Chapter 7 - The Man Who Came Back From the Dead
Daniel had abandoned me before Noah was born.
At least, that's what I'd believed.
He had disappeared without explanation.
No phone.
No message.
Nothing.
Now he stood ten feet away holding a gun.
Lorenzo stepped between us.
“Who is this?”
I couldn't answer.
Daniel did.
“I'm the reason your son survived.”
Lorenzo raised his weapon.
“You have three seconds.”
Daniel smiled.
“You can kill me.”
He looked at me.
“But then you'll never learn what happened.”
I hated him.
I wanted to run.
I wanted to scream.
Instead I asked:
“Why did you leave?”
His face changed.
“Because Elena threatened you.”
I laughed.
“You expect me to believe that?”
“She knew you were pregnant.”
My stomach tightened.
“She told me she'd kill you if I stayed.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I believed her.”
He lowered his gun.
“I was wrong.”
Lorenzo stared at him.
“What did you know about the bombing?”
Daniel looked toward Elena.
“She planned the baby switch.”
“Why?”
“Because she wanted Lorenzo's heir.”
“That's not the whole story,” I said.
Daniel looked at me.
“No.”
He took a breath.
“I was working for Marcus.”
Lorenzo's expression became murderous.
“I knew it.”
“I infiltrated the Rossi organization.”
Daniel looked at me.
“Then I fell in love with you.”
I shook my head.
“Don't.”
“I was supposed to betray Lorenzo.”
“But you didn't.”
“No.”
“What happened to Noah?”
Daniel looked toward the ground.
“After the bombing, I found out Sophia had survived long enough to give birth.”
“She died?”
“Yes.”
“And my baby?”
“Taken.”
“By Elena?”
“Yes.”
“Then how did he survive?”
Daniel looked at Lorenzo.
“Margaret found him.”
Lorenzo closed his eyes.
“She took him?”
“She hid him.”
“Where?”
Daniel hesitated.
“In a private medical facility.”
My heart broke.
“All this time?”
“I tried to find you.”
“You could have.”
“I was being hunted.”
“You could have called.”
“I was afraid.”
I stepped closer.
“You don't get to call fear an excuse.”
He nodded.
“You're right.”
Suddenly, a phone rang.
Lorenzo answered.
His face changed.
“Leo is missing.”
My blood froze.
“What?”
A security guard had discovered the nursery empty.
Again.
Daniel immediately looked at Elena.
She smiled.
“You still don't understand.”
Then she ran.
Lorenzo chased her.
I followed.
We found Elena in the garage.
She stood beside a black SUV.
Leo was inside.
I screamed.
“LEO!”
Elena slammed the door.
The SUV accelerated.
Lorenzo fired at the tires.
The vehicle crashed through the gate.
We jumped into another car.
The chase began.
Long Island blurred past.
Elena drove recklessly.
Leo's cries came through the open window.
I couldn't breathe.
“She'll hurt him.”
Lorenzo gripped the wheel.
“No.”
“Promise me.”
“I promise.”
We followed her to an abandoned estate.
The SUV stopped.
Elena disappeared inside.
We entered.
A baby cried upstairs.
I ran.
Lorenzo shouted after me.
“Hunter!”
I ignored him.
I burst into the room.
Leo lay on a table.
Elena stood beside him.
She held a syringe.
“Stop!”
She smiled.
“You really do love him.”
I moved closer.
“Put it down.”
“He was supposed to be my ticket to power.”
“He's a baby.”
“He's an heir.”
“No.”
I stepped forward.
“He's my son.”
Elena raised the syringe.
Then Lorenzo appeared behind her.
“Drop it.”
She turned.
Her hand shook.
For one second, I thought she would surrender.
Then she smiled.
And injected herself.
She collapsed.
The syringe hit the floor.
Lorenzo rushed to Leo.
I grabbed my baby.
He cried.
Then calmed.
I held him against my heart.
Behind us, Elena whispered:
“You think this is over?”
May you like
Her eyes closed.
“It isn't.”
