Chapter 9 - The Son Who Was Never Buried
Elena arrived at the crypt twenty minutes later.
She looked at the note in Luca's hand and immediately began crying.
“Tell me the truth,” he demanded.
She sat on the stone bench.
“Your father had a relationship before he married me. The woman was named Isabella Bellini. She gave birth to a boy.”
“Marcus.”
Elena nodded.
“But he wasn't Antonio's son.”
Luca stared.
“What?”
“Isabella was already pregnant when she met Antonio. He raised the child as his own for a short time, but the biological father came back.”
“Who was he?”
Elena looked toward the entrance.
“Richard.”
Adrian stepped forward.
“That's impossible.”
“No,” Elena whispered. “It's the truth.”
She explained that Richard had secretly fathered Marcus. Antonio discovered the truth and arranged for the boy to be raised under another identity.
But Richard never forgot.
He believed Marcus was the rightful heir because he carried his blood.
The trust had been designed to protect the child from the Moretti family feud.
Luca looked at the documents.
“So Richard wants the trust for his son?”
Elena shook her head.
“He wants the trust because he believes it will make him the head of the family.”
Adrian frowned.
“Where is Marcus now?”
Elena handed Luca a second photograph.
A man stood outside a small bookstore.
He was older than Luca by several months, with dark hair and a thin scar across his chin.
On the back was an address in Milwaukee.
Sofia checked the location.
“It's real. He's there.”
Luca turned to Gabriel.
“Take a team.”
Gabriel shook his head.
“Too dangerous. Richard will be expecting us.”
“Then I'll go alone.”
Adrian stepped beside him.
“We go together.”
They drove to Milwaukee before sunrise.
The bookstore was closed.
A handwritten sign on the door read: BACK IN TEN MINUTES.
Luca waited outside.
When a man approached carrying a paper bag, he recognized the face from the photograph.
“Marcus Bellini?”
The man stopped.
“Who wants to know?”
Luca showed him the family ring.
Marcus stared.
Then he laughed bitterly.
“Antonio Moretti's sons.”
“I'm Luca.”
“I know.”
Adrian stepped forward.
“And I'm Adrian.”
Marcus studied both faces.
“You're late.”
Luca frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Marcus unlocked the bookstore and let them inside.
He explained that Richard had contacted him years earlier, promising him a place in the family organization.
Marcus refused.
He wanted nothing to do with the Morettis.
But Richard had threatened to expose his mother's past and destroy the small life he had built.
“I don't want your money,” Marcus said. “I don't want your name. I want you to leave me alone.”
Luca understood.
For the first time, he saw what their family had done to someone who had never asked to be part of it.
“I'm not here to make you join us.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Because Richard is coming after you whether you join us or not.”
Marcus looked toward the window.
A black sedan had stopped across the street.
Three men stepped out.
One raised a pistol.
Luca shoved Marcus behind the counter.
Gunfire shattered the front window.
Adrian returned fire.
The brothers moved together without speaking, covering each other's positions as they pushed toward the back exit.
Marcus led them through a narrow alley into a parking garage.
They escaped in his car.
But when they reached Chicago, Luca received a video message.
Antonio sat tied to a chair.
Edward Hart stood behind him.
And beside Edward was a little boy.
Noah.
Edward looked into the camera.
“Bring me the three sons, and I'll return the child.”
Then he smiled.
“But there's one more condition.”
He turned toward Antonio.
“Your father must choose which son gets to live.”
Luca watched as Edward placed three photographs on the table.
One of Luca.
One of Adrian.
And one of Marcus.
Antonio looked at the camera.
His voice was weak.
“Forgive me, boys.”
The video went black.
A final message appeared.
MIDNIGHT. THE OLD WAREHOUSE. THREE SONS ENTER. ONE FAMILY LEAVES.
Luca looked at his brothers.
For the first time, they stood on the same side.
May you like
But none of them knew that Edward had already chosen his target.
And it wasn't Antonio.
