Chapter 8: The Man Who Knew My Name Before I Did
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
The entire mansion seemed frozen in time.
Marco Bellini stood in the doorway like he had walked into a room he already owned.
He wasn’t what I expected.
After hearing his name, I imagined someone terrifying.
Someone violent.
Someone who looked like a monster.
But he looked ordinary.
That was somehow worse.
Because monsters were easy to recognize.
People like Marco wore expensive suits.
They smiled.
They shook hands.
They remembered birthdays.
They made you believe they cared.
Then they destroyed your life when you weren’t looking.
Vincent stared at him.
Twenty-eight years of anger, regret, and betrayal seemed to pass through his eyes in a single second.
“You’re alive.””
Marco smiled faintly.
“So are you.””
The words carried years of hatred.
James stepped away.
I noticed.
And so did Vincent.
“James,” Vincent said quietly.
James froze.
“Why did he come with Sophia?””
Nobody answered.
That was enough.
The truth was standing in front of us.
Marco looked around the room.
His eyes landed on Victoria.
“You kept her safe.””
Victoria’s expression hardened.
“No.””
Marco smiled.
“Still lying after all these years.””
My stomach tightened.
I looked at Victoria.
“You know him.””
She didn’t answer.
“Victoria.””
Her eyes met mine.
And for the first time, I saw something I had never seen from her.
Shame.
“Yes.””
The word came out quietly.
“I know him.””
I felt sick.
Everyone knew each other.
Everyone had pieces of my life.
Everyone except me.
Marco slowly walked into the room.
Vincent’s men immediately moved.
But Vincent raised his hand.
“No.””
They stopped.
I looked at him.
“Why are you letting him stand there?””
Vincent didn’t look away from Marco.
“Because I need answers.””
Marco smiled.
“Still the same.””
Vincent’s jaw tightened.
“What do you mean?””
“You always needed to know the truth.””
A pause.
“That’s why you were easy to manipulate.””
The room became colder.
Vincent took one step forward.
“You betrayed me.””
Marco nodded.
“Yes.””
The honesty shocked everyone.
James looked at him.
“You admit it?””
Marco looked amused.
“Why wouldn’t I?””
James’s face changed.
“You said you were helping us.””
“I was.””
My heart dropped.
Helping us.
Not helping James.
Us.
I looked at Marco.
“What does that mean?””
He turned toward me.
And somehow, that was worse than when everyone else looked at me.
Because he looked at me like he had known me forever.
“I knew your mother.””
My throat tightened.
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
My voice became sharper.
“But nobody tells me anything.””
Marco studied me.
“You’re right.””
A pause.
“You deserve the truth.””
I almost laughed.
The number of people saying that tonight was unbelievable.
“Then start talking.””
Marco looked at Vincent.
“Your mother was smarter than all of us.””
Vincent didn’t respond.
“She knew something was coming.””
“What?””
Marco looked at me.
“A war.””
The word sounded dramatic.
But nobody laughed.
Because everyone in that room knew it was possible.
“She knew Vincent had enemies.””
Marco continued.
“But she also knew something worse.””
Vincent’s expression changed.
“What?””
Marco’s eyes moved to him.
“She knew someone inside your organization was planning to destroy you.””
Silence.
I looked at Vincent.
“And you didn’t know?””
“No.””
His answer was immediate.
For the first time, he looked vulnerable.
Marco continued.
“Isabella discovered financial records.””
“Records of what?””
“A hidden operation.””
My brow furrowed.
“What operation?””
Marco looked at the documents on the table.
“The operation to gain control of your daughter.””
A chill ran through me.
Again.
That phrase.
Control of me.
Not my money.
Not my inheritance.
Me.
“Why?””
Marco looked at me.
“Because your bloodline gave you access.””
“To what?””
He hesitated.
Then looked at Vincent.
“Tell her.””
Vincent remained silent.
My patience broke.
“No.””
Everyone looked at me.
“I am done waiting for someone else to decide what I can handle.””
My voice shook.
“But I deserve to know.””
Vincent looked at me.
Then slowly nodded.
“You’re right.””
That surprised me.
He took a breath.
“When your mother and I built our companies, we created something separate from our businesses.””
“What?””
“A private network.””
I frowned.
“A network?””
“Information. Resources. Connections.””
He looked serious.
“Something powerful enough that governments and corporations have tried to access it.””
I stared.
“And I have access?””
“When you turned twenty-five, ownership transferred to you.””
I remembered the letter.
Something my mother and father created.
Something that couldn’t belong to anyone else.
My stomach twisted.
“So that’s why they wanted me.””
Marco nodded.
“Yes.””
I looked at him.
“And you knew.””
“Yes.””
My anger rose.
“You knew everything.””
“Yes.””
“You knew I was living in that house.””
“Yes.””
“You knew James married me.””
Marco’s expression changed slightly.
“Yes.””
I stepped closer.
“Then why didn’t you save me?””
The question hit the room.
Even Vincent looked at him.
Marco didn’t answer immediately.
For once, he looked uncomfortable.
“Because I was trying to find the person behind everything.””
I stared.
“And I was just collateral damage?””
“No.””
His answer was immediate.
“You were the reason.””
“That doesn’t make it better.””
He looked down.
“You’re right.””
Again.
Everyone suddenly knew how to admit things after destroying me.
I looked at James.
He still hadn’t moved.
“Did you know about the network?””
James looked at me.
“I knew there was something.””
My heart sank.
“How much?””
“Not enough.””
“Stop saying that.””
My voice cracked.
“Everyone says they didn’t know enough.””
I pointed around the room.
“But somehow everyone knew more than me.””
Nobody argued.
Because they couldn’t.
Sophia suddenly spoke.
“I didn’t know either.””
Everyone turned.
She looked shaken.
Not fake.
Actually shaken.
Marco looked at her.
“You knew enough to come here.””
Sophia’s face changed.
“Why did you bring me into this?””
Marco smiled.
“You brought yourself.””
I looked between them.
“What does that mean?””
Sophia looked away.
Marco answered.
“She was supposed to marry James.””
The room went silent.
My stomach dropped.
“Supposed to?””
Marco nodded.
“Before James met you, there was already an agreement.””
I laughed quietly.
Of course.
Another agreement.
Another plan.
Another version of my life written by other people.
“Who arranged it?””
Nobody answered.
I looked at Victoria.
Then James.
Then Marco.
Finally:
“Who?””
Marco said:
“Your grandfather.””
I froze.
“My grandfather?””
Vincent looked stunned.
“My father?””
Marco nodded.
“Before he died, he created a plan to protect the family.””
Vincent’s face darkened.
“My father hated Isabella.””
“No.””
Marco shook his head.
“He feared what would happen if anyone knew about Emily.””
I looked at Vincent.
“So my entire life…”
My voice broke.
“Was planned?””
Nobody spoke.
That was the answer.
I stepped away.
I needed air.
I needed distance.
Because suddenly I wasn’t just betrayed by one person.
I had been surrounded by people making decisions for me since I was born.
My mother hid me.
My father searched for me.
Victoria protected me.
James married me.
Marco watched me.
Everyone had a reason.
Everyone had an excuse.
Nobody asked what I wanted.
I reached the hallway.
Then I heard footsteps.
“Emily.””
I turned.
It was Vincent.
Not James.
Not Marco.
Vincent.
He stopped a few feet away.
“I know you’re angry.””
I looked at him.
“I don’t know what I am.””
He nodded.
“That’s fair.””
The answer surprised me.
“You’re not going to tell me I should understand?””
“No.””
“Not going to tell me everyone was trying to help?””
“No.””
He looked at me.
“Because sometimes people can love you and still hurt you.””
The words stayed with me.
Because they were true.
“I don’t know how to trust anyone anymore.””
Vincent’s expression softened.
“Then don’t.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“Don’t trust everyone.””
A pause.
“Trust yourself first.””
For some reason, those words almost broke me.
Then—
A gunshot echoed through the mansion.
Everyone froze.
Vincent immediately moved.
His entire expression changed.
Not fear.
Instinct.
Another shot.
Glass shattered somewhere downstairs.
Vincent grabbed my arm and pulled me behind him.
His men rushed into position.
Marco shouted something I couldn’t hear.
Then James appeared at the end of the hallway.
His face was pale.
“Emily!””
I looked at him.
And for a second, I saw the man I used to love.
Then I saw what was behind him.
A figure standing in the shadows.
Holding a weapon.
A familiar voice whispered:
“I’m sorry, Emily.””
My blood turned cold.
Because I knew that voice.
It was someone I never expected.
Someone who had been silent all night.
Someone who had been watching everything unfold.
Victoria.
But she wasn’t looking at me.
She was looking at the person behind me.
And she whispered:
“Run, Vincent.””
The gun fired again.
May you like
And the bullet wasn’t meant for me.
It was meant for my father.
