Chapter 7 - THE DEVIL WORE A RED SILK GOWN
I recognized that name.
Everyone in the city knew the name Lorenzo Romano.
He was the head of the Romano syndicate. The only mafia family powerful enough to rival the Morettis.
Vanessa wasn’t just stealing the estate.
She was selling it to Luca’s greatest enemy.
“Sign it,” Vanessa ordered, twisting her grip on my bleeding arm.
“Miss Bellini,” I gasped, making sure the hidden earpiece picked up my voice. “This is a transfer of the Moretti estate to the Romano family. Mr. Moretti didn’t sign this.”
Vanessa laughed. A cold, hollow sound.
“Mr. Moretti is currently bleeding out in a cheap apartment across town. Dr. Harris made sure of that.”
I kept my hand shaking as I held the pen.
“You forged his signature.”
“Of course I did, you idiot.” She shoved me toward the desk. “Now sign on the witness line before I have Lorenzo’s men pay a visit to your little boy.”
My blood ran cold.
She didn’t know Leo was safe. She thought he was still at home.
I signed my name.
The second the ink dried, the library doors flew open.
Teresa Moretti stood in the doorway.
Luca’s younger sister.
She wore a long black coat, her face pale but fierce.
“You always were sloppy, Vanessa,” Teresa said, stepping into the room.
Vanessa froze.
She dropped my arm and reached into her designer purse, pulling out a small, silver handgun.
“Teresa,” Vanessa sneered. “I thought you were hiding in Boston.”
“I was waiting,” Teresa corrected. “Waiting for you to make a mistake.”
Teresa tossed a thick manila folder onto the floor.
Pages spilled out.
Bank records. Wire transfers.
“I tracked the money you stole from your father’s company,” Teresa said. “And I tracked the payment you sent to the hitman who killed David Hayes.”
Vanessa’s hand trembled, but she kept the gun raised.
“It doesn’t matter,” Vanessa spat. “Lorenzo Romano is on his way here right now. Once he has these deeds, the Moretti family is finished.”
“Lorenzo isn’t coming,” a deep voice echoed from the hallway.
Luca walked into the library.
His shoulder was heavily bandaged under his suit, but his presence sucked all the air out of the room.
Vanessa stumbled back, her face draining of color.
“Harris said—”
“Harris is currently answering questions in a soundproof basement,” Luca interrupted.
He walked slowly toward her.
“You killed my mother.”
Vanessa raised the gun toward Luca’s chest.
“Stay back!” she screamed.
“You stole my father’s watch.”
Luca took another step.
“And you threatened a child.”
“I’ll shoot you!” Vanessa shrieked, her finger tightening on the trigger.
Before she could fire, I grabbed the heavy brass paperweight from the desk and smashed it into her wrist.
The gun fired wildly into the ceiling.
Vanessa collapsed to her knees, screaming in pain, grasping her shattered wrist.
Luca kicked the gun away.
The library was silent, save for Vanessa’s sobbing.
Luca looked at his sister.
Teresa walked forward, tears in her eyes.
She didn’t say a word. She just threw her arms around her brother.
Three years of grief, lies, and manipulation melted away in that single embrace.
Luca closed his eyes, holding his sister tightly.
Then he looked at me.
“Are you hurt?” he asked.
“No,” I breathed.
Luca turned to his guards, who had quietly entered the room.
“Take her,” Luca ordered, pointing at Vanessa. “Hand her over to the police with the embezzlement and murder files. Let her rot.”
The guards dragged Vanessa out.
It was over.
But as Mrs. Carter rushed into the room to clean up the mess, she handed Luca a thick, black envelope.
“Sir,” Mrs. Carter whispered. “This was taped to the front gate.”
Luca opened it.
He pulled out a single photograph.
May you like
And his face turned to stone.
TITLE: THE BLACK ENVELOPE THAT STOPPED MY HEART
