Chapter 10 - VANESSA’S CHOICEVanessa grabbed her keys.
Luca took them.
“No.”
“That’s my mother.”
“And the message is obviously a trap.”
“I don’t care.”
“I do.”
She stared at him.
“Why?”
Luca hesitated.
“Because ending an engagement does not mean I want you dead.”
Her expression softened.
Only briefly.
Then she held out her hand.
“Keys.”
“No.”
“I’m going.”
“So are the police.”
“He said alone.”
“Criminals often request convenient arrangements.”
Vanessa almost smiled.
But her eyes remained terrified.
Federal agents traced the photograph.
Bellini’s estate outside Lake Forest.
Vanessa agreed to wear a wire.
Luca hated the plan.
So did I.
But Vanessa insisted.
“This started with my family.”
Luca looked at her.
“It did not start with you.”
She swallowed.
“I spent years becoming exactly like him.”
“No.”
“You saw how I treated people.”
“Yes.”
She flinched.
“But your father’s choices belong to him.”
Luca handed her the wire.
“Your choices belong to you.”
That sentence seemed to stay with her.
Vanessa entered the estate alone.
Agents surrounded the property.
Luca watched from a surveillance van.
So did I.
Bellini met Vanessa in the library.
He looked elegant.
Calm.
Like a man preparing for dinner rather than facing murder charges.
“Where’s Mom?”
“Safe.”
“I want to see her.”
“You will.”
“Did you kill Anna Moretti?”
Silence.
Bellini smiled.
“Straight to business.”
“Answer me.”
“I protected our family.”
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“That isn’t an answer.”
“She was going to destroy everything.”
“So you killed her.”
“I made a decision.”
Luca’s hands clenched beside me.
Bellini continued.
“You will understand when you have children.”
“No.”
Vanessa’s voice became stronger.
“I don’t think I will.”
“You think Luca will take you back after this?”
She flinched.
Bellini smiled.
“He won’t.”
“This isn’t about Luca.”
“Everything you do is about status.”
That struck her.
Because it was partly true.
Bellini stepped closer.
“You think apologizing to a gardener changes who you are?”
Vanessa said nothing.
“I raised you.”
“Yes.”
“You are my daughter.”
“Yes.”
“You are like me.”
Vanessa looked directly at him.
“No.”
For the first time, her voice did not tremble.
“I learned from you.”
She paused.
“But I don’t have to remain what you taught me to be.”
In the van, Viktor lowered his head.
Bellini’s smile disappeared.
“You always were ungrateful.”
“Where is Mom?”
He pointed downstairs.
Vanessa moved.
Then Bellini grabbed her.
Agents rushed the house.
Luca was out of the van before anyone could stop him.
By the time we entered, Bellini had Vanessa near the staircase.
A gun pressed against her side.
Sofia was tied in the basement.
Alive.
Luca stopped.
Bellini smiled.
“The famous Luca Moretti.”
“Let her go.”
“You sound like your father.”
Luca’s face hardened.
“Don’t.”
“He begged too.”
Luca froze.
“What?”
Bellini smiled.
“The night your mother died.”
The room went silent.
“Your father was there.”
Luca stared.
“No.”
“He followed us.”
Bellini laughed softly.
“He saw the car go through the bridge.”
Luca looked toward Marco.
Marco’s face changed.
Bellini continued.
“And then Anthony Moretti did something none of you know.”
“What?”
“He jumped after her.”
Luca stopped breathing.
Bellini’s smile faded.
“He tried to save your mother.”
Viktor whispered:
“Anthony couldn’t swim.”
“No.”
Bellini nodded.
“He nearly drowned.”
Luca stared at him.
“Then why did he hide the truth?”
“Because I gave him a choice.”
Bellini pressed the gun closer to Vanessa.
“His son or justice.”
Luca’s face went pale.
Bellini smiled.
May you like
“And your father chose you.”
Then a gunshot exploded through the room.
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