Chapter 7 - Blood Is Not a Marriage
Nobody spoke.
Sophia looked at Antonio.
Then at Roman.
Then back at Antonio.
"You're lying."
Antonio shook his head.
"Your mother and I were married before Roman was born. We separated after she discovered the family business was being used for things she could no longer accept."
Sophia struggled to breathe.
"Why would she leave me with Daniel?"
"Because Daniel was the only man she trusted."
"Why didn't anyone tell me?"
Isabella answered.
"Because your mother asked us to keep you out of this family."
Sophia laughed through her tears.
"Then why did you let Roman marry me?"
Isabella's expression changed.
"Because Antonio wanted you back."
Roman looked at his father.
"You arranged my marriage?"
Antonio didn't deny it.
"I needed someone inside the family who could find the evidence your mother had hidden."
Roman stared at him.
"You used me."
"I gave you an opportunity to protect your blood."
"She was twenty-four years old. She trusted me."
"She was the daughter of the woman who owned everything."
Roman stepped toward him.
"She was my wife."
Antonio's smile disappeared.
"Not anymore."
He removed a document from his jacket.
It was a legal declaration.
A marriage annulment.
Signed by Sophia.
She stared at it.
"I never signed that."
Antonio placed the paper on the table.
"Your signature is right there."
Sophia examined it.
It looked authentic.
But she had never seen it before.
Roman took the document and tore it in half.
"She's not leaving this family because you say so."
Antonio's eyes narrowed.
"You're forgetting who built this family."
"And you're forgetting who runs it."
For a moment, father and son stood facing each other.
Then Antonio laughed.
"You're exactly like me."
Roman lowered his gun.
"No. That's the problem."
A noise came from the hallway.
Matteo turned.
Adrian appeared at the end of the corridor.
He was holding Elena's hand.
Matteo rushed toward them.
"Adrian!"
The boy ran into his father's arms.
Elena followed more slowly.
Her face was bruised, but she was alive.
Sophia hurried toward her.
"Where have you been?"
Elena looked at Antonio.
"Trying to get away from him."
Antonio's expression darkened.
"You should have stayed gone."
Elena pulled a small recording device from her pocket.
"Your problem is that you never learned to stop talking."
She pressed a button.
A voice filled the hallway.
Antonio's voice.
"...Daniel will never leave that warehouse alive. Isabella will handle the daughter. Roman will marry her, and when the evidence surfaces, the entire company will belong to us."
Roman's expression turned murderous.
The recording continued.
"Once the girl signs the final papers, she won't be useful anymore."
Sophia felt sick.
"That's why you arranged our marriage."
Antonio didn't deny it.
Elena turned toward Roman.
"There's more."
She played another recording.
This one was quieter.
A woman's voice.
Isabella.
"...if Catherine ever finds out the child is alive, she'll come back. And if she comes back, none of us will survive."
Sophia looked at Isabella.
"Where is my mother?"
Isabella closed her eyes.
"She's dead."
Sophia shook her head.
"You're lying."
"I saw her body."
Elena stepped forward.
"You saw a body in a hospital morgue. That doesn't mean it was Catherine."
Isabella's face went white.
Sophia took a step toward her.
"What happened that night?"
Isabella finally broke.
"Your mother discovered that Antonio planned to sell the entire company to a foreign syndicate. She confronted him. He ordered her killed."
Antonio raised his gun.
Roman immediately aimed at him.
"Put it down."
Antonio's eyes moved between them.
Then the gun slipped from his hand.
Security officers rushed into the hallway.
Matteo had already summoned reinforcements.
Antonio was restrained.
But as they dragged him away, he turned toward Sophia.
"You're celebrating too early, sweetheart."
Roman stepped forward.
"Keep walking."
Antonio smiled at Sophia.
"Your mother isn't dead."
He leaned closer.
"She's been watching you for five years."
Sophia froze.
May you like
Then Antonio whispered something that made her blood run cold.
"Ask your husband why he visits her every month."
