Chapter 9 - The Betrayal That Broke the Mafia King|
I stared at Gabriel.
The man who had helped me escape Dominic's control.
The man who had offered me a safe place to stay.
The man who had stood beside me when everyone else seemed to be lying.
Now Dominic was telling me he was at the center of the conspiracy.
Gabriel noticed my expression.
"What did he say?"
I stepped backward.
"That you helped Vincent disappear."
Gabriel went still.
Then he sighed.
"He's right."
My stomach dropped.
"You lied to me."
"I didn't lie about wanting you safe."
I laughed bitterly.
"That seems to be everyone's excuse."
Gabriel looked toward the investigators.
"Can we speak privately?"
"No."
He nodded slowly.
"Fair enough."
I held up the birth certificate.
"Is this real?"
Gabriel stared at it.
"I don't know."
"Then why bring me here?"
"Because Vincent told me there was evidence hidden in this building."
I frowned.
"Vincent?"
Gabriel nodded.
"He wanted you to find it."
My blood ran cold.
"Why?"
"Because he believes Anthony Russo is your father."
I stared.
"And you just helped him?"
Gabriel looked down.
"Not without questions."
"Then what did you discover?"
He hesitated.
"The document may have been altered."
I felt my knees weaken.
"Altered how?"
"The birth date matches yours. Your mother's name matches the other records. But the father's entry appears to have been added later."
I looked at the investigator.
He nodded cautiously.
"That's possible. It requires examination."
For the first time in hours, I took a full breath.
Nothing had been proven.
Dominic might not be related to me.
But someone wanted us to believe he was.
Someone wanted to destroy our relationship in the most devastating way imaginable.
I turned toward Gabriel.
"Who benefits from this?"
He looked at me.
"Vincent."
"Why?"
Gabriel's expression darkened.
"Because Dominic controls the Russo empire. Vincent believes it should belong to him."
I stared.
"Then why did Vincent trust me with the ledger?"
"Because he knew you'd bring it to Dominic."
My heart raced.
"He wanted Dominic to see it."
"Yes."
"And he wanted Dominic to believe Anthony was alive."
Gabriel nodded.
"Yes."
I looked toward the painting.
Everything began to fall into place.
Vincent had appeared after eleven years.
He'd given me the ledger.
He'd revealed secrets about my father.
He'd pushed Dominic toward a federal investigation.
And now evidence had appeared suggesting Dominic and I shared a father.
All of it could be part of one plan.
But the plan still contained real crimes.
Real victims.
Real documents.
I couldn't simply dismiss everything because Vincent might be manipulating us.
"Where is Vincent now?" I asked.
Gabriel shook his head.
"I don't know."
"Find him."
"I'm trying."
My phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number.
A video.
I opened it.
The screen showed Dominic sitting in a federal interview room.
He looked exhausted.
A man stood across from him.
Silver hair.
Dark suit.
Anthony Russo.
Alive.
My breath caught.
The audio began.
Anthony spoke first.
"You always were too sentimental, Dominic."
Dominic stared at him.
"You let me believe you were dead."
"It was necessary."
"You destroyed our family."
Anthony smiled.
"Family is a business, son."
Dominic stood.
"Where's Vincent?"
Anthony's expression hardened.
"Your brother was never supposed to return."
My heart pounded.
Then Dominic asked:
"Is Mia my sister?"
Anthony was silent.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then he laughed.
"No."
Relief crashed through me.
But it lasted only a moment.
Anthony continued.
"She's something far more valuable."
Dominic stared.
"What does that mean?"
Anthony leaned forward.
"Her mother owned the one thing I could never take."
Dominic frowned.
"What?"
"The original Russo trust."
My eyes widened.
Anthony continued.
"Before any of you were born, Catherine Vale held controlling interests in the companies that later became our empire."
Dominic looked stunned.
"When she died, those interests passed to her daughter."
My hands shook.
Me.
Anthony smiled coldly.
"And I've spent twenty-eight years making sure that girl never discovered what she owned."
The video stopped.
I stared at the screen.
Gabriel leaned closer.
"What is it?"
I couldn't answer.
Then another message appeared.
Mia, the birth certificate was planted. You're not Anthony's daughter.
A third message followed.
But you are the legal owner of everything Dominic believes belongs to him.
My heart raced.
I looked toward the dark staircase.
For years, I'd believed I was an ordinary art appraiser.
A woman with a modest salary.
A small apartment.
A past filled with grief.
Now someone was telling me I owned a criminal empire.
And the man I loved had spent his entire life defending it.
I turned toward Gabriel.
"I want an attorney who specializes in trusts and estates."
He nodded.
"Already arranging one."
"And I want the original documents authenticated."
"Of course."
My phone rang.
Vincent.
I stared at his name.
Then answered.
"Where are you?"
He laughed softly.
"Hello to you too, Mia."
"Why did you give me the ledger?"
"Because you deserved the truth."
"Stop lying."
Silence.
Then Vincent sighed.
"You're becoming more like Dominic."
I clenched my jaw.
"Where are you?"
"Somewhere safe."
"Did you plant that birth certificate?"
A pause.
Then he said:
"Yes."
My breath caught.
"Why?"
"Because I needed Dominic to understand how easily a life can be destroyed by a lie."
I stared.
"You used me."
"I'm sorry."
"No, you're not."
Vincent was silent.
Then he whispered:
"You're right."
My blood ran cold.
"What do you want?"
"The trust documents."
I looked at Gabriel.
Vincent continued.
"Bring them to me, and I'll tell you who really killed your father."
I froze.
"Michael Harrison?"
A long pause.
Then Vincent spoke quietly.
"Michael Harrison is alive, Mia."
My heart pounded.
"Then who?"
Vincent's voice became cold.
"The man who was your biological father."
I stopped breathing.
Before I could ask another question, he ended the call.
May you like
And on my phone, a final message appeared.
Ask Dominic what happened to Catherine Vale.
