Chapter 4: The Man Who Knew My Father’s Secret
The footsteps stopped just outside the room.
For a moment, nobody moved.
The darkness felt heavier than the silence.
My mother’s fingers tightened around my arm.
“Salvatore,” she whispered.
I kept my eyes fixed on the doorway.
“Stay behind me.””
The door slowly opened.
A figure stepped into the room.
The emergency lights from the hallway revealed his face.
Victor Bellini.
My father’s closest friend.
A man who had stood beside my family for thirty years.
A man who had attended my father’s funeral.
A man who had hugged me afterward and promised he would protect my mother.
I stared at him.
“Victor.””
He looked older than I remembered.
But his eyes were the same.
Cold.
Calculating.
“You should not have come back here tonight.””
I almost laughed.
“My mother was chained outside.””
Victor’s expression didn’t change.
“That was not supposed to happen.””
The words made my stomach turn.
Not supposed to happen.
As if there was another acceptable version.
I stepped forward.
“Explain.””
Victor looked at Adelaide.
“She refused to cooperate.””
My jaw tightened.
“Cooperate with what?””
He didn’t answer.
That was when I knew.
Victor was not surprised.
He knew everything.
He knew about the chain.
He knew about the starvation.
He knew about the five days.
“Did you order this?”” I asked.
Victor remained silent.
My silence was louder than any accusation.
Finally, he spoke.
“I gave instructions.””
My mother closed her eyes.
I felt anger rise through my chest.
“You gave instructions to starve a seventy-five-year-old woman?””
“No.””
Victor’s voice stayed calm.
“I gave instructions to make her understand the seriousness of the situation.””
I moved toward him.
“You call that serious?””
“I call it necessary.””
My mother suddenly spoke.
“Salvatore, stop.””
I looked back at her.
“Why are you defending him?””
She shook her head.
“I’m not.””
Her voice trembled.
“I’m warning you.””
Victor looked at her.
“Adelaide knows what happens if the truth comes out.””
I turned.
“What truth?””
Nobody answered.
I walked toward my mother.
“You are going to tell me everything.””
She looked at the key in my hand.
Then finally nodded.
“Your father left a second will.””
The room went quiet.
I stared at her.
“A second will?””
“Yes.””
“Why didn’t I know?””
“Because your father didn’t want you involved.””
I felt betrayed.
“My father trusted Victor but not me?””
“No,” my mother said softly.
“He trusted you too much.””
Those words hurt more.
She continued.
“Your father knew there were people inside his organization who wanted control. He created a hidden agreement to protect the family.””
Victor stepped forward.
“Enough.””
I looked at him.
“No.””
My voice was calm.
“But you’re going to listen.””
Victor’s face hardened.
“The document cannot be found.””
“Why?””
“Because if it is, everything changes.””
I looked at my mother.
“What does it contain?””
She swallowed.
“Proof.””
“Proof of what?””
Her eyes moved toward Victor.
And that was when I understood.
The secret was not about money.
It was about betrayal.
Victor noticed my expression.
“You think you understand what you’re dealing with.””
He stepped closer.
“You don’t.””
I smiled slightly.
“You chained my mother and starved her.””
His face remained emotionless.
“You still don’t know the worst part.””
Before I could respond, a loud crash came from upstairs.
Everyone froze.
Victor looked toward the ceiling.
Not surprised.
Afraid.
That was the first emotion I had seen from him.
Fear.
“What was that?”” I asked.
Nobody answered.
Then my mother whispered:
“The safe.””
I turned.
“What about the safe?””
Her face went pale.
“They found it.””
I ran toward the stairs.
And behind me, Victor said something that stopped me for half a second.
“Salvatore…”
I looked back.
May you like
His expression had changed.
“The person you’re about to find inside that room is not who you think.””
