Chapter 14 - THE INHERITANCE WORTH KILLING FOR
Bethany stared at James Carter.
"Inherited what?"
He looked toward the estate.
"Your grandfather's trust."
She frowned.
"My grandfather?"
James nodded.
"Elena's father owned medical technology patents and several legitimate healthcare companies. When he died, he placed the assets in a protected family trust."
Dante looked confused.
"I knew Elena came from money."
"Not how much," James replied.
Bethany crossed her arms.
"How much?"
James took a slow breath.
"Nearly four hundred million dollars."
Bethany laughed.
It wasn't happiness.
It was disbelief.
"That's ridiculous."
James shook his head.
"The trust grew through investments and licensing agreements."
Dante's expression hardened.
"Vittorio tried to access it?"
"For decades."
James nodded toward Bethany.
"The trust's final beneficiary was Elena's youngest biological child."
Bethany stopped breathing.
"Me?"
"Yes."
She stared at him.
"Why?"
"Your grandfather wanted to protect the child Elena was expecting. He knew Vittorio was dangerous."
Bethany felt dizzy.
Four hundred million dollars.
She had thirty-seven dollars in her checking account.
Her Honda needed repairs.
Her rent had increased.
And she'd spent years worrying about whether she could afford new shoes for work.
Now someone was telling her she might control a fortune.
But all she could think about was her mother.
Elena.
The woman who had spent decades locked away.
"Vittorio did all this for money?"
James shook his head.
"For control."
Dante looked toward the police vehicle carrying his father.
"I spent my entire life believing power meant never being afraid."
He turned toward Bethany.
"But all he ever did was make everyone around him terrified."
Bethany looked down at the letter James had given her.
She opened it.
My beautiful Sofia,
If you're reading this, I hope you've grown into a woman who knows she is loved.
I don't know what kind of world you'll inherit.
But I pray you'll never measure your worth by money, power, or the name you carry.
If I cannot raise you, please know I wanted to.
Every day.
Bethany began crying.
James waited.
He didn't ask her to forgive him.
He didn't reach for her.
He simply stood there.
Finally, Bethany stepped forward.
And hugged him.
He broke down in her arms.
For the first time in twenty-nine years, she held her father.
Later that afternoon, Dante drove her back toward Dayton.
They stopped outside the hospital where their strange journey had begun.
Bethany looked toward the parking lot.
"All this because I hit your car."
Dante smiled.
"Technically, you attacked it."
She laughed.
"Your poor murder vehicle."
"It survived."
"So did we."
Dante looked at her.
"Yes."
Then Bethany noticed something.
Dante had been unusually quiet.
"What's wrong?"
He hesitated.
"There's something I haven't told you."
Bethany sighed.
"Of course there is."
He looked toward the hospital.
"Three months before you hit my car, I received a letter from Elena."
Bethany stared.
"What letter?"
Dante took an envelope from his coat.
Inside was a photograph of Bethany wearing her nursing uniform.
On the back, Elena had written:
DANTE, FIND YOUR SISTER BEFORE VITTORIO DOES.
Bethany slowly looked up.
"You knew who I was?"
Dante's expression filled with regret.
"I suspected."
She stepped backward.
"Then our accident..."
He shook his head.
"I didn't arrange it."
"But you were at my hospital."
Dante hesitated.
May you like
Then finally admitted the truth.
"I was there because I'd been trying to find you."
