Chapter 4 - THE NIGHT THE HOUSE TURNED AGAINST HIM
Alessandro ran toward the stairs.
Emergency lights flashed red along the hallway.
Gunfire erupted near the front entrance.
Sophia rushed from the sitting room.
“Emma!”
Vincent appeared behind her.
“The child was taken through the service corridor.”
Sophia’s face went white.
“By whom?”
“A woman wearing a staff uniform.”
Alessandro grabbed Vincent’s shoulder.
“Which corridor?”
“East passage.”
Sophia ran before either man could stop her.
Alessandro followed.
They reached the kitchen as a side door slammed shut.
Sophia saw a figure carrying Emma across the garden.
“Emma!”
The woman turned.
It was Marissa, Isabella’s personal assistant.
Emma kicked against her arms.
Alessandro fired one shot into the air.
Marissa froze.
“Put her down.”
Marissa held Emma tighter.
“I was told to protect her.”
“By kidnapping her?”
“Mrs. Moretti said Carlo would kill the child.”
Sophia approached carefully.
“Give her to me.”
Marissa looked terrified.
“She said you would take her outside.”
“Outside where?”
“A safe house.”
Alessandro heard footsteps behind them.
Carlo Moretti entered the kitchen with four armed men.
He was Alessandro’s father’s younger brother.
He was broad, gray-haired, and smiling.
“Everyone lower your weapons.”
No one obeyed.
Carlo looked at Emma.
“So that is the miracle child.”
Sophia moved in front of her daughter.
“You stay away from her.”
Carlo smiled.
“The maid has courage.”
Alessandro positioned himself between Carlo and Sophia.
“Leave my property.”
“I came because your mother called.”
“My mother made a mistake.”
Carlo looked toward Isabella, who had entered through the opposite door.
“Did she?”
Isabella stared at Marissa.
“I ordered you to take the child through the west tunnel.”
Marissa shook her head.
“The west tunnel was blocked.”
Carlo’s smile widened.
“Blocked by my men.”
Alessandro looked at his mother.
“You planned to remove Emma.”
“I planned to save her.”
“Without telling me?”
“There was no time.”
“You called the threat into this house.”
“I called family.”
Carlo laughed.
“Family.”
He turned to Alessandro.
“Your mother still believes that word means something.”
Alessandro raised his pistol.
“It means you have ten seconds to leave.”
Carlo’s men lifted their weapons.
Sophia pulled Emma behind a stone counter.
Carlo opened his jacket.
He removed a thick envelope.
“I did not come to fight.”
“You brought twenty armed men.”
“I did not come only to fight.”
He tossed the envelope across the floor.
Alessandro did not pick it up.
Carlo nodded to one of his men.
The man opened it and held up photographs.
The first showed Sophia outside a courthouse.
The second showed her meeting a federal prosecutor.
The third showed her entering an FBI field office.
Alessandro looked at Sophia.
She appeared stunned.
Carlo spoke softly.
“Your maid has been talking to the government.”
Sophia shook her head.
“No.”
“These photographs are fake.”
Carlo held up another image.
Ryan stood beside Sophia outside a hotel.
The timestamp was from six weeks earlier.
Sophia’s lips parted.
“I never met him there.”
Isabella examined the photographs.
“They appear authentic.”
“They aren’t.”
Carlo looked at Alessandro.
“Your child’s mother has been feeding information to federal agents.”
“She probably brought Ryan here.”
Sophia stared at him.
“You helped Ryan enter.”
Carlo smiled.
“That is an accusation.”
“It is the truth.”
“You have no proof.”
Alessandro glanced at the security panel.
The system had been disabled using an internal code.
Only six people knew that code.
Carlo was not one of them.
Isabella was.
Alessandro looked at his mother.
She understood immediately.
“I did not give him access.”
Carlo’s smile vanished.
A new voice came from the doorway.
“But I did.”
Vincent stood there holding a gun.
Sophia stared at him.
The elderly steward’s hand was perfectly steady.
Alessandro’s expression became unreadable.
“Vincent.”
“I am sorry, sir.”
Carlo relaxed.
“Well done.”
Vincent pointed the weapon at Alessandro.
“I served your father for forty-one years.”
“And now you serve him?”
Alessandro nodded toward Carlo.
“No.”
Vincent’s eyes filled with grief.
“I serve the truth.”
“What truth?”
“That your father ordered the bombing.”
The kitchen became silent.
Isabella gripped the edge of the table.
Carlo looked annoyed.
“You were not supposed to tell him yet.”
Vincent ignored him.
“Your father wanted you injured.”
“Not killed.”
“Why?”
“To force you to abandon the woman you intended to marry.”
Alessandro’s face changed.
Sophia knew nothing about the woman.
But Isabella did.
“No,” she whispered.
Vincent continued.
“Elena Russo was pregnant.”
Alessandro stopped breathing.
“She died in the explosion.”
“I know.”
“She was not in the warehouse by accident.”
Alessandro’s eyes moved to his mother.
Isabella looked devastated.
Vincent’s voice shook.
“Your father arranged it.”
“He wanted Elena and the unborn child removed.”
Alessandro raised his weapon toward Isabella.
“Did you know?”
She could not answer.
That was answer enough.
Sophia pulled Emma closer.
Carlo lifted one hand.
“This family has survived because difficult decisions were made.”
Alessandro turned his gun toward him.
“You knew too.”
Carlo smiled.
“I helped.”
The next gunshot came from upstairs.
Then every window in the kitchen shattered at once.
Someone outside opened fire.
But the bullets were not aimed at Alessandro.
May you like
They were aimed at Emma.
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