Chapter 3 - Someone Inside the Mansion Betrayed Them
By morning, the estate resembled a fortress.
Lily’s fever had dropped.
Hannah hadn’t slept.
Victor entered the kitchen while she was feeding Lily.
“You should rest.”
“You should explain why there are twelve armed men outside the window.”
“Sixteen.”
“That doesn’t help.”
Victor poured coffee.
“We questioned the attacker.”
“And?”
“He works for Vescari.”
Hannah waited.
Victor didn’t continue.
“And?”
“He knew your name.”
Her spoon stopped.
“What else?”
“Your apartment address. Daycare. Employer.”
Fear crawled through her.
“How?”
“That’s what concerns me.”
Hannah stared at him.
“Someone has been watching us.”
“For months.”
The spoon slipped from her fingers.
Victor caught it before it hit the floor.
“Months?”
“Apparently Vescari suspected Elena had a child.”
“He could have taken me anytime.”
“He didn’t want you.”
Victor looked at Lily.
“He waited for the next generation.”
“Why?”
“Because the locket isn’t complete.”
Victor placed photographs on the table.
The symbol on the locket consisted of three intersecting lines.
“It’s a family seal,” he said. “The mechanism is biometric.”
Hannah stared at him.
“In English.”
“The vault Elena hid can only be opened by a direct Rossi descendant.”
Hannah looked at Lily.
“So I could open it.”
Victor shook his head.
“According to the records we found, Elena configured it for someone born after her death.”
“Why would she do that?”
“To make sure Vescari couldn’t force you to open it while you were a child.”
Hannah’s stomach turned.
“She protected me seventeen years into the future.”
“Yes.”
Victor looked at Lily.
“And now the lock recognizes Lily.”
Hannah stood abruptly.
“We’re leaving New York.”
“You won’t reach the airport.”
“Then somewhere else.”
“They’ll follow.”
“What do you suggest? Raise my daughter inside your fortress?”
Victor’s expression softened.
“I suggest we end this.”
“How?”
“Find Elena’s vault before Vescari does.”
A voice interrupted them.
“Boss.”
Victor’s lieutenant, Marco, entered.
“We have a problem.”
Victor immediately noticed his expression.
“What?”
“The attackers knew exactly which security cameras were disabled during maintenance.”
Victor became still.
“Meaning?”
Marco looked around the kitchen.
“Someone inside this house gave them the layout.”
Hannah whispered, “You have a traitor.”
Victor nodded.
“Yes.”
Then Lily began laughing.
Both adults turned.
She had grabbed Victor’s expensive tie.
Victor looked down at the tiny fist.
Hannah tried to take it away.
“Lily.”
Victor stopped her.
“It’s fine.”
“She’s drooling on it.”
“I’ve survived worse.”
Hannah almost laughed.
Victor gently lifted Lily.
To Hannah’s surprise, the feared crime boss looked terrified.
“How do I hold her?”
“You’re asking me?”
“She’s very small.”
“You were waving a gun around twelve hours ago.”
“Guns don’t wiggle.”
Hannah repositioned his arm.
“Support her head.”
Victor did.
Lily immediately grabbed his nose.
Marco looked away to hide a smile.
Victor frowned.
“Is this normal?”
“Unfortunately for you.”
For thirty seconds, there was no mafia war.
No Vescari.
No locket.
Just a baby laughing in Victor Moretti’s arms.
Then Marco’s phone rang.
His expression changed.
“We found the leak.”
Victor handed Lily back.
“Who?”
Marco hesitated.
“Teresa.”
Hannah stared.
“No.”
May you like
Victor’s face became unreadable.
“Bring her to my office.”
