Chapter 4 - THE WOMAN WHO OWNED THE LEDGER
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Derek disappeared before my security team could reach him.
He left Luca bleeding on the floor.
Dr. Ramirez treated him immediately.
The bullet had passed through his shoulder.
He would survive.
But I couldn't stop thinking about his words.
You still don't know who hired me.
I returned to the vault.
Sophie followed.
She was pale but awake.
Rosie clung to her hand.
“I told you,” Sophie whispered.
“About what?”
“Derek isn't the worst.”
I looked at the silver key.
“Then who is?”
She pointed toward Vault 17.
“Open it.”
The key turned.
The door unlocked.
Inside were twelve metal cabinets.
No gold.
No cash.
No weapons.
Documents.
Thousands of pages.
I opened the first drawer.
Birth certificates.
Marriage licenses.
Death records.
Bank statements.
And one file labeled:
DELUCA SUCCESSION.
I opened it.
The first page contained a family tree.
I expected to see my father's name.
Instead, I saw another.
Antonio DeLuca — Original Founder.
Then:
Isabella Rossi — Primary Heir.
Then:
Marco DeLuca — Protected Successor.
My heart stopped.
I was the heir.
Not Luca.
Not my father.
Me.
The trust had been built around my blood.
But there was another name.
Chloe DeLuca.
I stared.
“Who's Chloe?”
Sophie looked at me.
“Your daughter.”
My heart stopped.
“My daughter?”
“Yes.”
“But Lily…”
Sophie shook her head.
“Lily isn't your only child.”
I couldn't breathe.
“What happened?”
“Your father kept Chloe hidden.”
“Why?”
“Because she inherited the second half of the trust.”
I sat down.
My daughter.
I thought I had lost one child.
Now there were two.
Sophie continued.
“Lily was born first.”
“Chloe second.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Your father had two women carry embryos.”
I stared.
“This is insane.”
“It was his plan.”
“My father's?”
“Yes.”
He wanted two heirs in case one died.
I looked at the documents.
Two children.
Two halves.
The trust could only activate when they stood together.
“And Derek knows.”
“Yes.”
“Luca?”
“Yes.”
“Who else?”
Sophie looked down.
“The person who ordered the explosion.”
My blood froze.
“Who?”
She pointed toward another file.
I opened it.
A photograph.
An elegant woman.
Dark hair.
Silver earrings.
My father's sister.
My aunt.
Victoria DeLuca.
I stared.
My aunt had been living in Connecticut.
She had attended my father's funeral.
She had comforted me after Lily's death.
She had told me:
“You must be strong.”
I felt sick.
“She ordered it?”
Sophie nodded.
“Because she wanted the trust.”
“How?”
“By killing the children.”
I closed my eyes.
“Then why did she let Lily survive?”
“She didn't know.”
“Then why did she send Derek after Chloe?”
“Because he knows Chloe exists.”
I stared at Rosie.
Three years old.
Then I understood.
Rosie wasn't the secret.
Chloe was.
The little girl in my dining room had been carrying my family history around her neck.
“Where is Chloe?”
Sophie looked frightened.
“She isn't here.”
I turned.
“What?”
“I sent her away.”
“Where?”
“To your aunt.”
My blood froze.
“You did what?”
“Because I thought she would protect her.”
I stared.
“She is the one trying to kill her.”
Sophie began crying.
“I didn't know.”
I grabbed my phone.
Marcus answered.
“Boss?”
“Find Victoria.”
“We already have a location.”
“Where?”
“Your old summer estate.”
I froze.
“The lakehouse.”
“Yes.”
A second call came in.
Victor, my legal counsel.
“Marco.”
“What?”
“I found something.”
“Tell me.”
“Your aunt has filed an emergency claim against the DeLuca trust.”
“When?”
“Today.”
I looked toward the vault.
“On what grounds?”
“She claims you are not the biological heir.”
I laughed bitterly.
“Of course.”
Victor paused.
“There is one problem.”
“What?”
“She attached a DNA report.”
My stomach tightened.
“Whose?”
“Yours.”
I stared.
The report said I was not my father's biological son.
My entire identity had been erased.
May you like
And then Victor whispered:
“Marco, the DNA result says your biological father is Derek Voss.”
