he worked.”
“No. You know the company name printed on his paycheck.”
A chill moved through me.
“What does that mean?”
Vanessa grabbed Dominic’s arm.
“We have sixty guests.”
He pulled his arm away.
“Then tell them the party is over.”
Her mouth fell open.
“You can’t be serious.”
Dominic looked at his security chief.
“Marco.”
The man nodded.
Within minutes, guests were being escorted out through the front entrance.
Whispers filled the mansion.
Phones came out.
Vanessa hissed, “Do you know what people are going to say?”
Dominic finally faced her.
“I stopped caring what people said about me before I was old enough to drink.”
Then he looked at me.
“Come with me.”
“No.”
That surprised him.
“I’m not going anywhere with you until you tell me what you know.”
A muscle moved in his jaw.
“Your father’s death wasn’t an accident.”
The room tilted.
For a second, I couldn’t hear anything except rain beating against the windows.
I laughed once.
A broken sound.
“No.”
Dominic said nothing.
“No. The investigation—”
“Was controlled.”
“By who?”
His silence answered before his mouth did.
“Your family?”
“My uncle.”
I stepped backward.
My heel hit the broken champagne glass.
“You’re telling me your family killed my father?”
Vanessa went still.
Even she seemed surprised.
Dominic’s voice lowered.
“I’m telling you Daniel Carter discovered something he wasn’t supposed to discover.”
“What?”
“Financial records. Construction contracts. Shell companies.”
My hands began shaking.
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because I thought the records died with him.”
He looked at me strangely.
“Until tonight.”
I stared at him.
“That makes no sense.”
Dominic nodded toward my neck.
I looked down.
Under my wet delivery jacket, a thin silver chain had slipped outside my shirt.
Dad’s old key hung from it.
A tiny brass key.
I had worn it since his funeral.
Dominic’s face went hard.
“Where did you get that?”
“It was my father’s.”
“I know.”
My stomach tightened.
“How?”
“Because I gave it to him.”
Vanessa suddenly dropped her champagne glass.
It shattered.
Everyone looked at her.
For half a second, pure panic crossed her face.
Then it was gone.
Dominic saw it too.
He turned toward her.
“Why do you recognize that key?”
“I don’t.”
“You just reacted.”
“I reacted because this whole night is insane.”
Dominic took one step toward her.
Vanessa stepped back.
That was the first time I ever saw her afraid.
Marco returned from the front hall.
“Gates are secured.”
Dominic nodded.
Then Marco added quietly, “There’s another problem.”
“What?”
“The security footage from the east hallway was erased.”
Dominic looked at Vanessa.
She went pale.
Marco continued.
“Someone accessed your office at 8:47.”
Dominic’s eyes turned back to me.
The key against my chest suddenly felt like it weighed ten pounds.
“What does this key open?” I asked.
Dominic stared at it.
“A box your father was supposed to hide before he died.”
I stopped breathing.
“And what’s inside it?”
May you like
He answered quietly.
“Enough evidence to destroy my family.”
