Chapter 8 - THE WOMAN BEHIND THE MASK
Dominic Moretti had spent years believing his mother was the one person he could trust.
That belief was now breaking apart.
Eleanor sat in the conservatory exactly where Hannah had found her the night before.
Calm.
Elegant.
Almost peaceful.
Like she wasn’t hiding a secret that could destroy the family.
Dominic walked inside.
“We need to talk.”
Eleanor looked up.
“I was wondering when you would come.”
That answer made him stop.
“You knew?”
She smiled sadly.
“I knew you would find out eventually.”
Dominic’s jaw tightened.
“You had a secret account.”
“Yes.”
“You knew Hannah’s real identity.”
“Yes.”
“You knew my father was involved.”
A long silence.
Then:
“Yes.”
The honesty shocked him more than a lie would have.
“Why?”
Eleanor looked at the frozen lake outside.
“Because your father made mistakes.”
Dominic laughed quietly.
“Mistakes?”
His voice hardened.
“People disappeared.”
“I know.”
“People died.”
“I know.”
“And you protected him?”
Eleanor closed her eyes.
“No.”
She looked at Dominic.
“I protected you.”
The answer stopped him.
“What does that mean?”
“Your father was not the person you believed he was.”
Dominic stayed silent.
“He built the company.”
“Yes.”
“He built the empire.”
“Yes.”
“But he also built enemies.”
Eleanor’s hands tightened.
“Enemies inside our own walls.”
Dominic thought of Vanessa.
Her fear.
Her reaction.
Her lies.
“Who?”
Eleanor looked toward the doorway.
Nobody was there.
Still, she lowered her voice.
“Someone who has been standing beside you for years.”
Dominic felt his stomach tighten.
“Name.”
Eleanor didn’t answer.
“Name.”
This time his voice was colder.
Before Eleanor could speak, the lights went out.
Again.
A familiar pattern.
A distraction.
Dominic immediately reached for his weapon.
Then he heard footsteps.
Not outside.
Inside the room.
A figure moved through the darkness.
Dominic turned.
A gunshot exploded.
The bullet missed him by inches.
Hannah appeared from nowhere.
She pushed Dominic down before another shot could fire.
They hit the floor.
The attacker disappeared through the side door.
Dominic stood immediately.
“Hannah!”
She ignored him.
She ran toward the door.
Too fast.
Too controlled.
Too trained.
Dominic followed.
Outside, the attacker was already gone.
But something had been left behind.
A piece of paper.
Dominic picked it up.
One sentence was written on it.
STOP DIGGING, OR THE MAID DIES NEXT.
Dominic looked at Hannah.
Her face had gone pale.
Not because she was afraid.
Because she recognized the handwriting.
“You know who wrote this.”
Hannah said nothing.
Dominic stepped closer.
“Who?”
Her voice barely came out.
“My mother’s killer.”
The answer changed everything.
Because the person hunting Hannah…
May you like
Was not trying to scare her away.
They were finishing a job that started eight years ago.
