Chapter 4 - THE WOMAN WHO CAME BACK FROM THE DEAD
The woman at my gate had my mother's eyes.
That was the first thing I noticed.
The second was the small crescent-shaped scar above her left eyebrow.
My mother had received that scar when she was sixteen.
She told me she'd fallen from a bicycle.
I had kissed it as a child whenever she said she had a headache.
Now the same scar appeared on the face of a woman who should have been dead.
I stared at the security monitor.
"That's impossible."
Vincent stood beside me.
"Sir, should I let her in?"
I hesitated.
Then nodded.
"After the police verify her identity and clear her entry."
Twenty minutes later, the woman entered my study.
She stopped when she saw me.
Tears filled her eyes.
"Dante."
My knees almost weakened.
That voice.
I'd heard it in childhood lullabies.
In arguments with my father.
In the whispered prayers she said over me when I was sick.
"Mom?"
She covered her mouth.
"My beautiful boy."
I crossed the room.
She opened her arms.
For one impossible moment, I was ten years old again.
I held her tightly.
She smelled faintly of lavender.
Exactly as I remembered.
Then I pulled back.
"How?"
She lowered her eyes.
"I'm so sorry."
I stepped away.
"Three years."
My voice shook.
"Three years, Mom."
She nodded through tears.
"I know."
"I buried you."
"I know."
I stared at her.
"Why?"
She sat slowly.
"Because someone inside the family wanted me dead."
I looked toward Marcus.
He stood near the doorway.
My mother followed my gaze.
"Marcus helped me disappear."
I turned sharply.
"What?"
"He was following your father's final instructions."
I stared.
"My father knew?"
She nodded.
"Salvatore discovered a conspiracy within the organization before he died. He believed Luca and I would be killed if we stayed."
I felt sick.
"Who was responsible?"
She hesitated.
"Someone who wanted complete control of the Moretti businesses."
I laughed bitterly.
"Half this city wanted that."
My mother reached for my hand.
"But only one person knew every private account, every security code, and every member of our family."
I looked toward Marcus.
His face was pale.
"Who?"
She whispered, "Vincent."
I froze.
Vincent Cole.
My security chief.
The man who had arranged the evacuation.
The man standing beside me throughout the entire investigation.
I turned.
Vincent was gone.
The study door stood open.
A cold sensation crawled down my spine.
Then my phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
A message appeared.
You should have left the box closed, Dante.
A photograph followed.
Clara Alvarez stood outside her apartment building.
Sophie held her hand.
Neither knew someone was watching from across the street.
May you like
Beneath the photograph were six words.
Now the little girl belongs to me.
