Chapter 3: The Secret in Anna Carter's Past
At 11:47 p.m., Lucas Moretti received a photograph that made him forget about his own near-death experience.
It showed Anna Carter standing outside a hospital fifteen years earlier.
She was younger.
Her hair was longer.
And in her arms was a newborn baby.
On the back of the photograph, someone had written four words:
*SHE NEVER TOLD YOU.*
Lucas stared at it.
Then he looked at the man standing across his desk.
“Where did you get this?””
Marco placed a thin folder beside the photograph.
“It was inside Anna's old employment file. Someone added it to the mansion's records three weeks ago.””
“Who?””
“We're checking.””
Lucas opened the folder.
There were several documents.
An old address.
A hospital discharge record.
A photograph of Anna standing beside a dark-haired man.
And a birth certificate.
Lucas barely glanced at the first page.
Then he stopped.
His fingers tightened around the paper.
The father's name had been left blank.
But the date of birth was unmistakable.
November 18.
Fifteen years earlier.
Lucas slowly lowered the document.
“That's impossible.””
Marco frowned.
“What is it, boss?””
Lucas didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he opened a locked drawer and removed an old photograph.
It showed Lucas at twenty-two, standing beside a young woman in a red dress.
Her name was Anna.
He had met her before he became the Moretti family's undisputed leader.
Before the murders.
Before the power.
Before he learned that love could become a weapon.
He had loved her.
Or at least, he had believed he could.
Then one night, Anna disappeared.
No goodbye.
No explanation.
Just an empty apartment and a note saying she never wanted to see him again.
Lucas had spent years convincing himself that she had chosen another life.
He had never learned what happened afterward.
“Marco,” he said quietly.
“Yes?””
“Bring Anna here.””
Marco hesitated.
“Tonight?””
“Now.””
At the Carter apartment, Anna stood in the kitchen staring at the old photograph in her hand.
Lily was asleep in the bedroom.
The little girl's turquoise inhaler rested on the bedside table.
Anna had washed the food containers and placed them carefully in the refrigerator.
She couldn't stop thinking about the mansion.
About Lucas.
About the little girl who had walked into a world she had spent six years trying to keep hidden.
Her phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
She answered cautiously.
“Hello?””
A man's voice came through.
“Anna Carter?””
“Yes.””
“You need to listen carefully.””
Anna gripped the counter.
“Who is this?””
“You made a mistake bringing your daughter into the Moretti mansion.””
“I didn't bring her there.””
“Doesn't matter. Lucas knows she's been inside.””
Anna's breathing quickened.
“What do you want?””
“Stay away from him. Take Lily and leave New York tonight.””
Anna looked toward the bedroom.
“I can't just leave.””
The man chuckled.
“Then you should start preparing for the consequences.””
The call ended.
Anna stared at the phone.
A second later, someone knocked on the apartment door.
Three slow knocks.
She froze.
“Anna?””
It was a man's voice.
She knew it.
It belonged to Marco.
She opened the door a few inches.
Marco stood outside with two security guards.
“Mr. Moretti wants to speak with you.””
Anna shook her head.
“It's late.””
“He knows.””
“My daughter is asleep.””
“He said she doesn't need to come.””
Anna looked past him.
“Why does he want to see me?””
Marco's expression remained neutral.
“I wasn't told.””
Anna started closing the door.
Then Marco said something that stopped her.
“He has a photograph.””
Anna's face went white.
“What photograph?””
“An old one. You and him.””
For a moment, Anna couldn't move.
Then she slowly opened the door.
“Give me five minutes.””
The drive to the Moretti mansion felt longer than it should have.
Anna sat in the back of the SUV with her hands folded tightly in her lap.
She watched the city pass through the tinted windows.
Every familiar street brought back something she had tried to forget.
The little Italian restaurant where Lucas once took her for dinner.
The park where he had promised they would never become like their fathers.
The hospital where she had sat alone, holding a newborn baby while the television announced that Lucas Moretti had survived an assassination attempt.
She remembered the phone call she had made that night.
No answer.
Then another.
And another.
Finally, a man from Lucas's organization had told her to disappear if she wanted her child to live.
She had believed him.
She had left New York the following morning.
And she had never looked back.
Until now.
Lucas was waiting in the study.
When Anna entered, he stood.
Neither spoke.
For several seconds, they simply looked at each other.
She looked older.
Thinner.
There were shadows beneath her eyes.
But her expression was the same.
Proud.
Defensive.
Afraid of needing anyone.
Lucas placed the photograph on the desk.
“Hello, Anna.””
She looked at it.
Then at him.
“Lucas.””
“You haven't changed much.””
“You have.””
Lucas gave a short laugh.
“I nearly died tonight. I suppose that changes a man.””
Anna's eyes flickered.
“I heard.””
“Your daughter saved me.””
Anna lowered her gaze.
“Yes.””
“She has your courage.””
Anna's expression tightened.
“Don't.””
“Don't what?””
“Don't use her to start a conversation with me.””
Lucas leaned against the desk.
“I wasn't.””
“Then why am I here?””
He tapped the photograph.
“Because I found this.””
Anna looked away.
“I wondered when you would.””
Lucas studied her.
“You knew I would eventually find out?””
“I hoped you never would.””
“Why?””
Anna swallowed.
“Because I wanted my daughter to have a normal life.””
Lucas's jaw tightened.
“Then you should explain why your name appeared in a security recording with Victor Hale.””
Anna looked up sharply.
“Victor?””
“You met him before I collapsed.””
“I didn't know he was going to hurt you.””
Lucas stepped closer.
“You knew what he was planning?””
“No.””
“Then what did you give him?””
Anna didn't answer.
Lucas placed another document on the desk.
It was a photograph of the envelope changing hands.
Anna stared at it.
“I didn't give him anything.””
“Then what was in the envelope?””
“An old photograph.””
“Why?””
“Because he threatened me.””
Lucas's expression changed.
“What did he threaten?””
Anna took a shaky breath.
“He said he knew about Lily. He said if I didn't cooperate, someone would come for her.””
Lucas's voice dropped.
“Who told you that?””
“Victor.””
“Did he say why he wanted the photograph?””
Anna shook her head.
“He wanted proof that you and I had known each other. He said it would be enough to make you suspicious of me.””
Lucas stared at her.
“And you gave it to him?””
“I was trying to protect my daughter!””
Her voice cracked.
Lucas fell silent.
For the first time, Anna's anger broke through the years of fear.
“You think I wanted to come anywhere near your world again? You think I wanted Lily to know who you are?””
Lucas looked at the photograph.
Then at her.
“Who is Lily's father?””
Anna's face went still.
She didn't answer.
Lucas moved around the desk.
“Anna.””
“Don't ask me that.””
“Look at me.””
She did.
And for one brief moment, he saw the young woman he had loved fifteen years earlier.
Then she whispered:
“You already know.””
Lucas's face drained of color.
He looked at the birth certificate again.
November 18.
The date matched.
His voice was barely audible.
“She's mine?””
Anna closed her eyes.
A tear rolled down her cheek.
“Yes.””
Lucas stepped backward.
He looked as if someone had struck him.
“She's my daughter?””
Anna nodded.
Lucas stared at the photograph of the baby.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
Anna let out a bitter laugh.
“I tried.””
“When?””
“The night you were shot. I called you eleven times.””
Lucas frowned.
“I never received those calls.””
“Then I called your office. A man named Vincent answered.””
Lucas's eyes narrowed.
“What did he say?””
Anna wiped her cheek.
“He told me you were getting married. He said you had given orders that I should never contact you again.””
Lucas went completely still.
“I never gave that order.””
Anna looked at him.
“Then someone lied.””
Lucas turned toward the window.
The city glittered beneath the night sky.
For fifteen years, he had believed Anna had abandoned him.
For fifteen years, Anna had believed he had rejected her and their child.
And somewhere between those two lies, a little girl had grown up without knowing her father.
Lucas slowly turned back.
“Does Lily know?””
“No.””
“Does she know my name?””
“She knows you're dangerous. That's all.””
Lucas nodded.
He walked to the desk and picked up the child's drawing from earlier.
The little blue house.
The two figures holding hands.
And the black-haired man lying on the ground.
His throat tightened.
“She saved my life,” he whispered.
Anna looked at the drawing.
“Yes.””
Lucas placed it carefully beside the birth certificate.
Then he looked at her.
“She's staying here.””
Anna immediately shook her head.
“No.””
“Anna—”
“She is not staying in this house.””
“Someone tried to kill me tonight. Victor knows she saw him. That makes her a target.””
“She was already a target because of you!””
The words hit him harder than she intended.
Anna stepped closer.
“I spent six years making sure nobody connected her to your family. I worked two jobs. I moved apartments.
I changed her school twice. I did everything I could to keep her away from men like Victor.””
Lucas's face hardened.
“And you think I won't protect her?””
“I think your protection is what puts her in danger.””
Before Lucas could answer, the study door flew open.
Marco rushed inside.
“Boss!””
Lucas turned.
“What?””
“We found Victor.””
“Where?””
Marco swallowed.
“He's gone.””
Lucas's expression darkened.
“What do you mean, gone?””
“He escaped through the underground garage. We found his car abandoned three blocks away.””
Lucas slammed his hand against the desk.
“Find him.””
“We're trying.””
“Lock every exit. Call every man we have.””
Marco nodded.
Then he hesitated.
“There's something else.””
Lucas looked at him.
“What now?””
Marco held up a second phone.
“We recovered this from Victor's security room.””
The screen displayed a message thread.
Lucas took it.
The last message had been sent only minutes earlier.
*VICTOR: The boss knows about Anna. Move to the second plan.*
Below it was a reply.
*UNKNOWN: What about the girl?*
Victor's answer was chillingly simple.
*VICTOR: Bring her to me. She's the only thing he won't risk losing.*
Anna covered her mouth.
Lucas looked at Marco.
“Where is Lily?””
Marco's expression changed.
“She was at your apartment?””
Anna shook her head violently.
“No. I left her with Mrs. Dawson. My neighbor.””
Lucas grabbed his coat.
“Call the neighbor.””
Marco dialed immediately.
The phone rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then a woman's frightened voice answered.
“Hello?””
Marco put it on speaker.
“Mrs. Dawson, this is Marco. Is Lily with you?””
There was a pause.
Then the woman began crying.
“I'm sorry. I thought they were family.””
Anna's knees nearly buckled.
“Where is my daughter?”” she screamed.
The woman sobbed.
“Two men came. They said you had sent them. Lily went with them.””
Lucas's face turned stone cold.
“When?””
“Ten minutes ago.””
Lucas slowly took the phone from Marco.
His voice was quiet.
Dangerously quiet.
“Mrs. Dawson, listen carefully. Did they leave anything behind?””
The woman sniffed.
“Yes.””
“What?””
“A little blue backpack.””
Lucas looked at Anna.
Then he heard a tiny sound through the phone.
A child's voice.
It was faint.
Almost buried beneath static.
“Mommy?””
Anna lunged toward the phone.
“Lily!””
The line crackled.
Then a man's voice interrupted.
“Hello, Moretti.””
Lucas stopped breathing.
He knew that voice.
It belonged to Victor.
“Your daughter is a very brave little girl,” Victor said.
Lucas tightened his grip on the phone.
“If you touch her—”
“Relax, Lucas. I only want to talk.””
“Put her on the phone.””
A pause.
Then Victor laughed.
“You have fifteen years of catching up to do, old friend.””
Lucas's eyes went cold.
“What do you want?””
Victor's answer came slowly.
“Everything you took from me.””
The call ended.
Anna collapsed into the chair, sobbing.
Lucas stared at the dead screen.
Then he turned toward Marco.
“Find my daughter.””
Marco nodded.
Lucas pulled a pistol from the locked drawer.
For years, he had ruled New York through fear.
But tonight, he had discovered something far more dangerous than any enemy.
May you like
He had something to lose.
And Victor Hale had just taken it.
