Chapter 4 - The Bloodline
The truth about the Romano family was buried beneath decades of lies.
My father had ruled with fear.
But he had also ruled with loyalty.
When he died, his empire didn't simply collapse.
It was stolen.
His most trusted lieutenant, Vincent Vale, betrayed him.
He murdered Gabriel Romano's closest men.
Destroyed the family records.
Hunted my mother.
And announced that the Romano bloodline was extinct.
But Vincent made one mistake.
He believed a sixteen-year-old girl had died that night.
She hadn't.
I had survived.
And now, apparently, someone had discovered it.
Adrian spent the next two days investigating.
His men found nothing.
Every record of my identity had been erased.
Then a photograph appeared.
It showed my mother.
Standing beside Vincent Vale.
Alive.
My hands shook.
“My mother knows where he is.”
Adrian nodded.
“We'll ask her.”
We flew to the private clinic that night.
My mother looked fragile.
But when she saw Adrian, her expression changed.
Then she saw the ring.
Her face went white.
“Melissa.”
“Mom, tell me the truth.”
She looked at Adrian.
“You brought him here.”
“Yes.”
“Then we're all in danger.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“Who is Vincent Vale?”
My mother closed her eyes.
“The man who killed your father.”
I swallowed.
“I know.”
“No.”
She looked at me.
“You don't.”
Her voice trembled.
“Vincent didn't betray your father for money.”
Adrian frowned.
“Then why?”
“Because Gabriel discovered the truth.”
“What truth?”
My mother stared at him.
“Your father wasn't Gabriel's enemy.”
Adrian went still.
“He was his partner.”
Silence.
She continued.
“Gabriel and Marco Moretti built their empires together.”
Adrian's face hardened.
“My father hated the Romanos.”
“He pretended to.”
“Why?”
“To protect them.”
My mother reached beneath her pillow.
She pulled out an old photograph.
Two young men stood together.
Gabriel Romano.
Marco Moretti.
They were laughing.
Friends.
Brothers.
Adrian stared at the photograph.
“My father never smiled like that.”
“He did once.”
My mother looked at me.
“Before the war.”
Then she whispered:
“Your father and Marco discovered that someone inside both organizations was selling information to federal agents and rival families.”
“Vincent.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't they expose him?”
“Because Vincent had already infiltrated the police, the courts, and the government.”
My mother looked terrified.
“They knew they couldn't win.”
“So they made a plan.”
Adrian leaned forward.
“What plan?”
“To fake their deaths.”
I stared.
“What?”
“Gabriel and Marco planned to disappear.”
My mother shook her head.
“But Vincent discovered the plan.”
He killed Gabriel.
He believed Marco was dead.
But Marco survived.
Adrian's face went pale.
“My father…”
“He survived the massacre.”
“Where is he?”
My mother looked at me.
“That is what Vincent has been searching for all these years.”
The room became silent.
Then Adrian's phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed.
“Boss.”
The voice on the other end was frantic.
“We found something in the old Romano vault.”
“What?”
“A video.”
Adrian looked at me.
“It's addressed to Melissa.”
We returned to the mansion.
The video showed my father.
Older.
Tired.
Alive.
My knees nearly collapsed.
“Melissa, if you're seeing this, it means Vincent has found you.”
Tears filled my eyes.
“My little girl…”
He smiled.
“I need you to know something.”
He looked directly into the camera.
“The Moretti family is not your enemy.”
Then he said the words that changed everything.
“Adrian is the boy I saved.”
I covered my mouth.
My father continued.
“I saved him because I promised his father I would protect him as my own.”
The video ended.
I looked at Adrian.
Neither of us spoke.
Then the screen flickered back on.
A second recording began.
My father's expression had changed.
He looked frightened.
“There's one thing I never told Marco.”
My heart stopped.
“Vincent didn't act alone.”
My father whispered a name.
A name that made Adrian stand abruptly.
His wheelchair overturned.
May you like
Because the person Gabriel named...
was someone Adrian had trusted for years.
