Chapter 8 - THE WOMAN WHO KISSED HIM UNDER A FALSE NAME
Dominic felt physically sick.
Serena.
Sofia.
His cousin.
Not by blood close enough to explain everything, but family.
A girl he remembered from childhood.
Dark hair then.
Different nose.
Different accent.
A different face after years away.
He had not recognized her.
She had stood beside him for eighteen months.
Kissed him.
Slept beside him.
Planned a future.
All while using another name.
Emily stared at the file.
“Why would she come back?”
Dominic’s voice was flat.
“To control what her father failed to control.”
Matteo Vitali had believed Antonio’s legitimate companies should remain tied to the criminal organization.
Antonio disagreed.
He planned to separate them.
Matteo killed him to stop the transfer.
Then groomed Sofia to believe Dominic had stolen her inheritance.
But why hide her identity?
Because Dominic would never have trusted Matteo’s daughter with private company access.
Serena Whitaker, however, was perfect.
Sophisticated.
Independent.
Unconnected.
A lie built for him.
Then Rose wandered into the room carrying crayons.
“Uncle Dominic?”
Emily immediately stood.
“Rose, sweetheart, not now.”
Rose looked at the photograph.
Then pointed.
“That’s pretty lady.”
“Yes,” Dominic said quietly.
“She changed her face.”
Everyone froze.
“What?”
Rose shrugged.
“I heard her tell Mr. Marco.”
Dominic crouched.
“What did she say?”
“She said, ‘You didn’t recognize me either after the surgery.’”
Marco knew.
Dominic’s jaw tightened.
Rose continued:
“Then Mr. Marco said, ‘I recognized your voice.’”
That changed everything.
If Marco recognized Sofia, why didn’t he tell Dominic?
Emily saw the question.
“So he was helping her.”
“Or watching her.”
Dominic called Marco.
No answer.
They tracked his phone.
Warehouse 17.
Friday’s circled appointment.
Tonight.
9:30.
Final opportunity.
Dominic stood.
Emily grabbed his arm.
“You are not going alone.”
“Yes, I am.”
“No.”
“You have Rose.”
“And you apparently have a death wish.”
His eyes met hers.
For one second, something passed between them.
Fear.
Not for themselves.
For each other.
“I’ll take Luca,” he said.
“Good.”
“And you stay here.”
Emily folded her arms.
“Fine.”
He narrowed his eyes.
“That was too easy.”
“Go.”
He did.
At 9:26 p.m., Dominic entered Warehouse 17 with Luca.
Marco stood alone beneath one hanging light.
No weapon visible.
Dominic raised his gun.
“Why didn’t you tell me who Serena was?”
Marco looked exhausted.
“Because your father made me promise.”
“Stop using dead men as excuses.”
“I’m not.”
“Then explain.”
Marco reached into his coat.
Dominic’s gun lifted.
Marco slowly removed a key.
“Your father left a vault.”
“Where?”
“Under this warehouse.”
“What’s inside?”
“Proof.”
“Of what?”
Marco looked at Dominic.
“That Antonio wasn’t the man you think he was.”
Before Dominic could respond, a gunshot cracked from the catwalk.
Marco jerked.
Blood spread across his shirt.
Then Serena stepped from the shadows.
Holding the gun.
May you like
And smiled.
“Hello, cousin.”
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