Chapter 12: The Betrayal We Missed
The Moretti estate had never felt unsafe before.
That was what made it terrifying.
The gates were guarded.
The cameras covered every entrance.
Every employee had been investigated.
Every visitor was monitored.
Rico had built a fortress.
And now he was realizing the fortress had a door he never locked.
Trust.
Three days after the warehouse confrontation, nobody slept normally.
Dante doubled security.
Background checks were restarted.
Every employee was questioned.
But Rico kept coming back to the same thought.
Someone close.
Someone trusted.
Someone who knew Elena.
Someone who knew Leo.
Clara watched him from across the living room.
He hadn’t slept.
She could tell.
The expensive suit was perfect.
The expression was controlled.
But his eyes were exhausted.
“You’re doing it again.””
Rico looked at her.
“Doing what?””
“Pretending you’re fine.””
“I am fine.””
“No.””
He looked annoyed.
“You really enjoy telling me that.””
“Someone has to.””
For a second, he almost smiled.
Almost.
Leo sat on the floor nearby, building a tower with wooden blocks.
It was strange.
A few days ago, this child had screamed so loudly that an entire restaurant froze.
Now he was quietly playing.
Because he felt safe.
Because someone had finally listened.
Rico watched him.
“He likes you.””
Clara smiled.
“I noticed.””
“He trusts you.””
“Yes.””
A pause.
Rico looked down.
“I don’t understand why.””
Clara looked at him.
“Because you keep asking why people trust you.””
“And?””
“And you should ask why you don’t trust yourself.””
The words caught him off guard.
Before he could respond, Dante entered.
“Sir.””
Rico immediately became serious.
“What?””
“We found something.””
Everyone looked up.
Dante placed a folder on the table.
“Security logs.””
Rico opened it.
“What am I looking at?””
“Access records from the night Elena died.””
Rico frowned.
“These were already checked.””
“Yes.””
Dante’s expression darkened.
“They were altered.””
Silence.
“By who?””
Dante hesitated.
Then:
“Your personal assistant.””
Rico looked confused.
“James?””
“Yes.””
Clara remembered him.
The quiet man who handled Rico’s schedule.
The man who never raised his voice.
The man who had brought documents to Il Destino.
“Where is he?””
Dante looked away.
“He disappeared this morning.””
Rico closed the folder.
“Find him.””
“We’re trying.””
“No.””
Rico stood.
“Find him.””
His voice carried something dangerous.
Not rage.
Determination.
That night, they found James.
But not where they expected.
He was sitting outside the Moretti family chapel.
Waiting.
When Rico approached, James didn’t run.
He looked exhausted.
“I knew you’d come.””
Rico stopped.
“Why?””
James looked at the building behind him.
“Because Elena deserved the truth.””
Rico’s face hardened.
“Start talking.””
James nodded.
“I didn’t kill her.””
“Everyone says that.””
“I know.””
James looked up.
“But I helped hide the truth.””
Rico said nothing.
James swallowed.
“Matteo found out Elena was investigating the accounts.””
“And you helped him.””
“Yes.””
Clara felt sick.
“Why?””
James looked at her.
“Because he threatened my daughter.””
The answer changed everything.
Rico’s expression shifted.
“He had my daughter’s location.””
A pause.
“He told me if I warned Elena, my little girl would disappear.””
James looked down.
“I thought I could fix it later.””
Rico stared.
“And Elena?””
James closed his eyes.
“I tried to warn her.””
“Too late.””
“Yes.””
The honesty hurt.
Because it was human.
Messy.
Terrible.
Real.
James reached into his coat.
Rico immediately reacted.
But James pulled out a small device.
“A recording.””
He handed it over.
“From Elena.””
Rico looked at it.
“She left this for me.””
“Why?””
James looked away.
“Because she knew I was weak.””
The recording played.
Elena’s voice filled the night.
“If you’re hearing this, then James finally chose the right thing.””
Rico froze.
Elena continued.
“I know he was afraid.””
A pause.
“But fear does not erase responsibility.””
James lowered his head.
“Rico…”
The recording continued.
“The person who betrayed me is not the person who scared me.””
Silence.
“The person who betrayed me is the person who convinced everyone else they were protecting us.””
Rico frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Then Elena said the words that changed everything.
“Look at the person who benefits when the Moretti family destroys itself.””
The recording ended.
Rico stared at the device.
Because suddenly, Matteo’s actions made sense.
The threats.
The chaos.
The division.
Someone wanted the Moretti family fighting itself.
And Matteo wasn’t the only player.
Dante’s phone rang.
He answered.
Then his face changed.
“Sir.””
Rico looked up.
“What?””
Dante slowly lowered the phone.
“We found who has been funding Matteo.””
A pause.
“And you’re not going to believe the name.””
Rico stepped closer.
“Who?””
Dante looked at him.
May you like
Then said:
“Your mother.””
