Chapter 5 - The Man Alexander Trusted
Sophia did not accuse Dominic.
Neither did Alexander.
They drove Peter to a private clinic under guard and pretended his final word had never been spoken.
But something fundamental had changed.
Dominic Russo had been beside Alexander for twenty-two years.
They had grown up three blocks apart.
Dominic had carried Alexander from a burning car when they were twenty-six.
Alexander had stood beside Dominic when his wife died from cancer.
Dominic was Sofia Moretti’s godfather before the child died in infancy.
Family did not adequately describe them.
That was precisely why Peter’s accusation was so dangerous.
“You don’t believe him,” Sophia said.
Alexander stood on his terrace at two in the morning.
“I believe evidence.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
“No.”
Sophia watched him.
“No, you don’t believe Peter?”
“No, I don’t want to.”
That answer hurt more.
She stepped beside him.
Chicago glittered beneath them.
“What if he’s telling the truth?”
Alexander’s jaw tightened.
“Then I have spent twenty-two years calling my brother’s murderer family.”
Sophia touched his hand.
He looked down.
She had touched him hundreds of times.
Passing documents.
Straightening his tie before meetings.
Pulling lint from his coat.
This was different.
Her fingers slipped between his.
Alexander did not move.
Then he closed his hand around hers.
No declarations.
No kiss.
Just two people standing above Chicago while everything they trusted threatened to collapse.
The next morning brought another surprise.
Richard Vale walked voluntarily into Moretti Holdings.
He carried a locked metal box.
“I assume Peter talked,” he said.
Alexander said nothing.
Richard placed the box on the desk.
“I should have told you six years ago.”
“Yes.”
“I was afraid.”
“My brother died.”
“I know.”
Alexander’s voice turned cold.
“No. You attended his funeral. That isn’t the same thing.”
Richard flinched.
Inside the box were bank statements, photographs, and an old recording device.
Richard explained.
Days before Matteo’s murder, he discovered someone transferring Moretti money through shell companies connected to Victor Serrano.
Richard believed Alexander’s organization had been compromised.
Then he overheard a conversation.
“Dominic?” Sophia asked.
Richard looked at her.
“No.”
Alexander leaned forward.
“Who?”
Richard swallowed.
“Your uncle.”
Carlo Moretti.
Alexander’s father’s younger brother.
Retired.
Beloved.
The man who had taught Alexander to drive.
Carlo had supposedly left Chicago five years earlier because of heart problems.
Richard continued.
“Carlo was selling information to Serrano. Matteo discovered it.”
Alexander stared at him.
“Why?”
“Money. Power. He believed your father should have left the organization to him.”
“And Dominic?”
“Dominic discovered it too.”
Sophia frowned.
“Then why did Peter name him?”
“Because Dominic helped hide the truth.”
Alexander stood.
Richard raised both hands.
“Listen first.”
The night Matteo died, Dominic and Richard had discovered the planned ambush.
Richard removed Alexander from the schedule.
Dominic went after Matteo.
He arrived too late.
Before Matteo died, he told Dominic that Elena was pregnant.
Sophia’s breath caught.
Alexander looked stunned.
“Elena was pregnant?”
“Yes.”
Richard nodded.
“Carlo found out.”
Suddenly everything made sense.
A child of Matteo Moretti and Elena Rossi would unite two bloodlines and potentially inherit influence from both.
Carlo had not merely wanted Matteo dead.
He wanted the child gone too.
“Dominic helped Elena disappear,” Richard said.
Alexander looked toward the door as if expecting his oldest friend to appear.
“He lied to me.”
“To keep her alive.”
“For six years?”
“Carlo still had people inside your organization.”
Alexander’s voice cracked with fury.
“So Dominic decided what truth I was allowed to know?”
“He made a promise to your dying brother.”
Silence.
Sophia opened the box.
At the bottom was a photograph.
Elena holding a newborn baby.
On the back:
Gabriel Matteo Rossi.
Alexander sat.
His nephew.
Alive.
Somewhere.
Sophia watched twenty years disappear from his face.
“Where is he?”
Richard shook his head.
“Only Dominic knows.”
Alexander summoned him.
Dominic entered ten minutes later.
He saw the box.
Then Richard.
His shoulders dropped.
“It’s time,” Richard said.
Alexander walked toward him.
“Is my nephew alive?”
Dominic closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
Alexander punched him.
Dominic staggered but did not defend himself.
“Six years.”
“I know.”
“You let me bury my brother believing his entire family died with him.”
“I kept his son alive.”
“You should have trusted me.”
“I trusted you. I didn’t trust the people around you.”
Alexander pointed at himself.
“I was the people around me.”
“No. You were grieving. Angry. Killing anyone you thought responsible. Carlo knew exactly how to manipulate you.”
Alexander stopped.
Because it was true.
Dominic looked at Sophia.
“Carlo returned to Chicago three months ago.”
“Why?” she asked.
“Because Elena contacted Alexander.”
“She never contacted me,” Alexander said.
Dominic looked confused.
“Yes, she did.”
“When?”
“Three months ago. She sent a letter to this office.”
Sophia’s mind raced.
Every letter addressed personally to Alexander crossed her desk.
She had never seen it.
“Who handled mail before it reached me?”
Dominic answered.
“Executive security.”
Alexander’s face hardened.
The head of executive security was Malcolm Price.
Carlo Moretti’s godson.
Then Alexander’s desk phone rang.
Sophia answered automatically.
“Sophia Bennett.”
A child’s voice came through.
“Is Uncle Alexander there?”
She froze.
Alexander saw her face.
“Who is it?”
Sophia put the call on speaker.
Alexander stepped closer.
“Yes?”
The boy breathed shakily.
“My name is Gabriel.”
Alexander gripped the desk.
The child continued.
“My mom told me if something happened, I should call you.”
Alexander’s voice softened instantly.
“Gabriel, where is your mother?”
“I don’t know.”
A muffled sound came through.
May you like
Then the boy whispered:
“Someone took her.”
