Chapter 10 - Room 614Room 614 was empty.
Alessandro entered slowly.
Hospital bed.
Monitor.
Window.
No Maria.
No Isabella.
His phone rang.
“Wrong room,” Isabella said.
Alessandro closed his eyes.
“Where are you?”
“Take the stairs to the roof.”
“You said my mother was here.”
“She was.”
“Is she alive?”
“For now.”
Alessandro headed toward the stairs.
Police watched from hidden positions, but Isabella had chosen the hospital carefully.
Crowded hallways.
Multiple exits.
Cameras everywhere, but too many innocent people for a reckless move.
Alessandro reached the roof.
Wind hit him hard.
Isabella stood near the far side.
Maria sat in a wheelchair beside her.
A scarf covered her mouth.
Her hands were tied.
Alessandro’s heart pounded.
“I brought the will.”
Isabella held out her hand.
“Give it to me.”
“Release her.”
“No.”
“You already lost, Isabella.”
Her face twisted.
“You still don’t understand.”
“Then explain it.”
She laughed.
“My whole childhood was your family.”
Alessandro frowned.
“My mother talked about Vittorio every day.”
“Your mother had an affair with him.”
“My mother loved him.”
“He was married.”
“He promised her a life.”
“And he lied.”
“Yes.”
For the first time, Isabella’s anger looked less calculated.
More wounded.
“She spent years waiting for him. Every birthday, every Christmas, she thought he would come back.”
Alessandro said quietly, “That wasn’t my fault.”
“I know.”
“Then why me?”
“Because I wanted you to feel what it was like to trust a Romano.”
He stared at her.
“You were going to marry me.”
“Yes.”
“Then kill me?”
Her eyes hardened.
“Eventually.”
Maria made a sound behind the scarf.
Isabella pulled a small bottle from her coat.
Same type Emma had described.
Alessandro’s pulse jumped.
“Put that down.”
“Give me the will.”
He removed the envelope.
Isabella smiled.
“Throw it.”
“No.”
“Then she drinks this.”
Maria shook her head wildly.
Alessandro held up the papers.
“You know what’s funny?”
“What?”
“This will gives Enzo thirty percent.”
Isabella froze.
“What?”
“Vittorio was going to recognize him.”
Her expression changed.
“No.”
“He never needed to steal the company.”
“You’re lying.”
“I’m not.”
“Enzo said Vittorio left him nothing.”
“He never saw the will.”
Isabella stared at the envelope.
Alessandro stepped closer.
“You destroyed people because Enzo believed a lie.”
“Stop.”
“He was already going to receive more money than he could spend in ten lifetimes.”
“Stop!”
“And my father suspected he was stealing.”
Isabella’s hand shook.
“That’s why the will was hidden.”
She looked confused.
For the first time, the plan she had believed in began to collapse.
Maria suddenly kicked the wheelchair backward.
Isabella lost balance.
Alessandro ran.
He grabbed his mother.
The bottle fell.
It rolled across the roof.
Detectives rushed from the stairwell.
“Police! Don’t move!”
Isabella backed toward the ledge.
Mills aimed her weapon.
“Step away from the edge.”
Isabella looked down six stories.
Then at Alessandro.
“You think this ends with me?”
He stared at her.
“What does that mean?”
She smiled.
“Ask Enzo who killed Emma’s mother.”
Then she jumped backward.
May you like
Alessandro lunged.
His hand caught her wrist.
