Chapter 7 - The ChoiceDominic discovered Marco's final plan two days later.
He wanted the Moretti organization.
Not merely control.
Total control.
The children were leverage.
The missing financial records were leverage.
Sofia's death had been part of the plan.
Marco intended to force Dominic to surrender everything.
But Dominic refused.
"I'll burn the organization before I give it to him."
I looked at him.
"Then do it."
He smiled sadly.
"You know that's what I was thinking."
He began dismantling the criminal side of his operation.
It wasn't easy.
Some men resisted.
Others switched sides.
One night, Vincent returned.
He looked exhausted.
"I know where Marco is."
Dominic stood.
"Where?"
"An old church."
We went.
Marco was waiting.
He stood alone.
No army.
No bodyguards.
Only a gun.
"Dominic."
"Marco."
"You've changed."
"I had children."
Marco smiled.
"That's your weakness."
"No."
Dominic looked toward me.
"That's my reason."
Marco raised his weapon.
I stepped forward.
"Your plan failed."
He looked at me.
"You."
"The woman you ignored."
His smile vanished.
"You should have stayed a waitress."
"I should have."
I looked at Dominic.
"But then I wouldn't have met him."
Marco laughed.
"You think he can love you?"
Dominic stepped between us.
"I already do."
Silence.
I stared at him.
He didn't look away.
Marco lowered his gun slightly.
"You'll destroy everything for her?"
"No."
Dominic's voice was calm.
"I'll destroy everything that hurts my family."
Police sirens sounded outside.
Marco looked shocked.
The nurse had given investigators everything.
So had Vincent.
So had the former hospital administrator.
Marco was surrounded.
He dropped the weapon.
As police arrested him, he looked at Dominic.
"You'll never escape what you are."
Dominic answered:
"Watch me."
For the first time, he walked away without looking back.
The following months were difficult.
Dominic testified.
His criminal organization collapsed.
He surrendered assets connected to illegal activity.
He kept only legitimate businesses.
People called him a traitor.
Others called him a hero.
He didn't care.
He wanted his children safe.
Amelia slowly adjusted to her new life.
Adrian grew stronger.
And I stayed.
Not because Dominic was powerful.
Because beneath everything, he was a man who had learned how to love without controlling.
One evening, he found me sitting in the nursery.
"You could leave," he said.
I looked up.
"Do you want me to?"
"No."
"Then why say it?"
"Because I want you to stay because you choose me."
I smiled.
"I choose you."
He sat beside me.
"Even knowing who I was?"
"I know who you are now."
He reached for my hand.
"I don't know how to do this."
"Do what?"
"Be normal."
I laughed.
"Neither do I."
He smiled.
"Then we'll learn."
But one secret remained.
A secret Dominic hadn't told me.
May you like
The truth about why Sofia had chosen me.
And when I finally learned it, everything changed.
