Chapter 10 - THE PRICE THEY PUT ON HIS DAUGHTER
Luca Moretti had spent his adult life building power.
Money.
Businesses.
Connections.
A reputation that made men lower their eyes when he entered a room.
Now someone was using his newborn daughter as leverage to take control of the Moretti Family Trust.
And for the first time, his wealth meant nothing.
He stared at the photograph.
"My daughter."
His voice broke.
I sat beside him.
"She's alive."
He nodded.
But his eyes remained filled with fear.
"Somewhere."
The investigation moved quickly.
Authorities obtained additional warrants.
Financial accounts connected to Vittorio were reviewed.
Several properties were searched.
And medical professionals prepared to evaluate any children found.
Meanwhile, Luca cooperated.
He provided security records.
Ownership documents.
Communications.
And information about the trust.
His attorney warned him that the investigation could expose criminal activity connected to his own businesses.
Luca listened.
Then said:
"Do it."
I looked at him.
He continued.
"Everything."
For the first time, I believed he was willing to lose power to protect his family.
But the situation remained dangerous.
Vittorio was still missing.
Elena and Amelia had not been found.
And Luca's daughter was somewhere beyond his reach.
One evening, I sat in Luca's home while Leo played nearby.
The little boy had become attached to me.
Whenever I visited, he reached for my necklace.
Sometimes he called me Mama.
At first, it broke my heart.
Now I understood why.
He remembered Amelia.
The woman who had held him when his own mother was forced to hide.
I gently rocked him.
"You're okay, sweetheart."
Leo rested his cheek against my shoulder.
Luca watched from the doorway.
"He's calmer with you."
I smiled sadly.
"He thinks I'm Amelia."
Luca nodded.
"Maybe."
Then he stepped closer.
"But I think he also knows you're kind."
I looked down.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Luca said:
"Avery, I need to apologize."
I frowned.
"For what?"
"For the way I handled Elena's concerns."
I remained silent.
He continued.
"I thought keeping my family safe meant making sure nobody could challenge me."
His voice softened.
"But Elena needed me to listen."
I looked toward Leo.
"And you didn't."
Luca nodded.
"No."
He swallowed.
"I won't make that mistake again."
For the first time, I saw something more valuable than his wealth.
Accountability.
Not complete redemption.
Not yet.
But a beginning.
Then Sarah called.
"We found Vittorio."
Luca stood.
"Where?"
"At a private medical residence near Lancaster."
My heart pounded.
"Is he in custody?"
"Yes."
Relief rushed through me.
But Sarah wasn't finished.
"There's something else."
Luca gripped the phone.
"What?"
"Vittorio agreed to provide information about the child."
His expression hardened.
"Why?"
"Because investigators recovered records he believed had been destroyed."
I leaned closer.
"What records?"
Sarah hesitated.
"Elena's original recordings."
Luca stopped breathing.
Then she continued.
"And one of them includes a conversation between Elena and Vittorio."
His face drained of color.
"What does it say?"
Sarah took a breath.
May you like
Then spoke the words that changed everything.
"Elena told Vittorio she was prepared to expose the truth about Leo's biological father."
