Chapter 8
Dawn spread across the lake.
Nobody in the destroyed study seemed to notice.
Domenico stared at Carlo.
“Gabriel wrote the ledger?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Carlo looked toward the broken window.
“Insurance.”
Matteo laughed bitterly.
“Apparently everyone in this family invented the same hobby.”
Carlo ignored him.
“Gabriel recorded every payment, every shell company, every person we controlled.”
“We?”
Carlo hesitated.
Domenico stepped closer.
“You and Gabriel.”
“At first.”
“At first?”
Carlo looked suddenly exhausted.
“He outgrew me.”
Sofia stared.
“You’re afraid of him.”
Carlo did not answer.
That was enough.
Domenico felt a strange shift.
All night, Carlo had seemed like the center of the conspiracy.
But perhaps Elena had uncovered something even Carlo no longer controlled.
“How old is Gabriel?” Domenico asked.
Isabella answered.
“Matteo and Alessandro’s age.”
The twins looked at each other.
Triplets.
Three sons born the same night.
One raised publicly.
One raised secretly.
One hidden under another family’s name.
Domenico almost laughed at the insanity.
“And you knew?” Matteo asked Isabella.
“I remembered pieces.”
“When?”
“After Alessandro came for me in Switzerland.”
Matteo turned.
“You knew there were three.”
Alessandro shook his head.
“No.”
“Don’t lie.”
“I knew there was another baby. Carlo told me he died.”
Carlo muttered, “You believed what was useful.”
Alessandro stepped toward him.
Domenico intervened.
“Not now.”
Ruby sat beside Isabella.
Her small hand pressed a cloth against her grandmother’s forehead.
She looked exhausted.
Domenico wanted her nowhere near the conversation.
But he had learned enough to know she would listen from the hallway anyway.
So he let her stay.
“What does Gabriel want?” Valentina asked.
Everyone had almost forgotten her.
She stood near the doorway with Marcus.
Her expensive banquet dress was dirty.
Her cheek remained swollen.
She looked nothing like the woman who had ordered Ruby into a storage room hours earlier.
Carlo answered.
“The company.”
Domenico shook his head.
“He controls our legal structure already.”
“Not ownership.”
“Isabella owns the original controlling shares.”
“Yes.”
“And if she dies?”
Carlo looked at Domenico.
“The shares pass according to her original trust.”
“Which says?”
Carlo looked toward Matteo.
“Her eldest surviving child.”
Matteo stared.
“I’m eldest by six minutes.”
“No,” Isabella said.
Everyone looked at her.
Matteo frowned.
“What?”
Isabella’s eyes moved toward the window.
“Gabriel was first.”
Matteo stopped breathing.
Carlo cursed softly.
Domenico understood.
If Gabriel proved his identity and Isabella died, he could claim control of the Vittori empire.
“Does Gabriel know?”
Carlo laughed once.
“He has known for twenty years.”
Sofia whispered, “Then why wait?”
“Because I had the birth record.”
Carlo looked at Isabella.
“And she was locked where he couldn’t reach her.”
Alessandro’s face hardened.
“So you imprisoned Mom partly to block Gabriel.”
“I imprisoned her because she was dangerous.”
Isabella looked at Ruby.
“See?”
Ruby nodded solemnly.
“He calls everything protection.”
Carlo glared.
Ruby did not look away.
Domenico almost smiled despite everything.
Then the security chief approached.
“Sir. We checked the upload logs.”
Domenico stood.
“And?”
“Mrs. Vittori’s transfer completed to three email addresses before the computer was destroyed.”
Carlo’s face changed.
Isabella exhaled.
“Who received them?”
“An investigative journalist. A federal prosecutor. And someone identified only as E.V.”
Domenico froze.
“Elena Vittori?”
“That address has been active.”
Sofia stared.
“That’s impossible.”
Ruby whispered, “Mom?”
Domenico shook his head.
“Elena is dead.”
The chief continued.
“The address opened the file twelve minutes ago.”
Everyone fell silent.
Domenico looked at Matteo.
“Could someone still use her account?”
“Yes.”
“Who had access?”
Sofia answered.
“I did once.”
“Do you now?”
“No.”
Alessandro looked toward Carlo.
“Gabriel.”
Carlo said nothing.
“Did Gabriel manage Elena’s digital estate?” Alessandro asked.
Domenico felt sick.
“Yes.”
Of course he did.
Gabriel had handled everything.
Domenico pulled out his phone.
“Call him.”
The number rang once.
Then connected.
Gabriel’s familiar voice filled the room.
“Domenico.”
Every person froze.
For thirty years that voice had represented calm.
Contracts.
Funerals.
Weddings.
Advice.
Now it sounded different.
“Where are you?” Domenico asked.
“You know I’m not going to answer that.”
“You attacked my mother.”
“I retrieved stolen property.”
“You threatened Ruby.”
A pause.
“No.”
Domenico looked at Ruby.
“She saw you.”
“I saw Ruby.”
“Then you came into the house while armed men attacked my security.”
“I did not order anyone to harm your daughter.”
“That distinction will matter deeply when I break your jaw.”
Gabriel sighed.
“Still solving everything with anger.”
Matteo almost laughed.
Domenico continued.
“You’re Carlo’s son.”
“Unfortunately.”
Carlo’s face hardened.
“You ungrateful little—”
Gabriel laughed through the phone.
“Hello, Father.”
The word sounded poisonous.
Carlo gripped his cane.
Gabriel continued.
“I assume the family reunion has become crowded.”
Matteo stepped closer.
“You’re our brother.”
“So they finally told you.”
Alessandro said, “You knew about us.”
“I knew about everyone.”
Sofia looked at the phone.
“Did you kill Elena?”
Silence.
Domenico gripped the table edge.
“Answer her.”
Gabriel spoke calmly.
“No.”
“Everyone says that.”
“Because Elena’s death was not murder in the way you think.”
Ruby looked at Domenico.
“What does that mean?”
Domenico asked it aloud.
“What does that mean?”
Gabriel exhaled.
“Elena was dying.”
“Matteo said she was stabilizing.”
“Matteo was wrong.”
Matteo stepped forward.
“I saw her chart.”
“You saw the chart I prepared.”
Matteo’s face changed.
Gabriel continued.
“Elena had internal bleeding the surgeons could not stop. She had hours.”
Sofia whispered, “Then why the syringe?”
“To keep her from talking before Carlo arrived.”
Carlo shouted, “Liar.”
Gabriel laughed.
“Still pretending you weren’t there?”
Domenico closed his eyes.
“Who administered it?”
“Doctor Crane.”
“Did it kill her?”
“No.”
“Then what did?”
A pause.
“Elena chose.”
Ruby’s face tightened.
“Chose what?”
Domenico wished Gabriel would stop.
But he needed the truth.
Gabriel continued.
“After Sofia left the room, Elena asked me to disconnect the machines.”
Sofia shook her head.
“No.”
“I have the recording.”
Domenico stared.
“What recording?”
“Elena made me record her request.”
Ruby began crying.
Domenico’s voice cracked.
“Why would she trust you?”
“She didn’t.”
Gabriel sounded almost sad.
“She knew I was Carlo’s son. She also knew I hated him.”
Carlo looked away.
“Elena made me swear the recording would reach Ruby only after Carlo’s network was exposed.”
Domenico tightened his grip on the phone.
“Send it.”
“No.”
“Gabriel.”
“You still don’t understand.”
“What?”
“I did not take the ledger to hide it.”
Domenico frowned.
“Then why?”
“To finish what Elena started.”
Matteo laughed.
“You expect us to believe you’re the hero?”
“No.”
Gabriel’s voice hardened.
“I expect you to understand there are no heroes in this family.”
Valentina looked at Ruby.
She lowered her eyes.
Gabriel continued.
“Elena discovered Carlo’s crimes. Then she discovered mine.”
Domenico felt cold.
“What crimes?”
“Things worse than money laundering.”
Carlo whispered, “Enough.”
Gabriel ignored him.
“Carlo bribed judges. I blackmailed them.”
“Why?”
“Control.”
“You became him.”
“No.”
Gabriel’s answer came immediately.
“I became better at being him.”
Domenico felt the danger clearly now.
Carlo feared Gabriel because Gabriel had learned every lesson without inheriting his need for approval.
“What do you want?”
“The Vittori empire dismantled.”
“Then publish the ledger.”
“I will.”
“Why steal the original?”
“Because one page is missing.”
Alessandro’s expression changed.
“The page I gave Isabella.”
“Yes.”
Alessandro frowned.
“You knew?”
“I know where every copy went.”
“Then where is the missing page?”
Isabella looked confused.
“I had it.”
“No,” Gabriel said. “You had an envelope.”
Isabella’s face changed.
“What?”
“I checked your Swiss file years ago. Elena switched the real page.”
Domenico looked around.
“Where?”
Gabriel answered.
“With Ruby.”
Every adult turned toward the child.
Ruby stared back.
“I don’t have anything.”
Gabriel continued.
“Elena placed it somewhere Carlo would never search thoroughly.”
Domenico immediately thought of the suitcases.
The stuffed bear.
The birthday letters.
Ruby’s belongings.
“What page?” Ruby asked.
“The page identifying the person who ordered the brake sabotage.”
Silence.
Domenico’s heart pounded.
“You said Elena’s death wasn’t murder.”
“The crash was attempted murder.”
“Who ordered it?”
“That is what the missing page proves.”
Carlo looked furious.
Matteo stared at him.
“Was it you?”
Carlo said nothing.
Gabriel laughed through the phone.
“No.”
Domenico closed his eyes.
Again.
Another layer.
“Who?”
Gabriel’s voice lowered.
“Ask Valentina why she really married you.”
Every head turned.
Valentina went pale.
Marcus whispered, “Val?”
Domenico stared at his wife.
“Tell me.”
Valentina shook her head.
“I don’t know what he means.”
Gabriel laughed.
“You always were a poor liar.”
Domenico’s voice became cold.
“Valentina.”
She backed away.
Ruby stood.
Valentina looked at her.
Something like shame consumed her face.
“I didn’t order the crash.”
Gabriel answered through the speaker.
“No. But you knew who did.”
Domenico stepped toward her.
“You told me you didn’t.”
“I was afraid.”
“Of who?”
Valentina looked toward Marcus.
Marcus shook his head.
“Don’t look at me.”
She began crying.
“The person who paid Marcus to follow Elena.”
Domenico froze.
“Who?”
Valentina whispered, “My father.”
Marcus stared at her.
“Our father?”
Valentina nodded.
Marcus looked stunned.
“Our father was a mechanic.”
“No.”
Valentina shook her head.
“That was what Mom told us.”
Domenico felt dread building.
“Who was he?”
Valentina looked at Carlo.
Carlo’s face had gone completely still.
Gabriel answered.
“Valentina and Marcus are not outsiders.”
Domenico nearly laughed from disbelief.
Of course they weren’t.
Nothing in this nightmare came from outside.
Gabriel continued.
“Their father was Vittorio Vittori.”
Sofia whispered, “Dad’s cousin.”
Carlo’s oldest rival.
A man who had supposedly died before Domenico was born.
Valentina looked at Domenico.
“My father wanted Carlo destroyed.”
“And Elena?”
“She was going to expose everyone.”
“So he sabotaged her car.”
“I didn’t know until after the crash.”
Marcus looked furious.
“You knew our father was alive?”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“Since I was twenty-five.”
“You let me take his money!”
“I was trying to keep you alive!”
Marcus laughed hysterically.
“Everyone in this family protects people by ruining them.”
Ruby looked at him.
“That’s what I said.”
No one had an answer.
Gabriel spoke again.
“The missing ledger page proves Vittorio ordered Elena’s brakes cut.”
Domenico’s breathing slowed.
“Where is Vittorio now?”
A pause.
“Dead.”
Carlo said, “Actually dead.”
Domenico almost hated the clarification.
“So the person responsible is gone.”
“For the crash,” Gabriel said. “Yes.”
“But Elena’s death?”
“She chose to stop treatment.”
“Send the recording.”
“I will when I have the page.”
Domenico’s anger returned.
“You’re bargaining with my wife’s last words?”
“I’m protecting the only evidence that can separate Elena’s death from Vittorio’s attempted murder.”
Domenico looked at Ruby.
She had gone very quiet.
“Ruby,” he said gently.
“Did your mother leave you anything besides the key and letter?”
Ruby thought.
“The bear.”
Domenico looked toward her.
“What bear?”
“The one in my suitcase.”
The stuffed bear.
The one someone had ignored while cutting open the lining.
Ruby continued.
“Mom gave it to me before she died.”
“Where is it now?”
“At home.”
Domenico turned toward security.
“Get a team to the mansion.”
Gabriel laughed softly.
“You’re late.”
Domenico’s heart stopped.
“What?”
“I’m already here.”
The call ended.
May you like
Ruby gasped.
Domenico ran.
