Chapter 13: The Truth My Mother Buried
The word echoed through the room.
Daughter.
I stared at Luciano Rosselli, waiting for someone to laugh.
Waiting for Dante to tell me it was another lie.
But nobody did.
And that terrified me.
“No.””
My voice came out barely above a whisper.
“That’s impossible.””
Luciano tilted his head.
“You were always told that.””
I stepped backward.
“My father was Rafael Valdez.””
Luciano’s smile faded slightly.
“Rafael loved you.””
The way he said it made my stomach twist.
Past tense.
Loved.
“But he wasn’t your father by blood.””
I looked at Rafael.
My father.
The man who disappeared.
The man who returned.
His face was filled with pain.
“Alina…”
I shook my head.
“Don’t.””
My voice cracked.
“I can’t do this again.””
Too many secrets.
Too many people telling me my entire life was built on something false.
Dante stepped forward.
“Luciano is lying.””
Luciano laughed softly.
“Still protecting her.””
Dante’s jaw tightened.
“You always were good at manipulating people.””
“And you always were good at pretending you were innocent.””
The tension between them filled the room.
I looked at Dante.
“What is he talking about?””
Dante didn’t answer.
That silence hurt.
“Dante.””
He closed his eyes briefly.
Then he spoke.
“Luciano was my uncle.””
I already knew that.
But the way he said it told me there was more.
“He was also the person who destroyed our family.””
Luciano smiled.
“Destroyed?””
He looked around the room.
“You mean the family that built an empire on fear?””
Dante’s expression hardened.
“You murdered your own brother.””
Luciano didn’t deny it.
Instead, he looked at me.
“And your mother discovered the truth.””
I felt my heart drop.
“My mother?””
“Yes.””
Luciano walked slowly into the room.
“She discovered that your grandmother had a daughter before she married into the Rosselli family.””
I frowned.
“I don’t understand.””
Luciano pointed at Dante.
“Your mother was not just my niece.””
A pause.
“She was my daughter’s sister.””
The room became silent.
I looked at Dante.
Then Rafael.
Nothing made sense.
Luciano continued.
“Your mother knew the family secret. She knew about the bloodline.””
“And she knew about me?””
“Yes.””
“Then why didn’t she tell me?””
For the first time, Luciano’s expression softened.
“Because she hated what I had become.””
The answer surprised me.
I expected arrogance.
Not regret.
“My sister Maria believed people could change.””
He looked at the photograph of my mother.
“She believed she could save everyone.””
Dante looked away.
“She paid for that mistake.””
Luciano’s eyes moved toward him.
“And you blame me?””
Dante’s voice became cold.
“I blame you for making her choose between the people she loved.””
I looked between them.
“What happened?””
Nobody answered.
Then Rafael stepped forward.
“I’ll tell her.””
Dante looked at him.
Rafael nodded.
“She deserves the truth.””
He took a breath.
“Your mother was pregnant when she discovered Luciano’s plan.””
I listened.
“He wanted to control both families by controlling the bloodline.””
My eyes moved toward Luciano.
“He believed power belonged to whoever carried the strongest connection.””
Rafael continued.
“Your mother refused.””
“So she ran.””
“Yes.””
“She met you?””
Rafael nodded.
“I helped her disappear.””
I looked at him.
“Because you loved her.””
His eyes lowered.
“Yes.””
The answer hurt.
Because it was the first honest thing anyone had given me.
“Then why did you leave me?””
Rafael swallowed.
“Because Luciano found us.””
Silence.
“He gave me a choice.””
My heart tightened.
“What choice?””
“Disappear forever…”
Rafael looked at me.
“Or watch you become a target.””
I couldn’t speak.
Then Luciano said quietly:
“Your mother gave birth to you believing she had escaped me.””
A pause.
“But she was wrong.””
My hands shook.
“What do you want from me?””
Luciano looked at me.
Not with anger.
With something worse.
Expectation.
“Your choice.””
I frowned.
“My choice?””
“To join me.””
Everyone reacted instantly.
Dante stepped forward.
“No.””
Luciano ignored him.
“You are the only person who can end this war.””
I looked at Leo.
The baby was asleep in Dante’s arms.
“You want me to choose between families?””
Luciano smiled.
“No.””
He pointed at me.
“I want you to choose who you really are.””
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed.
“What?””
A pause.
Then he looked at Dante.
“The child is not the only heir.””
My blood froze.
May you like
Luciano looked back at me.
“And Marco Vieri has just found another way to take everything.””
