Chapter 3 - [A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD SECRET IN THE SHADOWS]
The silence in the kitchen was absolute.
“To the father of my son.”
Luca read the words again.
He didn’t look up. He didn’t blink.
He just stared at the engraved gold until his knuckles turned white.
“Luca, please,” Vanessa whispered.
She took a step toward him.
He held up one hand.
It was a small gesture, but the authority behind it stopped her dead in her tracks.
“My father had a son with you.” Luca’s voice was completely devoid of emotion.
That was what made it so terrifying.
Vanessa’s chest heaved. “It was a mistake. I was young. He was powerful.”
“Where is the child?” Luca asked.
“He’s safe.”
“Where. Is. The. Child.”
The bass in Luca’s voice rattled the crystal glasses on the counter.
Vanessa looked at me. Then at Maria.
She was calculating her next move. The lie hadn’t worked. The deflection had failed. Now, she was cornered.
“He’s upstairs,” she said.
The answer hit me like a physical blow.
Upstairs.
I thought of the massive, sprawling third floor of the estate. The south wing was off-limits to the staff. Vanessa had strictly forbidden anyone from cleaning it, claiming she used it as a private design studio.
“Upstairs,” Luca repeated. “In my house.”
“I brought him here two months ago,” Vanessa confessed, her voice shaking. “When I moved in. I didn’t know how to tell you.”
“You hid my half-brother in my own home for two months?”
“I told him he couldn’t leave the wing!” Vanessa cried. “I was going to tell you after the wedding! I just needed to secure my place here first!”
“Secure your place,” Maria echoed, disgust heavy in her voice. “You used a child as leverage.”
Luca turned to me.
“Emma.”
“Yes, Mr. Moretti.”
“Go upstairs. Bring the boy down.”
“Wait!” Vanessa screamed, lunging forward. “You can’t just drag him down here! He’s terrified of people!”
“Emma,” Luca said, ignoring her. “Go.”
I didn’t hesitate.
I ran through the dining room.
Matteo, the underboss, was already ushering the confused guests out the front door.
I sprinted up the grand staircase. First floor. Second floor.
The third floor was dark. The hallway runner was thick enough to muffle my footsteps.
I reached the double doors of the south wing.
They were locked.
I pulled my master key ring from my apron, hands shaking.
I unlocked the doors and pushed them open.
The wing was pitch black. No lights. No sound of a television.
“Hello?” I called out softly.
Silence.
I walked down the hall, opening doors.
Empty guest room.
Empty bathroom.
I reached the last door at the end of the hall.
I turned the knob.
The room was illuminated only by a small nightlight plugged into the wall.
Sitting on the edge of a massive four-poster bed was a little boy.
He looked about seven years old.
He had dark, messy hair.
And the exact same striking gray eyes as Luca.
He wasn’t crying. He was just sitting there, swinging his legs, holding a crumpled piece of paper.
“Hi,” I whispered, kneeling down to his eye level. “Are you Vanessa’s son?”
He looked at me.
“She told me to call her Aunt V,” he said quietly.
His voice was so small, so incredibly polite.
“My name is Emma,” I said. “Can you come downstairs with me? Someone wants to meet you.”
He clutched the piece of paper tighter.
“Is it the bad man?”
My heart broke. “What bad man, sweetheart?”
“Aunt V says the man who owns this house is a monster. She says if he sees me, he’ll throw me away.”
I felt a surge of pure anger toward Vanessa.
“He’s not a monster,” I promised. “His name is Luca. And he is going to keep you safe.”
The boy studied my face.
Children know when adults are lying.
Whatever he saw in my eyes, he believed it.
He slid off the bed.
“Okay,” he whispered.
I took his small, warm hand in mine.
We walked out of the dark wing. Down the stairs.
When we reached the kitchen, the tension was thick enough to choke on.
Luca turned around.
When he saw the boy, all the anger drained from his face.
He stepped forward, falling to one knee so he wasn't towering over him.
For a long time, Luca just looked at his brother. The resemblance to their father was undeniable.
“What’s your name?” Luca asked softly.
“Leo,” the boy answered.
“Leo,” Luca repeated. “It’s a strong name.”
Vanessa took a step forward. “Leo, come to mommy.”
Leo shrank back behind my legs.
He didn’t go to her.
Instead, he held out the crumpled piece of paper to Luca.
“I found this under the floor in my room,” Leo whispered. “I can’t read the big words. But it has a picture of you.”
Luca took the paper.
He unfolded it.
I saw his jaw tighten so hard I thought his teeth would crack.
He looked up at Vanessa.
May you like
“You didn’t just hide him,” Luca said, his voice dropping to a lethal calm. “You were planning to replace me.”
TITLE: THE DOCTOR'S SIGNATURE IN RED INK
