Chapter 8: The Family Betrayal
Vittorio didn’t speak for several minutes.
Nobody dared interrupt him.
Because everyone in the room understood.
The foundation of his entire life had cracked.
The person who raised him.
The person who shaped him.
The person he trusted.
His father.
But something didn’t make sense.
His father was dead.
He couldn’t have murdered Elena.
Unless…
Someone was protecting him.
Someone was continuing his secrets.
Antonio entered the room quietly.
“You know now.””
Vittorio turned.
His eyes were empty.
“How much?””
Antonio stopped.
“How much did you know?””
Antonio looked down.
“Enough.””
“Enough to let my wife die?””
Antonio’s face changed.
“No.””
Vittorio stepped closer.
“Then tell me.””
Antonio sat down.
For the first time, he looked defeated.
“Your father discovered Elena was investigating Isabella’s existence.””
“Why?””
“Because Elena found financial records.””
“What records?””
Antonio hesitated.
“The money used to hide Isabella.””
Vittorio stared.
“So?””
“So Elena discovered someone inside the company had been moving money for years.””
“Who?””
Antonio looked at him.
“Me.””
The room went silent.
Vittorio laughed once.
A broken sound.
“You.””
Antonio nodded.
“I moved the money.””
“Why?””
“Because your father ordered me to.””
Vittorio’s anger turned into confusion.
“My father?””
“Yes.””
Antonio looked miserable.
“But I didn’t know he planned to erase Elena.””
Vittorio froze.
“You’re saying someone else did it?””
Antonio nodded.
“Someone who benefited from everyone staying silent.””
“Who?””
Antonio looked toward the phone.
Toward the last call.
Toward Isabella.
“The same person who is still controlling everything.””
Vittorio stared.
“Daniel?””
Antonio shook his head.
“No.””
A terrible feeling entered Vittorio’s chest.
“Then who?””
Antonio whispered:
“Your mother.””
The words made no sense.
His mother had been dead for fifteen years.
Antonio continued.
“She wasn’t who you thought she was.””
Vittorio stepped back.
“No.””
“Vittorio—”
“No.””
His entire childhood flashed through his mind.
Her hands.
Her voice.
The way she kissed his forehead before school.
Impossible.
Antonio opened a folder.
“I found this years ago.””
Inside were documents.
Birth records.
Financial transfers.
Medical reports.
Vittorio looked at the papers.
Then stopped.
Because one document had Elena’s signature.
His wife had written it.
A confession.
A warning.
The first line read:
If anything happens to me, do not trust your mother.
Vittorio couldn’t breathe.
The phone rang.
Again.
Isabella.
He answered.
This time, his voice was different.
“What is happening?””
Isabella looked at him.
“You finally know.””
“Did my mother kill Elena?””
Isabella was silent.
That silence was enough.
Vittorio closed his eyes.
“Why?””
“Because Elena found out the truth.””
“What truth?””
Isabella looked at Lucy.
Then back at him.
“The truth about your birth.””
Vittorio frowned.
“What?””
Isabella whispered:
“Your father wasn’t your biological father.””
The world stopped.
Vittorio looked around the room.
Everything he knew.
Everything he believed.
Everything he built his identity around.
Gone.
Isabella continued.
“And your mother spent her entire life making sure you never found out.””
Vittorio gripped the phone.
“Who was my real father?””
Isabella looked away.
Then said:
“The same man who is standing behind you right now.””
Vittorio slowly turned.
Nobody was there.
Only Antonio.
His brother.
The man who had protected him.
The man who betrayed him.
The man who shared his blood.
Or maybe…
never had.
Antonio’s phone suddenly lit up.
A message appeared.
One sentence.
*She knows. Finish it tonight.*
Vittorio looked at the screen.
Then at Antonio.
May you like
And for the first time in his life…
he wondered if the person standing beside him was his brother at all.
