Chapter 2 - The Boy With Moretti Eyes
Vincent took Evelyn and Noah to the old parish residence behind St. Michael’s.
Evelyn objected immediately.
“We’re not going anywhere with you.”
“Two armed men just tried to collect you outside a funeral.”
“They weren’t armed.”
Vincent gave her a look.
“They were.”
Noah looked between them.
“Are you two always like this?”
Both adults went silent.
Noah shrugged.
“Because you argue a lot.”
Vincent almost smiled.
Almost.
They entered a private sitting room normally reserved for visiting clergy. Luca closed the door behind them while two Moretti guards remained outside.
Evelyn stayed near the window.
Noah sat on a leather chair, swinging his legs.
Vincent stood across the room.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Finally, Vincent said, “Open the envelope.”
Evelyn looked at him.
“It was addressed to me.”
“My grandfather knew you were alive.”
“Yes.”
“And apparently kept that from me.”
“I didn’t ask him to.”
“Open it.”
“No.”
Vincent’s jaw tightened.
“Evelyn.”
“You don’t command me anymore.”
“I never commanded you.”
She gave him a bitter laugh.
“You commanded everybody.”
“No. You were the one person who never listened.”
“That was probably why your family hated me.”
“My grandfather didn’t.”
“Your uncle did.”
Vincent’s expression darkened.
“Alessandro hated anyone Dominic trusted.”
Evelyn looked at the envelope.
Then at Noah.
“Sweetheart, can you sit with Mr. Luca outside for a minute?”
Noah immediately shook his head.
“No.”
Evelyn blinked.
“Noah.”
“I want to stay with you.”
“You’re safe.”
“That’s what you say when you’re scared.”
Vincent looked at her.
The statement landed harder than he expected.
Evelyn knelt in front of Noah.
“I need to talk about some adult things.”
Noah glanced at Vincent.
“Is he dangerous?”
The room became very quiet.
Evelyn did not answer immediately.
Vincent did.
“Yes.”
Evelyn looked sharply at him.
Vincent continued.
“But not to you.”
Noah considered him.
“How do I know?”
“You don’t.”
That answer seemed to satisfy him more than reassurance would have.
Vincent pulled a chair across the room and sat.
“I can stay over here.”
Noah looked at his mother.
Evelyn sighed.
“Fine.”
She opened Dominic’s envelope.
Inside were three items.
A handwritten letter.
A brass key.
And a photograph.
Evelyn picked up the photograph first.
Her blood turned cold.
It showed her seven years earlier.
Standing outside a hospital.
Holding newborn Noah.
She recognized the photograph immediately.
The same photograph she believed had been destroyed.
Vincent crossed the room.
“Let me see.”
Evelyn handed it to him.
His face changed.
He knew the photograph too.
Not because he had ever seen it.
Because he had spent years searching for evidence that she had survived.
On the back, Dominic had written four words.
Alessandro lied to both.
Vincent read them twice.
“What does that mean?” Evelyn asked.
He looked toward Luca.
“Get Marco.”
Luca hesitated.
“Marco Bellini?”
“Now.”
Luca stepped into the hallway and made the call.
Evelyn unfolded Dominic’s letter.
She began reading silently.
Halfway down the first page, she stopped.
“What?”
Vincent moved toward her.
She handed him the letter.
Dominic’s handwriting was weak but unmistakable.
Vincent read aloud.
“Evelyn, if you are reading this, I am dead, and therefore Alessandro can no longer stop me from correcting the worst mistake I allowed to happen inside my family.”
Vincent’s eyes narrowed.
He continued.
“Seven years ago, Alessandro discovered your pregnancy before Vincent did.”
The room went still.
Evelyn looked at Noah.
The boy was listening.
She gently covered his ears with her hands.
Vincent continued reading.
“He believed a child would make Vincent vulnerable and would eventually threaten Alessandro’s influence over the family.”
Vincent stopped.
“He knew?”
Evelyn whispered.
“I never told anyone.”
“He had people watching you.”
Dominic’s letter continued.
“Alessandro forged Vincent’s authorization ordering your removal. He then arranged an attack intended to make you believe Vincent had authorized it.”
Evelyn’s face drained of color.
Vincent’s voice became colder with every sentence.
“At the same time, Alessandro told Vincent that you had stolen financial records and escaped willingly after selling information to a rival organization.”
Evelyn stared at him.
“You thought I betrayed you.”
“Yes.”
“For seven years?”
“Yes.”
Her eyes hardened.
“And you believed him?”
Vincent folded the letter.
“You believed the forged order.”
“That’s different.”
“How?”
“Because I was pregnant and someone shot through my apartment window!”
Noah pulled her hands from his ears.
“Someone shot you?”
Evelyn froze.
“Noah—”
“Someone tried to hurt you?”
She knelt.
“It was a long time ago.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because you didn’t need to carry it.”
Noah looked toward Vincent.
“Did he do it?”
“No.”
Evelyn’s answer came immediately.
Vincent looked at her.
It was the first time in seven years she had defended him without hesitation.
Noah seemed relieved.
Then he asked the question neither adult was prepared for.
“Then who is he?”
Evelyn looked away.
Vincent stood absolutely still.
“Noah…”
The boy pointed toward Vincent.
“Why does he keep looking at me?”
Evelyn swallowed.
“Because…”
Nothing came.
Vincent stepped closer.
“Because I think I knew your mother a long time ago.”
Noah frowned.
“That doesn’t explain it.”
Vincent glanced at Evelyn.
She closed her eyes.
“No,” she whispered.
Vincent understood.
Not yet.
He nodded.
Evelyn returned to Dominic’s letter.
The final paragraph contained instructions.
The brass key belonged to a private deposit box at Moretti Trust, a small financial institution Dominic had quietly controlled for decades.
Inside was the ledger.
Not just a financial ledger.
A record of payments, killings, bribes, political favors, and secret alliances stretching back almost thirty years.
And according to Dominic, Alessandro had spent seven years trying to find it.
Evelyn lowered the letter.
“Why leave it to me?”
Vincent knew immediately.
“Because he couldn’t leave it to a Moretti.”
“Why not?”
“Anyone in the family could be compromised.”
Luca returned.
“Marco is twenty minutes out.”
Vincent nodded.
“Tell him to bring the old family files.”
Evelyn folded the letter.
“I’m taking Noah and leaving.”
“No.”
“You don’t get a vote.”
“Alessandro knows you have the key.”
“He doesn’t know where I live.”
“He found you here.”
“Because he knew I was coming.”
“Which means he had someone watching Dominic before he died.”
Evelyn went silent.
Vincent stepped closer.
“Your life isn’t hidden anymore.”
“I kept Noah safe for seven years.”
“And I’m not criticizing that.”
“You sound like you are.”
“I’m saying the rules changed this morning.”
She looked at him.
“And what exactly do you propose?”
“You stay under my protection.”
She laughed.
“Absolutely not.”
“Evelyn.”
“I ran from your family. I’m not moving into its headquarters.”
“You’re not moving into headquarters.”
“Good.”
“You’re coming to my house.”
She stared at him.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
Noah raised his hand.
Both looked at him.
“What?”
Noah asked, “Does his house have Wi-Fi?”
Evelyn stared at her son.
Vincent’s mouth twitched.
“Yes.”
“Good Wi-Fi?”
“The best.”
Noah looked at his mother.
“I vote yes.”
“This is not a democracy.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m your mother.”
Vincent looked away, hiding a smile.
Evelyn caught it.
“Don’t encourage him.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You didn’t have to.”
For one strange second, the seven lost years seemed to disappear.
Then three hard knocks sounded at the door.
Luca opened it.
A silver-haired man entered carrying an old leather case.
Marco Bellini.
Vincent’s former family attorney.
The man who had been standing across the table seven years earlier when a photograph of Evelyn and newborn Noah had burned in a candle flame.
Marco saw Evelyn.
The briefcase slipped from his hand.
“Oh, God.”
Vincent noticed.
“What?”
Marco’s eyes moved to Noah.
His face collapsed.
Vincent stepped forward.
“You knew.”
Marco said nothing.
“You knew she was alive.”
“Vincent…”
“You knew she had a child.”
Marco looked toward Evelyn.
“I tried to protect them.”
Vincent grabbed him by the lapels.
“You let me believe she betrayed me!”
Luca moved closer but did not interfere.
Marco whispered, “Dominic ordered it.”
Vincent froze.
Evelyn did too.
“My grandfather?”
Marco nodded.
“The photograph came to us six years and eleven months ago. Alessandro’s people were searching for Evelyn. Dominic knew there was only one way to keep Vincent from searching too.”
Vincent loosened his grip.
“What did he do?”
Marco swallowed.
“He told me to destroy every trace of her.”
Evelyn stared.
“And Vincent?”
Marco’s eyes filled with regret.
“We convinced him you were dead.”
Vincent’s voice became barely audible.
“No.”
Marco nodded.
“We told you the car found near Albany belonged to her. The dental report was fabricated.”
Vincent stumbled one step backward.
Evelyn had never seen him lose balance before.
Not physically.
Not emotionally.
Never.
He looked at her.
“You were alive.”
“For all seven years.”
“And he…”
Vincent looked toward Noah.
His voice failed.
Noah watched him carefully.
Then the boy stood from his chair.
He walked toward Vincent until only a few feet separated them.
“You look sad.”
Vincent swallowed.
“I am.”
“Because of my mom?”
Vincent looked at Evelyn.
“Partly.”
Noah studied his face.
Then said quietly:
“I have your eyes.”
Nobody moved.
Evelyn’s heart stopped.
Vincent stared at the boy.
Noah continued.
“I noticed in the church.”
Evelyn whispered, “Noah.”
“What?”
Vincent crouched slowly.
For the first time, they were eye level.
Pale blue met pale blue.
Noah asked the question Evelyn had spent almost seven years fearing.
“Are you my dad?”
Vincent looked at Evelyn.
She could have lied.
She had lied before.
For safety.
For survival.
But Dominic’s letter sat open on the table.
The past was already inside the room.
There was nowhere left to hide it.
Evelyn walked over.
She took Noah’s hand.
And finally said:
“Yes.”
Vincent closed his eyes.
One word.
That was all it took to destroy seven years of certainty.
When he opened them again, his eyes were wet.
Noah looked surprised.
“You’re really my dad?”
Vincent nodded slowly.
“Yes.”
The boy thought for several seconds.
Then asked:
“Why didn’t you come find me?”
Vincent looked at Evelyn.
Then back at his son.
May you like
His voice broke for the first time in twenty years.
“Because I didn’t know you existed.”
