Chapter 3 - MY BROTHER'S SECOND FACE
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I found Luca in the west hallway.
He wasn't running.
He was waiting.
“Where is Sophie?”
He looked at me.
“Safe.”
“You drugged her.”
“I protected her.”
“You call that protection?”
“Yes.”
I raised my weapon.
“You have ten seconds.”
Luca smiled.
“You won't shoot your brother.”
“You're counting on that.”
“Yes.”
He stepped closer.
“Because that's what our father taught us.”
I stared.
“What did he teach you?”
“That family comes before everything.”
“Then why are you betraying me?”
Luca's expression changed.
“Because you're wrong about what family means.”
“What does it mean?”
“Control.”
I felt sick.
“You've always wanted the empire.”
“No.”
He laughed.
“I wanted what Dad promised me.”
“What?”
“The succession.”
I frowned.
“You were supposed to inherit.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did Dad choose me?”
His smile disappeared.
“Because he was afraid.”
“Of me?”
“Of what you would become.”
Silence.
“What does that mean?”
Luca looked toward the locked door.
“Your father found out the Black Ledger wasn't what everyone thought.”
I lowered my weapon slightly.
“Then tell me.”
“The ledger contains something else.”
“What?”
“The birth records.”
I froze.
“What birth records?”
“The original DeLuca bloodline.”
I stared.
“You're not my biological brother.”
Luca laughed bitterly.
“What?”
“Our mother had another child.”
I felt cold.
“Who?”
“You.”
I stared at him.
“That makes no sense.”
“Our father adopted you.”
I couldn't breathe.
“No.”
“You were born to another woman.”
“Who?”
Luca stepped closer.
“Isabella Rossi.”
I recognized the name.
My mother's closest friend.
A woman who had died in childbirth.
At least, that's what I had been told.
Luca continued:
“Your father took you after she died.”
“Why?”
“Because her family owned half of the original DeLuca holdings.”
I shook my head.
“This is insane.”
“It gets worse.”
He handed me a photograph.
My father.
Isabella Rossi.
A newborn.
And a young woman.
Sophie.
I stared.
“She's connected too.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Sophie is Isabella's granddaughter.”
My mind went blank.
“That means…”
“She is blood family.”
I looked toward the medical wing.
Rosie.
Lily.
Sophie.
Everyone connected by a history I had never known.
Then Luca whispered:
“Derek doesn't want the ledger.”
“What does he want?”
“Your DNA.”
My blood went cold.
“Why?”
“Because the original DeLuca trust can only be activated by the biological heir.”
I stared.
“The heir is me.”
“Yes.”
“And the ledger proves it.”
“Yes.”
“So you've been trying to kill me.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“I've been trying to force you to reveal yourself.”
I laughed.
“You attacked Sophie.”
“I needed her to reveal the key.”
“You drugged her.”
“I didn't.”
My expression hardened.
“Who did?”
Luca looked behind me.
“Derek.”
The lights suddenly went out.
A gunshot echoed.
Luca pushed me down.
Glass exploded behind us.
“Sniper!”
We hit the floor.
Then another shot.
Luca grabbed my collar.
“Get to the vault.”
“What about you?”
“Go.”
I stared.
“For once, trust me.”
I ran.
But as I entered the stairwell, I heard Luca shouting.
“Derek!”
Then a second voice.
Calm.
Cold.
A voice that had once belonged to one of my father's most trusted lieutenants.
“Sorry, Luca.”
A gunshot.
I froze.
“Luca?”
Silence.
I ran back.
He was on the floor.
Blood on his shoulder.
But alive.
Derek stood over him.
Holding a pistol.
“Your brother wasn't the traitor.”
He looked at me.
“I was.”
May you like
Then he smiled.
“But you still don't know who hired me.”
