Chapter 6: The Betrayal Inside The Family
I stared at the photograph.
The room disappeared around me.
The voices.
The footsteps.
Everything became distant.
Because the person standing behind my mother in that picture was Nolan.
Not Victor.
Not a stranger.
Nolan.
The man who had looked me in the eyes and called it “family business.””
The man who said my mother was being difficult.
The man who watched her sit on the floor while everyone ate.
I turned toward him.
But Nolan was already gone.
“Where is he?””
Nobody answered.
I walked back downstairs.
Every step felt heavier.
The banquet was still happening outside.
People were pretending nothing had happened.
But when they saw my face, they stopped pretending.
Hattie was near the table.
She looked nervous.
“Where’s Nolan?””
She didn’t answer.
That confirmed everything.
I walked toward her.
“You knew.””
Her eyes widened.
“I don’t know what you mean.””
I placed the photo on the table.
Her face lost all color.
For the first time, Hattie looked genuinely afraid.
“Where did you get that?””
I leaned closer.
“That’s your first question?””
She looked around.
Then lowered her voice.
“You don’t understand what he was trying to do.””
I stared at her.
“You mean what you were trying to do.””
“No.””
She shook her head quickly.
“Nolan went too far.””
That surprised me.
“You’re blaming him now?””
Hattie looked away.
“He promised it would only be pressure.””
“Pressure?””
I pointed toward the house.
“My mother couldn’t eat for five days.””
Her lips trembled.
“I didn’t know it would become that.””
I studied her.
For the first time, I saw something underneath the arrogance.
Regret.
But regret was not enough.
“Why?””
She looked at me.
“What?””
“Why did you need the contract?””
Silence.
Then she whispered:
“Because Nolan found out your father left everything to Adelaide.””
I frowned.
“That makes no sense.””
“It does if you know what was hidden.””
She looked toward the mansion.
“Your father didn’t leave your mother money.””
“Then what?””
Hattie swallowed.
“He left her control.””
The answer hit differently.
Control over what?
Before I could ask, my mother appeared behind me.
She looked exhausted.
But determined.
“Hattie.””
Hattie turned.
My mother walked closer.
“You should have stopped him.””
Hattie’s eyes filled with tears.
“I tried.””
My mother shook her head.
“No.””
Her voice was quiet.
“You watched.””
Hattie looked down.
That was the truth.
She watched.
She allowed it.
My mother looked at me.
“Salvatore, there is something else.””
I already knew I wasn’t going to like it.
“What?””
She reached into her pocket.
And pulled out a small folded paper.
“I found this before they locked me away.””
I opened it.
It was a list.
Names.
Dates.
Payments.
My eyes moved down the page.
Then stopped.
Because at the bottom was one final entry.
A payment made three days before my father died.
The recipient’s name was clear.
Victor Bellini.
But the amount wasn’t what shocked me.
It was the note beside it.
*For keeping the son away from the truth.*
I looked up.
Victor was standing at the doorway.
Watching me.
And this time, he didn’t look powerful.
He looked like a man who knew his secret had finally been discovered.
Then my phone rang again.
The same unknown number.
I answered.
The voice on the other end spoke immediately.
“Salvatore, you have only found half the betrayal.””
I looked at Victor.
Then at the paper.
“Who is this?””
A pause.
Then the stranger said:
“The person your father trusted after everyone else failed him.””
My grip tightened.
“And why should I believe you?””
The voice became quieter.
“Because I was there the night your father died.””
My blood ran cold.
Nobody had been there.
At least, that was what I had been told.
May you like
Then the stranger added one final sentence.
“The official story about your father’s death was a lie.””
