Chapter 7: The Secret Alessandro Took to His Grave
For several seconds, Vittorio forgot how to breathe.
The old attorney’s words echoed through the study.
*“Your mother.””*
A name.
A person.
A betrayal he never expected.
His mother had been dead for eight years.
She had been remembered by everyone as the quiet heart of the Romano family.
The woman who softened Alessandro’s cold decisions.
The woman who protected Vittorio when his father became too demanding.
The woman who held his hand when he was a child and told him that family was the only thing worth fighting for.
Now someone was telling him she had been hiding the biggest secret of his life.
“No.””
The word escaped before he could stop it.
The attorney, Lorenzo Ferri, looked at him with sadness.
“I wish it wasn’t true.””
Vittorio stepped closer.
“You’re accusing my mother of something without proof.””
Lorenzo didn’t react.
“I spent twenty-five years protecting the Romano family.””
“And now you walk into my house and tell me my mother was my enemy?””
“No.””
Lorenzo’s voice was calm.
“She wasn’t your enemy.””
That answer confused him.
“Then what was she?””
Lorenzo looked at the folder.
“Your mother was the person who tried to stop this before it became what it is today.””
Everyone went silent.
Bianca looked uncertain.
Even she seemed surprised.
Vittorio stared at Lorenzo.
“Explain.””
The old man walked into the study and closed the door behind him.
“Seven years ago, when Lucy was born, Alessandro discovered something.””
“What?””
“That the Romano family was being watched.””
Vittorio frowned.
“By Dante?””
Lorenzo shook his head.
“Dante was part of it. Not the leader.””
The room changed.
A new fear appeared.
A bigger one.
“Who was?””
Lorenzo looked at Bianca.
“She knows.””
Everyone turned.
Bianca’s face went pale.
“No.””
Vittorio noticed.
“You do know.””
She didn’t answer.
“Bianca.””
Her hands tightened.
“I know who they are.””
“Who?””
She looked toward Lucy’s room upstairs.
Then whispered:
“The Circle.””
Marcus frowned.
“The Circle?””
Lorenzo nodded.
“A group of investors, businessmen, and former associates who believed the Romano empire should not belong to Alessandro’s descendants.””
Vittorio stared.
“Why?””
“Because your family controlled too much.””
“That sounds like jealousy.””
“It was more complicated than that.””
Lorenzo opened the folder again.
“There were people who believed Alessandro had built his empire by destroying others.””
Vittorio looked at Bianca.
“Your father.””
She nodded.
“Yes.””
“But why Lucy?””
Lorenzo’s expression became serious.
“Because Alessandro changed his will after discovering what they wanted.””
Vittorio looked down at the documents.
“Lucy.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Lorenzo hesitated.
Then answered:
“Because Alessandro discovered that Lucy’s birth changed the ownership structure of the Romano estate.””
Marcus looked confused.
“How?””
Lorenzo turned toward him.
“Because Vittorio was not the only heir.””
Vittorio’s eyes narrowed.
“What are you saying?””
Lorenzo pulled out another document.
“This.””
Vittorio read it.
The words blurred for a moment.
Then became clear.
*Inheritance transfer agreement.*
He looked up.
“No.””
“Yes.””
Lorenzo nodded.
“Your father created a second protection plan.””
“For Lucy.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because he knew someone would eventually come after you.””
Vittorio’s voice became quiet.
“And my mother?””
Lorenzo looked away.
“She knew.””
The pain in that answer was immediate.
“She knew and didn’t tell me?””
“She tried.””
“When?””
“Several times.””
Vittorio shook his head.
“I would remember.””
“You would.””
The attorney’s voice softened.
“That was the problem.””
“What does that mean?””
Lorenzo looked at Bianca.
“Your mother believed the safest way to protect you was to make you believe she was weak.””
Vittorio frowned.
“I don’t understand.””
“She wanted the people watching your family to underestimate her.””
A memory flashed.
His mother sitting silently during business meetings.
His father making decisions.
Everyone assuming she had no influence.
But Lorenzo continued.
“She discovered that someone inside the Romano family was providing information.””
Vittorio looked around the room.
Everyone understood.
“Someone close.””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
Lorenzo didn’t answer.
And that scared Vittorio more.
“Tell me.””
The old attorney sighed.
“Your mother never found the final proof.””
“But she suspected someone.””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
Lorenzo looked at Marcus.
The room froze.
Marcus took a step back.
“What?””
Vittorio stared at him.
“No.””
Lorenzo shook his head.
“Not Marcus.””
Everyone exhaled.
Then why did he look at him?
The attorney continued.
“Marcus was involved.””
Marcus looked stunned.
“What?””
“You were used.””
Marcus looked at Bianca.
She looked away.
Vittorio’s eyes narrowed.
“Explain.””
Lorenzo turned to Marcus.
“Your brother knew things he shouldn’t have known.””
Marcus swallowed.
“I thought I was helping.””
“You were being manipulated.””
“By who?””
Lorenzo didn’t answer.
Vittorio already knew.
Bianca.
But then Bianca spoke.
“It wasn’t me.””
Everyone turned.
Her voice was quiet.
“It wasn’t me who controlled Marcus.””
Vittorio stared.
“Then who?””
Bianca looked terrified.
“The person who contacted me before I ever met you.””
The room went silent.
“Who?””
She whispered:
“Alessandro’s sister.””
Vittorio froze.
His aunt.
A woman he barely knew.
A woman who left the family years ago.
“That’s impossible.””
“No.””
Bianca shook her head.
“It isn’t.””
Lorenzo’s expression changed.
Because he knew.
“You never told me that,” he said.
Bianca looked at him.
“Because if I did, I would have died before reaching this house.””
Nobody spoke.
The pieces were becoming impossible to ignore.
This was bigger than Bianca.
Bigger than Marcus.
Bigger than Dante.
Someone had been moving people like chess pieces.
Including Bianca.
Including Marcus.
Maybe even his mother.
Vittorio walked toward Bianca.
“Why did you hurt Lucy?””
Her eyes filled.
For the first time, she looked genuinely ashamed.
“Because I was told to.””
The answer shocked him.
“You expect me to believe that?””
“No.””
She shook her head.
“I don’t expect forgiveness.””
“Who told you?””
Bianca looked away.
“They threatened me.””
“With what?””
She didn’t answer.
“Bianca.””
Her voice broke.
“With Lucy.””
The room went silent.
“They said if I didn’t make Lucy afraid of you, they would take her.””
Vittorio stared.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because they showed me proof they could reach her.””
“Proof?””
Bianca nodded.
“They had someone inside the house.””
Everyone looked around.
Emma’s face went pale.
Marcus stepped back.
Lorenzo’s expression hardened.
“Who?””
Bianca shook her head.
“I never saw the person.””
Vittorio looked toward the hallway.
Toward Lucy.
A terrible thought entered his mind.
Someone inside the house.
Someone who could move freely.
Someone who knew their routines.
Then Lucy’s bedroom camera notification appeared on Emma’s phone.
Everyone looked.
Emma opened it.
The screen showed Lucy’s room.
Empty.
The bed was untouched.
Vittorio’s blood ran cold.
“Where is she?””
Emma dropped the phone.
“I left her with the nanny.””
“What nanny?””
Her face changed.
“I thought you hired her.””
Vittorio stared.
“I didn’t.””
A second later, his phone rang.
Unknown number.
Everyone froze.
He answered.
A child’s voice came through.
“Daddy?””
His entire body went cold.
“Lucy?””
A quiet sob.
“I’m sorry.””
Vittorio gripped the phone.
“Where are you?””
Before Lucy could answer, another voice took the phone.
A woman.
Calm.
Familiar.
And impossible.
“Hello, Vittorio.””
He stopped breathing.
May you like
Because the voice belonged to someone who had been dead for years.
His mother.
