Chapter 5
Domenico could not move.
The woman on the balcony looked older than the mother in his memories.
Of course she did.
Thirty years had passed.
Her hair was silver.
Her body seemed fragile beneath a plain dark coat.
But the eyes were the same.
Warm brown.
His eyes.
Ruby’s eyes.
“Nico,” Isabella said again.
Domenico climbed one step.
Then another.
Carlo watched him with cold amusement.
Matteo lowered his weapon.
“Mom.”
Isabella looked toward him.
Her expression became confused.
“Matteo?”
“I’m here.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
Matteo’s face broke.
“Mom, it’s me.”
“No. Matteo drowned.”
Carlo sighed.
“See what they did to her?”
Matteo snapped toward him.
“What you did to her.”
Carlo’s eyes hardened.
Isabella touched her temple.
“You’re both dead.”
Domenico reached the top of the stairs.
“I’m not dead, Mama.”
She stared at him.
Her lips trembled.
He slowly opened his arms.
For several seconds she remained frozen.
Then she crossed the distance.
Domenico caught her.
The first sound that left him was not a word.
It was a sob.
He had been sixteen the last time his mother held him.
He remembered smoke.
Her perfume.
Her screaming his name.
Now she buried her face against his chest.
“My baby.”
Domenico closed his eyes.
Thirty years of grief collapsed.
Below them, Ruby began crying too.
Domenico looked down.
“Ruby.”
She climbed the stairs.
Isabella pulled back.
“Who is that?”
Domenico wiped his face.
“Your granddaughter.”
Isabella stared.
“My…”
“This is Ruby.”
Ruby stopped several feet away.
“Hi.”
Isabella’s eyes filled.
“Elena’s girl.”
Everyone went still.
Domenico whispered, “You knew Elena?”
Isabella looked frightened.
Carlo tapped his cane.
“She remembers what matters when she wants to.”
Domenico turned.
“You don’t speak to her again.”
Carlo laughed.
“You think one hug makes you her protector?”
Domenico moved toward him.
Matteo came up the stairs.
Carlo did not retreat.
“You stole thirty years from her.”
“I kept her alive.”
“You imprisoned her.”
“She was unstable.”
“You drugged her.”
“She was dangerous.”
“To whom?”
Carlo’s eyes became flat.
“To everything I built.”
Isabella suddenly stepped forward.
“You built nothing.”
Carlo looked at her.
For the first time, uncertainty touched his face.
Isabella’s voice shook, but the words were clear.
“You stole my father’s money. You forged my signatures. You told my sons I was sick.”
Carlo’s mouth tightened.
“You were sick.”
“After you poisoned me.”
Ruby grabbed Domenico’s hand.
Carlo looked toward the child.
“Children shouldn’t hear this.”
Ruby answered before Domenico could.
“Adults keep saying that right before they hide something terrible.”
Matteo almost smiled.
Domenico did not.
Carlo’s gaze returned to Isabella.
“Where is Sofia?”
Domenico asked.
Isabella stiffened.
Carlo looked toward the cellar floor.
“Your sister made another poor choice.”
Matteo raised his pistol again.
“Where?”
Carlo sighed.
“You came here threatening me, yet you don’t even know who is in control.”
Every light in the winery turned on.
Men appeared along the upper walkways.
Six.
Then eight.
Armed.
Domenico’s security team entered through the lower doors behind them.
Weapons raised.
For one tense second, both groups aimed across the room.
Carlo smiled.
“Now this feels like family.”
Domenico looked at his security chief.
“Ruby and Isabella out.”
Carlo lifted one hand.
His men shifted.
“No one leaves.”
Domenico’s face hardened.
“You want me. Fine.”
“I want the key.”
“You already sealed the vault.”
“I need it opened again.”
“Why?”
Carlo’s eyes moved toward Ruby.
“Elena took something that belongs to me.”
Ruby stepped behind Domenico.
“What?”
Carlo’s jaw tightened.
“A ledger.”
Matteo laughed.
“So that’s what this is about.”
Domenico looked at him.
“You know it?”
“I suspected.”
Carlo glared at his eldest son.
Matteo continued.
“It lists every shell company. Every judge. Every cop. Every hospital administrator. Every politician Carlo paid.”
Valentina stared.
“If that ledger exists…”
“It ends him,” Matteo said.
Carlo smiled faintly.
“You think paper frightens me?”
“Apparently enough to kill Elena.”
“I told you. I did not kill her.”
Domenico’s voice sharpened.
“Then tell us who did.”
Carlo looked toward Isabella.
“No.”
Domenico followed his gaze.
His mother had gone pale.
“Mama?”
She whispered, “I remember.”
Carlo’s face changed.
“Isabella.”
She backed away from him.
“I remember the road.”
Domenico approached her carefully.
“What happened?”
Carlo struck his cane against the railing.
“Enough.”
Domenico’s security chief aimed directly at him.
“Sir, step away from Mrs. Vittori.”
Carlo laughed.
“She is Mrs. Vittori because of me.”
Isabella stared at him.
“No.”
Her voice became stronger.
“I stopped being your wife the night you burned my house.”
Domenico froze.
“You started the villa fire?”
Carlo said nothing.
Matteo’s face twisted with rage.
“I knew it.”
Isabella continued.
“I found the forged trusts. I told Carlo I was leaving and taking the children.”
She touched Domenico’s face.
“He said he would rather bury us.”
Domenico closed his eyes.
“So he set the fire.”
“Yes.”
“Why did you disappear?”
“I didn’t.”
Her breathing quickened.
“I woke up in a hospital. Carlo told me you died.”
Domenico stared at her.
“He told you we were dead?”
“Yes.”
Tears streamed down her face.
“He showed me photographs. Coffins. He told me I caused the fire. He said my boys were gone because I tried to leave.”
Matteo looked physically sick.
Carlo’s voice cut across the room.
“She was hysterical.”
Domenico turned toward him.
“You tortured her.”
“I controlled a crisis.”
“You destroyed our family.”
Carlo’s expression remained calm.
“Our family survived.”
Domenico stepped toward him.
“Our family became afraid of you.”
Carlo smiled.
“Fear is why the Vittori name survived.”
Ruby spoke quietly.
“No.”
Carlo looked at her.
She was trembling, but she did not hide.
“Fear is why everyone lied.”
Carlo stared at his granddaughter.
For a moment, Domenico saw anger.
Then something more dangerous.
Interest.
“Elena taught you that?”
Ruby nodded.
“My mom taught me not to confuse being quiet with being weak.”
Domenico felt a painful pride.
Carlo leaned on his cane.
“Your mother was sentimental.”
“And she beat you.”
The room fell silent.
Ruby pointed toward the old man.
“You’re hiding from a dead woman’s letter.”
Matteo let out one stunned breath.
Even Marcus stared at Ruby.
Carlo’s face turned cold.
Domenico moved in front of her.
“You do not threaten my daughter.”
Carlo smiled without warmth.
“She just threatened me.”
“Good.”
Carlo’s eyes narrowed.
Then Isabella suddenly screamed.
Everyone turned.
One of Carlo’s men had grabbed her from behind.
Matteo fired.
The bullet struck the railing beside the man.
Chaos exploded.
Security rushed forward.
Carlo’s men returned fire.
Domenico threw Ruby to the floor behind a heavy oak bar.
“Stay down!”
Valentina crawled toward them.
Marcus pulled Isabella free.
Matteo tackled the armed man.
Carlo disappeared through the balcony door.
Domenico saw him.
“Matteo!”
Matteo looked up.
“Go!”
Domenico ran after Carlo.
The old man moved faster than expected.
He entered a corridor behind the tasting room.
Domenico followed.
“Stop!”
Carlo reached an elevator.
Domenico slammed into him before the doors closed.
They crashed against the wall.
Carlo’s cane fell.
Domenico grabbed his coat.
“Where is Sofia?”
Carlo smiled through heavy breathing.
“You finally hit back.”
Domenico shoved him against the elevator.
“Where?”
Carlo’s smile vanished.
“Your sister is exactly where Elena died.”
Domenico froze.
“The hospital?”
Carlo pushed him away and hit the elevator control.
The doors opened at a lower cellar level.
Domenico followed him out.
A tunnel stretched ahead.
“Which hospital?”
Carlo walked.
“You never wondered why Elena’s hospital record disappeared?”
“I’m wondering now.”
“Too late.”
Domenico grabbed him.
Carlo turned.
“Elena survived until sunrise.”
The words struck like a bullet.
Domenico stopped.
Carlo continued calmly.
“She spoke to three people.”
“Who?”
“A doctor.”
“Who else?”
“Sofia.”
Domenico’s jaw tightened.
“And?”
Carlo smiled.
“Me.”
Domenico hit him.
Carlo fell hard against the tunnel wall.
Blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Domenico grabbed him again.
“You stood beside my dying wife?”
“Yes.”
“What did she say?”
Carlo coughed.
“She told me I would lose.”
Domenico’s eyes burned.
“Did you kill her?”
“No.”
“Who did?”
Carlo stared at him.
“She did.”
Domenico frowned.
“Who?”
A voice behind them answered.
“I did.”
Domenico turned.
Isabella stood at the end of the tunnel.
Her face was wet with tears.
Matteo was behind her.
“Mama?” Domenico whispered.
Isabella shook her head.
“I didn’t mean to.”
Carlo smiled from the floor.
There it was.
The truth he had been protecting.
Or the lie he wanted Domenico to believe.
Isabella approached.
“I was at the hospital.”
Domenico stared.
“You told me you remembered the road.”
“I remember all of it now.”
She pressed both hands to her mouth.
“Elena was alive.”
Ruby and the others appeared farther behind Matteo.
Domenico immediately looked at his daughter.
“Ruby shouldn’t hear this.”
Ruby shook her head.
“No more secrets.”
Isabella looked at her granddaughter and began sobbing.
“I’m sorry.”
Ruby’s face crumpled.
“For what?”
Carlo answered.
“Your grandmother disconnected Elena’s life support.”
Domenico looked at him.
Isabella screamed, “Because he told me Elena was trying to kill my children!”
Carlo’s smile disappeared.
Isabella fell to her knees.
“He had drugged me. I didn’t know what was real.”
Domenico stood motionless.
“He brought me into the hospital room. Elena was unconscious. Machines everywhere. Carlo said she had arranged the crash to expose Matteo and destroy Domenico.”
Matteo whispered, “Oh God.”
Isabella cried harder.
“He said Elena would wake up and send both my sons to prison.”
Domenico’s voice shook.
“And you believed him.”
“I didn’t know you were alive until that night!”
Domenico stared.
“What?”
Isabella looked up.
“When I saw you at the hospital.”
“I wasn’t there.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“Not you.”
Her finger pointed toward Matteo.
“Him.”
Matteo went still.
“I saw Matteo speaking to a doctor.”
Matteo’s face changed.
Carlo watched silently.
Isabella whispered, “That was the first moment I knew Carlo had lied about my children being dead.”
Domenico looked at Matteo.
“You were at the hospital.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To save Elena.”
“Did you?”
Matteo said nothing.
Domenico’s voice hardened.
“Did you?”
Matteo looked at Ruby.
“No.”
Ruby began crying.
Matteo lowered his head.
“I reached her room after Isabella had already disconnected the ventilator.”
Isabella sobbed.
“The doctor restarted everything.”
Domenico froze.
“What?”
Carlo’s face tightened.
Matteo looked at him.
“That’s the part he didn’t tell you.”
Domenico stepped toward Matteo.
“Elena survived?”
“For another four hours.”
Ruby stared at him.
“Then Grandma didn’t kill her.”
Matteo shook his head.
“No.”
Carlo’s expression turned dangerous.
Domenico slowly turned toward his father.
“You knew.”
Carlo said nothing.
“Elena recovered after Isabella pulled the plug.”
Silence.
“Then someone killed her later.”
Carlo looked toward the tunnel exit.
Domenico grabbed him.
“Who?”
Carlo smiled faintly.
“You want the answer?”
“Yes.”
“Find Sofia.”
Domenico’s phone rang.
Sofia’s number.
He answered immediately.
“Sofia?”
Only breathing.
Then his sister whispered:
“Domenico, don’t trust Matteo.”
The call ended.
Domenico looked up.
Matteo was staring at him.
Ruby whispered, “What did she say?”
Domenico did not answer.
May you like
Because Matteo already knew.
He could see it in his brother’s face.
