Chapter 8 - THE SECRET INSIDE MY NECKLACE
I ripped the necklace from my throat.
It was a simple silver pendant.
Oval.
Scratched.
Worth almost nothing.
Giovanni had given it to me on my sixth birthday.
Never lose this, Bella.
I'd thought it was sentimental.
Now I hated how often that seemed to happen.
“What does it open?” Alessandro asked.
Vincent Moretti smiled.
“Something worth killing for.”
Elena stepped between us.
“You're not getting it.”
Vincent raised his gun.
Alessandro moved instantly.
Vincent Gallo drew his weapon.
Everyone started shouting.
Then police sirens wailed outside.
Vincent Moretti's smile vanished.
Elena looked surprised.
Alessandro didn't.
I turned.
“You called the police?”
He shrugged.
“You keep telling me to.”
Despite everything, I almost laughed.
Vincent backed toward a side door.
“You think this ends here?”
Alessandro's voice was cold.
“It ends when I say it does.”
Vincent fired toward the ceiling.
Everyone ducked.
By the time officers entered, he had vanished through an old service exit.
I stared at the empty doorway.
“He got away.”
“For now,” Alessandro said.
We returned to the estate under police protection.
The pendant was examined by one of Alessandro's security specialists.
It contained a tiny mechanical mechanism.
Not electronic.
A physical key hidden inside the casing.
Vincent Gallo placed it under a magnifying lamp.
“Old design.”
Alessandro looked at Elena.
“What does it open?”
She closed her eyes.
“A safe deposit box.”
“Where?”
“A private bank downtown.”
“What is inside?”
“Everything.”
I crossed my arms.
“That word has become meaningless today.”
Elena looked at me.
“Carlo collected evidence against Vincent for years. Financial records. Recorded conversations. Names of officials he bribed.”
“And Giovanni?”
“He helped hide the evidence.”
Alessandro's jaw tightened.
“That got him killed.”
“Yes.”
I stared at the pendant.
“And Marco?”
Elena looked worried.
“Daniel believes Marco knows where the bank records are.”
“He doesn't.”
“Then Vincent may use him to force you to open the box.”
My chest tightened.
Alessandro looked at me.
“You're staying here.”
I stared back.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“You learned nothing from our last argument?”
“I learned you're impossible.”
“Good.”
He stepped closer.
“This isn't a restaurant, Isabella.”
“And I'm not one of your employees.”
His eyes darkened.
“I'm trying to keep you alive.”
“Then help me find Marco.”
For several seconds, we stared at each other.
Then Alessandro exhaled.
“Fine.”
I smiled.
“Again, that looked painful.”
“Eventually I'm going to stop arguing with you.”
“No, you won't.”
“No.”
A strange warmth passed between us.
Then I remembered what we'd almost believed earlier.
Siblings.
The thought made both of us awkward.
Alessandro cleared his throat.
“We should verify your parentage.”
“Yes.”
“For legal reasons.”
“Obviously.”
Vincent Gallo turned away, shoulders shaking.
“Are you laughing?”
“No.”
“You are.”
“Absolutely not.”
The DNA test was arranged that night using a private lab.
Results would take hours.
Meanwhile, security traced Daniel Voss's phone.
One signal.
An industrial district near the river.
We rushed there.
Inside an abandoned warehouse, we found Marco tied to a chair.
Alive.
Bruised.
Furious.
“Bella?”
I ran to him.
“Oh my God.”
He hugged me.
“I told them I didn't know anything.”
Alessandro searched the warehouse.
“Where's Voss?”
Marco looked confused.
“He left.”
“When?”
“Five minutes ago.”
“Why?”
Marco swallowed.
“He got a call.”
“From Vincent?”
“No.”
I froze.
“Then who?”
Marco looked toward me.
“He called the person Salvatore.”
Alessandro's face changed.
“Salvatore?”
Marco nodded.
“He said, ‘The girl still trusts Moretti. What do you want me to do?’”
I looked at Alessandro.
The silver-haired businessman from the restaurant.
The man Alessandro had almost attacked.
The man who had started all of this.
And suddenly one thing became clear.
May you like
Salvatore had never been the victim.
He had been waiting for us to blame Vincent.
