Chapter 9 - THE MAN MARCO TOOK A BULLET FOR
Marco collapsed.
Dominic caught him before he hit the concrete.
“Marco.”
Blood poured through Dominic’s fingers.
Luca returned fire toward the catwalk.
Serena disappeared behind steel beams.
Marco grabbed Dominic’s sleeve.
“Vault.”
“Forget the vault.”
“No.”
“You’re bleeding.”
“Key.”
He forced it into Dominic’s hand.
“Antonio knew.”
“Knew what?”
Marco coughed.
“That Sofia would come back.”
Dominic stared.
Twenty years ago?
Impossible.
Marco continued:
“Matteo trained her from childhood.”
“For what?”
“To finish him.”
“Who?”
“You.”
Dominic went cold.
Serena’s plan had never been only financial.
She had been raised to believe Dominic’s branch destroyed hers.
Marco had recognized Sofia six months into the relationship.
Instead of exposing her, he contacted Daniel Bennett.
Why Daniel?
Because Daniel had inherited Enzo Bellini’s old files.
Marco needed someone outside the organization.
That was why Daniel died.
“He found her plan,” Marco whispered.
“Who killed Daniel?”
Marco’s eyes filled with guilt.
“Not Sofia.”
Dominic’s face hardened.
“Who?”
“Enzo’s old man.”
“Enzo is dead.”
“Not Enzo.”
Marco struggled to breathe.
“His lieutenant.”
“Name.”
Before he could answer, another shot hit the floor.
Luca dragged Dominic behind cover.
Police sirens approached.
Serena had planned the escape.
Smoke filled the warehouse.
By the time it cleared, she was gone.
Marco survived surgery.
Barely.
Dominic used the key.
Beneath Warehouse 17 sat an old secure room.
Inside were videotapes.
Company records.
Antonio’s private journal.
And one document that changed everything.
A guardianship agreement.
Signed by Antonio.
If Dominic died before age thirty-five without an heir, controlling shares of Vitali Holdings transferred to Matteo’s daughter.
Sofia.
Dominic stared.
“So she needed me dead before thirty-five.”
Luca shook his head.
“You’re forty.”
“Which means the clause expired.”
“Unless…”
Luca pulled another paper.
Sofia had filed a legal challenge years ago claiming Dominic was not Antonio’s biological son.
If she proved it, the inheritance structure reopened.
Dominic laughed bitterly.
“Of course.”
Then he found Antonio’s DNA report.
Sealed.
He opened it.
Dominic Vitali.
Probability of biological relationship to Antonio Vitali:
0.00%.
The room tilted.
Antonio was not his father.
Dominic whispered:
“Who was?”
Luca turned the next page.
The name was there.
Enzo Bellini.
Marco’s father.
May you like
Dominic stopped breathing.
He and Marco were half brothers.
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