Chapter 4 - THE UNCLE WHO CREATED A GHOST
Victor Marquetti had spent fifteen years publicly mourning Salvatore.
And privately profiting from his death.
That was what Samuel—because Tessa could no longer think of him only as Salvatore—showed her inside a locked office beneath Bellavita.
Bank records.
Old newspaper clippings.
Photographs.
Antonio Marquetti beside two sons.
The older one was Salvatore.
The younger one was Samuel.
They looked similar.
Enough that time, surgery, different hair, and silence could blur the difference.
But not identical.
Salvatore had brown eyes.
Samuel’s were gray.
The newspapers simply claimed the trauma changed the surviving heir’s appearance.
People believed what powerful families told them.
Especially when the alternative was dangerous.
“Why did Victor do it?”
Samuel signed:
“Control.”
He explained that the true Salvatore had discovered Victor was stealing money from the organization.
Antonio planned to remove Victor.
Before he could, the attack happened.
Antonio survived for three days.
Salvatore died immediately.
Samuel survived because he had been away at a school for Deaf students.
When he returned, Victor gave him a choice.
Become Salvatore.
Or lose everything.
Including Margaret Marquetti.
Samuel’s mother.
Tessa frowned.
“Your mother was alive?”
Samuel’s jaw tightened.
“Then.”
“What happened?”
“She disappeared six months later.”
Tessa felt a familiar chill.
“Did Victor kill her?”
“I don’t know.”
The answer clearly tortured him.
For fifteen years, Samuel had lived inside his brother’s name while searching for proof against Victor.
Then the original family ledger resurfaced.
The same ledger Dany apparently saw.
“What’s in it?”
“Payments.”
“To who?”
“Victor’s people. Judges. police officers. accountants.”
Samuel paused.
“And the man who arranged my brother’s murder.”
Tessa swallowed.
“You know who?”
He shook his head.
“The final pages are missing.”
Her phone buzzed again.
Dany.
A text.
No words.
Just a photograph.
A dark room.
Concrete wall.
A chair.
And something scratched into the floor.
Tessa zoomed in.
Three letters.
BVT.
“What does that mean?”
Samuel went still.
He recognized it.
“Bellavita.”
Tessa looked around.
“What?”
He pointed downward.
“This building used to have a wine storage basement before renovations.”
“Used to?”
He nodded.
“Victor sealed it twenty years ago.”
Tessa’s pulse accelerated.
“You think Dany is underneath us?”
Samuel signed:
“Yes.”
They moved toward the rear service corridor.
Before they reached the stairs, someone stepped into their path.
Mr. Carlisle.
The general manager.
He smiled.
“Tessa, your shift ended twenty minutes ago.”
She looked at him.
“Move.”
His smile disappeared.
Then he looked at Samuel.
“Mr. Marquetti.”
Samuel’s eyes hardened.
Carlisle reached inside his jacket.
Tessa tensed.
But he pulled out a key.
An old brass key.
He held it toward Samuel.
“I wondered how long it would take you.”
Samuel didn’t move.
May you like
Carlisle whispered:
“Your mother is alive.”
