Chapter 3 - The Betrayal Inside the Family
Victor summoned Luca that afternoon.
Elena hated the plan.
“You’re bringing him here?”
“I need him to believe we know nothing.”
“My son is here.”
“Our son.”
She glared at him.
“Not now.”
Victor nodded.
“Fine.”
That surprised her.
Six years earlier, Victor would have turned the argument into a battle.
Now he simply said, “Noah stays upstairs with you.”
“And if Luca brought the attackers?”
“He won't leave this house.”
The certainty in Victor’s voice chilled her.
At 4:17 p.m., Luca Moretti arrived.
He hugged Victor.
“Thank God you're alive.”
Victor remained perfectly calm.
“Sit.”
Luca noticed Elena.
His expression performed surprise beautifully.
“Elena?”
She said nothing.
“You’re alive?”
Victor watched him.
“She is.”
Luca shook his head.
“After six years? Where have you been?”
“Living.”
Then Noah appeared at the top of the stairs.
Elena’s heart dropped.
“Sweetheart, upstairs.”
“But I need my dinosaur.”
Luca looked up.
Everything changed.
Only for half a second.
But Elena saw it.
Recognition.
Not surprise.
Recognition.
Victor saw it too.
Luca smiled.
“And who is this?”
Victor leaned back.
“You tell me.”
Luca looked at him.
“What?”
“You didn’t ask how old he is.”
Silence.
Luca laughed.
“Victor, what are you suggesting?”
Victor placed the photograph of the shell-company documents on the table.
Luca stopped smiling.
Victor spoke quietly.
“You made one mistake.”
“What mistake?”
“You attacked today.”
Luca's expression hardened.
“I don’t know what you're talking about.”
“Elena disappeared six years ago. I assumed she was dead.”
Victor stood.
“So did everyone else.”
He stepped closer.
“But someone saw her three days ago.”
Luca said nothing.
“That person followed her to Rosewood Bakery.”
Victor’s voice became colder.
“And this morning, men connected to your company attacked it.”
Luca looked toward Elena.
That was enough.
Victor moved between them.
“Look at me.”
Luca slowly did.
“You knew she was pregnant.”
Luca laughed once.
“You always were emotional about her.”
Victor grabbed his collar.
“Victor!” Elena snapped.
Noah was still upstairs.
Victor released him immediately.
That surprised Luca.
It surprised Elena too.
Victor straightened Luca’s jacket.
“Answer.”
Luca's smile vanished.
“My father was right.”
Victor stared.
“Salvatore?”
“He knew what marriage did to you.”
“What did he do?”
“He tried to scare her away.”
Elena’s voice shook.
“He cut my brakes.”
Luca shrugged.
“That wasn’t supposed to kill you.”
Victor stepped forward.
Elena caught his arm.
“No.”
He looked at her.
“Not in front of Noah.”
Victor looked toward the stairs.
Noah was watching.
Victor slowly stepped back.
Luca laughed.
“Look at you.”
Victor ignored him.
Luca pointed toward Noah.
“That child has already made you weak.”
“No,” Victor said.
He looked at Elena.
“He made me understand what strength is for.”
Luca’s smile faded.
Victor nodded to Marco.
“Take him.”
Two guards moved forward.
Luca suddenly pulled away.
“You think this ends with me?”
Victor stopped.
“What does that mean?”
Luca smiled.
“You spent six years searching for Elena.”
“Yes.”
“I spent six years making sure you never found her.”
Elena stared at him.
“How?”
“Apartment applications. Medical records. School registrations.”
Victor’s eyes darkened.
Luca continued.
“Every time your people got close, I redirected them.”
“Why?”
“Because if Victor found his son, everything changed.”
Victor’s voice was quiet.
“What everything?”
“The organization.”
Luca laughed.
“You still don’t understand. Your father’s will.”
Victor froze.
“What about it?”
“Control of the legitimate Moretti holdings passes differently if you have a biological heir.”
Elena looked between them.
Victor understood first.
“You weren’t trying to protect the organization.”
Luca smiled.
“You were supposed to die without an heir.”
“And then?”
“Everything eventually came to me.”
Marco tightened his grip on Luca.
Victor stared at his cousin.
Six years of searching.
Six years of grief.
All because a man he trusted wanted an inheritance.
Luca looked at Elena.
“You should’ve stayed gone.”
Victor moved.
This time Elena stepped directly between them.
“Victor.”
His breathing was heavy.
“He threatened you.”
“I know.”
“He threatened Noah.”
“I know.”
Victor stared over her shoulder.
“Move.”
“No.”
“Elena.”
“If you become the man I ran from, Luca wins.”
That stopped him.
She touched his chest.
“Look at Noah.”
Victor did.
The little boy stood on the stairs holding Cinnamon.
Watching his father.
Victor slowly unclenched his fists.
“Marco.”
“Yes, boss?”
“Call the authorities.”
Luca’s smile disappeared.
“What?”
Victor looked at him.
“You wanted the old Victor.”
He stepped away.
“He would have killed you.”
Luca swallowed.
“And the new one?”
Victor looked toward his son.
“The new one wants his child to know that monsters face consequences.”
Marco dragged Luca away.
Noah came downstairs.
He looked at Victor.
“Was that bad man your cousin?”
“Yes.”
“Are you sad?”
Victor seemed caught off guard.
“A little.”
Noah considered that.
Then he held out Cinnamon.
“You can borrow him.”
Victor stared at the dinosaur.
Elena covered her mouth.
Victor took it carefully.
“Thank you.”
Noah nodded.
“But I need him back before bedtime.”
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For the first time in six years, Elena heard Victor Moretti laugh.
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