Chapter 5 - HIS WIFE'S SECRET
The bullet missed Raffaele's liver by less than an inch.
Sera stayed beside him through surgery.
She stayed when the surgeon said he would survive.
She stayed after Lorenzo told her to sleep.
And when Raffaele finally opened his eyes at 3:43 a.m., she was sitting beside his hospital bed wearing his bloodstained shirt.
"You look terrible," he whispered.
Her eyes opened.
"You were shot."
"I noticed."
She stood.
"You scared me."
Raffaele studied her.
There was no sarcasm.
No armor.
Just fear.
He reached for her hand.
Sera let him take it.
"You were crying."
"No."
"Your eyes are red."
"I'm tired."
"Liar."
"You're medicated."
"Still handsome."
She laughed.
It was the first time he had heard the sound without restraint.
Something inside him shifted permanently.
"You should laugh more."
"You should get shot less."
"Deal."
His thumb moved over her knuckles.
"Sera."
"What?"
"If I kiss you when I'm discharged, will you blame the morphine?"
Her eyes widened.
"Probably."
"Then remind me to ask again when I'm sober."
Three days later, Raffaele discovered his wife had lied to him.
Sera had disappeared from the hospital for four hours.
Security tracked her to an abandoned church outside Naples.
Raffaele, against medical advice, followed.
He found her standing before an elderly priest.
And beside the priest was the man from the photograph.
Antonio Conti.
Alive.
Sera's father.
Raffaele stopped at the church entrance.
Sera was crying.
Antonio held her face in both hands.
"My little star."
"You let me think you were dead."
"I had to."
"For thirteen years?"
Antonio's face crumpled.
"I thought staying dead kept you alive."
Sera stepped away.
"Who were you hiding from?"
Antonio looked toward Raffaele.
"His family."
Raffaele entered.
"Which member?"
Antonio stared at him.
"You look like your father."
"My father died when I was seventeen."
"No."
The church went silent.
Raffaele's expression hardened.
"What did you say?"
Antonio looked at Sera.
Then at him.
"Your father didn't die in a boating accident."
Raffaele moved closer.
"Careful."
"Domenico killed him."
Sera inhaled.
Raffaele's face became stone.
Antonio continued.
"Your father, Vittorio, discovered Domenico was planning to dismantle the criminal side of the organization. He believed it would destroy everything their father built. Vittorio began working with outsiders."
"My father was loyal."
"To power."
"You're lying."
"I helped Domenico cover up Vittorio's death."
Raffaele grabbed Antonio by the collar.
Sera moved instantly.
"Raffaele!"
"My father drowned."
"No," Antonio said, remarkably calm. "He was shot."
Raffaele's grip tightened.
"Where?"
"Ferrara vineyard."
Sera placed both hands against Raffaele's arm.
"Let him go."
He didn't.
"Raffaele."
Her voice changed.
Not frightened.
Gentle.
He looked at her.
Slowly, he released Antonio.
Antonio coughed.
"Vault Seven contains proof."
"Where is it?"
"I don't know anymore."
Sera stared.
"You created it."
"I created seven archives. Six were decoys. Domenico moved the real one without telling me."
"Why?"
"Because someone found me seven years ago."
"Luca?"
Antonio shook his head.
"Someone worse."
Raffaele asked, "Who?"
Antonio looked directly at him.
"Your mother."
Raffaele hadn't spoken to Alessandra Ferrara in five years.
She lived in Switzerland and maintained the carefully curated existence of a wealthy widow who attended charity boards and avoided questions about her family.
Sera watched Raffaele process the accusation.
"My mother hated the organization."
Antonio shook his head.
"Your mother hated being excluded from it."
"What does she want?"
"Vault Seven contains leverage over half the people who made the Ferraras powerful. Whoever owns it doesn't inherit an empire."
Antonio paused.
"They control one."
A noise sounded outside.
Raffaele reached inside his jacket.
Security shouted.
Then an explosion blew open the church's side entrance.
Sera hit the floor.
Men entered through smoke.
Raffaele fired.
Antonio dragged Sera behind the altar.
Gunshots thundered through the church.
Then Antonio jerked.
Sera saw blood.
"Dad?"
He collapsed.
"No."
She caught him.
"No, no, no."
Antonio pressed something into her hand.
A silver medallion.
"Library," he gasped.
"What?"
"Domenico's library. The stars."
His breathing broke.
"Sera... I watched you... every birthday."
She sobbed.
"I love you."
"I know."
"I'm sorry."
Then Antonio Conti died in his daughter's arms for the second time.
Only this time, she had to watch.
Raffaele found her after the attackers retreated.
She sat on the church floor holding her father's body.
He lowered himself beside her despite the pain in his wound.
Sera didn't look at him.
"He came back for twelve minutes."
Raffaele said nothing.
"Twelve minutes."
Her voice broke.
"Thirteen years waiting, and I got twelve minutes."
Raffaele wrapped his arms around her.
For once, Sera didn't resist.
She buried her face against his chest and cried until neither of them knew whose blood stained his shirt.
Hours later, as dawn entered through the shattered stained glass, Sera opened her hand.
The silver medallion showed seven stars.
Raffaele looked at it.
"The library."
Sera wiped her eyes.
"Domenico's ceiling."
"What?"
She stood.
"The mural above the fireplace."
Seven painted stars.
Raffaele understood.
"Vault Seven was never in Naples."
May you like
Sera looked toward the sunrise.
"It has been inside the Ferrara estate the entire time."
