Chapter 14 - Isabella’s Confession
Domenico looked older than the photographs.
His white hair was cut close.
His face held the calm arrogance of a man who believed patience had made him immortal.
“Both brothers.”
“Both children.”
“And the ledger.”
“A productive night.”
Vittorio looked at Isabella.
“Did you know Luca was in Rome?”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Yes.”
“Did you send him there?”
“No.”
“My father took him after the first year.”
“He said Luca would die if I told you.”
“You continued sleeping beside me.”
“I continued keeping him alive.”
“You helped put a bomb beneath my seat.”
“I believed the device would disable the car after you entered.”
Domenico laughed.
“She believed many useful things.”
Isabella turned toward him.
“You said Vittorio would be taken.”
“You never said the car would explode.”
“You kissed Carlo.”
“I needed him to believe I chose him.”
Vittorio heard truth mixed with strategy.
He no longer knew which hurt more.
Domenico demanded the ledger.
Vittorio raised the black book.
“The missing pages.”
Isabella reached inside her dress.
She removed a thin packet wrapped in plastic.
Domenico’s gun moved toward her.
“You kept them.”
“They were the only reason you left Luca alive.”
She threw the pages over the railing.
Alessio caught them.
Domenico fired.
Isabella fell against the metal rail.
Vittorio shot Domenico’s weapon from his hand.
Chaos erupted across the warehouse.
Matteo’s men entered through the loading doors.
Marco dragged Renzo toward the freezer corridor.
Sophia ran after them.
Luca shouted her name from the command vehicle.
Vittorio reached Isabella.
Blood darkened the side of her cream dress.
She touched his face.
“I did love you.”
He looked at the woman who had kissed another man beside his grave.
“Not enough to tell me the truth.”
“No.”
“Not enough.”
She pressed a small key into his hand.
“My father has a second ledger.”
“The names of children.”
“Every child he holds.”
“Where?”
“Beneath the Palermo house.”
Domenico lunged from the floor with a hidden knife.
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Alessio stepped between him and Vittorio.
The blade entered Alessio’s side.
