Chapter 6: The Daughter of the Enemy
I couldn’t hear anything after those words.
You were born into the mafia.
They repeated in my head.
Again.
And again.
I held my son tighter.
His tiny fingers wrapped around mine like he knew I was his mother.
Like he remembered me.
Like some part of him had been waiting.
“Mom,” I whispered.
“That’s impossible.””
My mother looked at me.
“I wanted you to have a normal life.””
I laughed weakly.
“A normal life?””
I looked around.
At Matteo.
At the armed guards.
At the warehouse.
“At what point was any of this normal?””
She looked away.
“I changed your identity after your father disappeared.””
“My identity?””
“Yes.””
I stared at her.
“What was my real name?””
She hesitated.
Then answered.
“Elena Volkov.””
The room went silent.
My eyes moved to Matteo.
His expression had completely changed.
Because he knew.
“No.””
I shook my head.
“That’s not possible.””
My mother nodded slowly.
“You are Matteo’s half-sister.””
The baby in my arms suddenly felt heavier.
I looked at Matteo.
Neither of us spoke.
The feared mafia boss.
The man everyone thought had no weakness.
Was my family.
“You knew?”” I whispered.
Matteo shook his head.
“I swear I didn’t.””
My mother stepped forward.
“Your father had another family before he met Matteo’s mother.””
My heart pounded.
“So Daniel knew?””
“Yes.””
I looked around.
Everyone knew pieces of my life except me.
“How?””
My mother sighed.
“Because Daniel wasn’t just your husband.””
The warehouse became silent.
I felt cold.
“What are you saying?””
She looked at me.
“He was assigned to protect you.””
I stepped back.
“No.””
Daniel appeared behind the guards.
His face was filled with pain.
“Elena.””
I turned toward him.
“You knew who I was?””
He nodded.
“Not at first.””
“Then when?””
“When I saw your birth records.””
My eyes filled with tears.
“You married me because of my family.””
“No.””
His voice broke.
“I fell in love with you before I knew.””
I wanted to believe him.
I wanted to hate him.
I didn’t know which hurt more.
Then Matteo’s daughter started crying in the car.
Everyone turned.
I moved automatically.
A mother before anything else.
I picked her up.
She calmed immediately.
My mother watched.
“That’s why they needed you.””
I looked at her.
“Because of my milk?””
“Because your body recognized her.””
I frowned.
“What?””
My mother looked at Matteo.
“His daughter was born with a rare condition. She rejected every formula and every donor milk.””
Matteo looked down.
“And Elena?””
“She carried the same genetic marker.””
I froze.
“What are you saying?””
My mother whispered:
“You and Matteo’s daughter are connected.””
The room became silent.
Then a gunshot exploded outside.
Everyone moved.
Matteo grabbed his daughter.
Daniel pulled me down.
The warehouse lights went dark.
Someone screamed.
“They found us!””
Matteo’s security team rushed toward the entrance.
I held my son against my chest.
My whole life had been destroyed in one night.
But I finally had my children.
I wasn’t losing them again.
Daniel whispered:
“Stay behind me.””
I looked at him.
“Who is attacking?””
His face turned pale.
Then he said:
“The person who started this.””
A shadow appeared in the doorway.
Everyone raised their weapons.
The figure stepped into the light.
And I recognized him.
The doctor who signed my sons’ death certificates.
The man who told me my babies were gone.
He smiled.
“Elena.””
My blood froze.
“I’m glad you finally know the truth.””
Matteo raised his weapon.
“Who are you?””
The doctor smiled.
“Someone who has been taking care of your family for a very long time.””
Then he looked directly at me.
“And someone who knows why your sons were chosen.””
He held up a folder.
On the front was my name.
May you like
And underneath it was a word that made Matteo go completely still.
“SUCCESSOR.””
