Chapter 10: The Woman Who Was Supposed To Be Dead
Rico Moretti had seen impossible things before.
Men walking away from accidents they should not have survived.
Enemies becoming allies.
Friends becoming enemies.
But nothing prepared him for the woman standing beside Matteo.
Because she was a ghost.
A memory.
A name that belonged to a different life.
“Isabella.””
The woman’s face tightened.
Hearing her name from Rico’s mouth seemed to hurt.
For a moment, nobody moved.
Not Matteo.
Not Rico.
Not even Clara, who stood several feet behind him.
Because she understood one thing immediately.
This wasn’t a stranger.
This was history.
Leo stood beside Isabella, holding her hand.
Not afraid.
Not crying.
Just confused.
“Daddy?””
Rico’s eyes immediately moved to his son.
The anger disappeared.
Everything disappeared.
“Leo.””
He took one step forward.
Matteo raised a hand.
Rico stopped.
The movement was small.
But the message was clear.
One wrong move.
One emotional mistake.
And Matteo would use it.
“Let him go.””
Matteo smiled.
“You’re still giving orders.””
Rico’s voice lowered.
“I said let him go.””
Isabella looked at Matteo.
“Enough.””
The word surprised everyone.
Especially Matteo.
“You don’t get to use him like this.””
Matteo’s smile faded.
“Careful.””
Isabella looked back at Rico.
“I’m sorry.””
Rico stared at her.
“For what?””
“For being alive.””
The answer hit harder than he expected.
Clara watched Rico’s expression.
He looked angry.
But beneath that anger was something else.
Confusion.
Pain.
A thousand unanswered questions.
“You died.””
Isabella nodded.
“Yes.””
“That’s impossible.””
“It was supposed to be.””
Matteo looked annoyed.
“This emotional reunion is wasting time.””
Rico turned toward him.
“You knew.””
Matteo didn’t answer.
“You knew Isabella was alive.””
“Yes.””
“And Elena knew?””
Silence.
That was enough.
Rico’s face changed.
“No.””
Isabella looked away.
Rico stepped forward.
“What did you do?””
Matteo laughed quietly.
“There it is.””
“What?””
“The accusation.””
He shook his head.
“You always assume the worst.””
Rico’s eyes narrowed.
“You kidnapped my son.””
“I protected him.””
“You threatened his caretaker.””
“I warned her.””
“You killed Elena.””
The smile disappeared.
For the first time, Matteo looked genuinely angry.
“Don’t pretend you know what happened.””
The warehouse went silent.
Rico stared.
“Then tell me.””
Matteo looked at Isabella.
She looked back at him.
A silent conversation passed between them.
Finally, Isabella spoke.
“Elena wasn’t killed because of you.””
Rico’s expression hardened.
“She was.””
“No.””
Isabella stepped closer.
“She was killed because she found out the truth about our family.””
Rico looked at her.
“Our family?””
Isabella nodded.
“Your father.””
The words landed.
“My father?””
Clara felt the shift.
This was bigger than Matteo.
Bigger than Elena.
Bigger than the threats.
Isabella continued.
“Before he died, your father created something.””
Rico frowned.
“What?””
“A second company.””
Dante, listening through the communication device from the vehicle, immediately spoke.
“Sir, we’re tracing—”
Rico ignored him.
“A company that doesn’t exist.””
Isabella nodded.
“On paper.””
“And?””
“It controls everything.””
Matteo smiled faintly.
“There’s the part you never knew.””
Rico looked at him.
“What are you talking about?””
“Your father didn’t build the Moretti empire for you.””
A pause.
“He built it for Leo.””
Rico stared.
“That makes no sense.””
“It does if you understand him.””
Matteo stepped closer.
“Your father knew men like us.””
“Men like you.””
Matteo ignored the insult.
“Men who wanted power.””
Rico’s jaw tightened.
“He created a safeguard.””
Isabella continued.
“A trust that could only be activated when Leo turned twenty-five.””
Rico looked at Leo.
“And Matteo wants access.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Matteo smiled.
“Because I was supposed to inherit everything.””
There it was.
The truth.
Not revenge.
Not hatred.
Greed.
“I was the oldest,” Matteo said.
“I was the one who protected the family.””
Rico laughed coldly.
“You were the one who wanted control.””
Matteo’s expression darkened.
“You think you’re different?””
Rico didn’t answer.
“You built fear around yourself.””
Matteo stepped closer.
“You made people obey you.””
A pause.
“You’re exactly like me.””
The words bothered Rico.
Not because they were true.
Because he had spent years trying to prove they weren’t.
Leo tugged on Isabella’s sleeve.
“Want Daddy.””
Rico’s entire body reacted.
Isabella immediately looked at Matteo.
“Let him go.””
Matteo hesitated.
Just for a second.
But Rico saw it.
Matteo cared about something.
Not Leo.
The plan.
The control.
The illusion.
That hesitation was enough.
Rico moved.
Fast.
He crossed the distance before Matteo could react.
Chaos exploded.
Dante’s team rushed from outside.
Matteo grabbed for Rico.
Security shouted.
Isabella pulled Leo away.
Clara ran toward them.
For several seconds, the warehouse became noise.
Then silence.
Matteo was on the ground.
Dante had him restrained.
Leo was in Rico’s arms.
And Rico was holding his son like he would never let go again.
“Daddy.””
Rico closed his eyes.
“I’m here.””
“You came.””
The words nearly broke him.
“Always.””
Leo touched his face.
“Don’t leave.””
Rico swallowed.
“Never.””
Behind him, Isabella watched.
And Clara noticed something.
She was crying.
Not because she was afraid.
Because she had been waiting a long time to hear those words.
Later, when Matteo was taken away, Isabella sat across from Rico in the warehouse office.
Leo slept nearby.
Clara stayed with him.
Rico looked at Isabella.
“You owe me answers.””
“I know.””
“Start.””
She nodded.
“Elena knew Matteo was dangerous.””
“Why didn’t she tell me?””
“Because she was afraid.””
“Of Matteo?””
Isabella hesitated.
“No.””
Rico frowned.
“Then who?””
Isabella looked toward Clara.
Then back at him.
“She was afraid of what you would become.””
The words hurt.
“She knew if you found out, you would destroy everything.””
Rico looked away.
“And she was right.””
Isabella nodded.
“Yes.””
A long silence.
Then Rico asked the question he had avoided.
“Did Elena know she was going to die?””
Isabella’s eyes filled.
“Yes.””
Rico froze.
“What?””
“She prepared.””
“No.””
“She left instructions.””
Rico stood.
“What instructions?””
Isabella reached into her bag.
She pulled out a small envelope.
One Rico recognized immediately.
His name was written on the front.
In Elena’s handwriting.
Rico stopped breathing.
Because the last time he had seen that handwriting, it had been on a grocery list.
A note beside his coffee.
A message telling him she loved him.
Now it was a goodbye.
He touched the envelope.
May you like
And Isabella whispered:
“She wrote this the night before she died.””
