Chapter 5 - The Night They Came for Dante’s Son
The Moretti estate stood north of Manhattan behind iron gates and frozen trees.
Dante wanted me to stay in the SUV.
I laughed in his face.
“She called me.”
“Exactly.”
“She wants both of us.”
“Exactly.”
“Then going in without me won't work.”
His jaw tightened.
“You aren't expendable, Clara.”
The words hit harder than I expected.
Neither of us spoke for a moment.
Then I said, “Neither is Matteo.”
We entered together.
Sofia waited in the library.
Matteo lay inside a portable bassinet beside her.
I immediately checked his color.
Pink.
Breathing.
Alive.
Sofia held no weapon.
But two men behind her did.
“Dante.”
“Aunt.”
She looked at me.
“You brought her.”
“You asked.”
Sofia smiled.
“Always obedient when it matters.”
Dante’s expression didn't change.
“What do you want?”
“Your signature.”
She placed documents on the table.
“You surrender control of the family trusts and Elena’s inherited shares.”
“And then?”
“You take your baker and disappear.”
“What about my son?”
Sofia looked at Matteo.
“He stays.”
“No.”
“Then everyone dies.”
I spoke.
“You don't want Matteo dead anymore.”
Sofia looked at me.
“What?”
“You could've killed him already.”
Dante glanced at me.
I continued.
“You need him alive because the shares belong to him.”
Sofia’s smile disappeared.
“And you need Dante’s signature because you can't control them otherwise.”
Silence.
Dante understood.
“You never wanted Matteo dead.”
Sofia’s eyes hardened.
“The hospital overdose was supposed to make him critically ill.”
“Why?”
“So I could become temporary trustee while you were distracted.”
“But Eric gave too much.”
Sofia looked disgusted.
“Eric was incompetent.”
I felt sick.
Lucia had died because of Eric’s greed.
Matteo had nearly died because of Sofia’s ambition.
Dante stepped toward her.
“You killed Elena too.”
Sofia froze.
There it was.
The reaction.
Dante saw it.
“So that's why her complications never made sense.”
“Dante—”
“You altered her treatment.”
“She was taking this family away from me!”
“You murdered my wife.”
Sofia screamed, “I built this family!”
“No.”
Dante’s voice remained calm.
“You fed on it.”
Sirens sounded outside.
Sofia turned sharply.
“What did you do?”
I raised my phone.
“Recorded everything.”
Her face went white.
“You stupid little baker.”
One of her men moved toward me.
Dante stepped between us.
But the other man suddenly lowered his weapon.
“It's over, Sofia.”
She stared at him.
“What?”
Moretti security entered from both doors.
Marco appeared behind them.
Sofia backed away.
“No.”
Dante walked directly to Matteo.
He lifted his son.
Matteo immediately began crying.
Dante pressed him against his chest.
“Dad's here.”
Those three words broke something in me.
Not painfully.
Not this time.
Police entered moments later.
Eric’s testimony, hospital records, financial transfers, and my recording gave them enough to arrest Sofia.
As they led her away, she looked at Dante.
“You're destroying your own family.”
Dante held Matteo tighter.
“No.”
May you like
Then he looked at me.
“I'm finally protecting it.”
