Chapter 5 - The Brother Who Did Not Die by Accident

Dante opened Matteo Romano’s file.

Serena stopped him.

“Why is there a file on my brother?”

Dante looked at her.

“I don’t know.”

Inside:

Crash photographs.

Police report.

Payment records.

One photograph of Carlo Esposito meeting a mechanic.

Serena’s knees weakened.

Dante caught her.

She did not flinch this time.

Her eyes stayed on the photograph.

“No.”

Patricia covered her face.

Serena looked at her mother.

“You knew.”

Patricia shook her head.

“Not then.”

“When?”

“Last year.”

Serena pulled away from Dante.

“Last year?”

Patricia cried harder.

“Your father told me after Carlo threatened him.”

Serena stared.

“What happened to Matteo?”

Patricia whispered:

“He found the listening room.”

Silence.

Dante looked at the crash report.

Serena’s brother had discovered Vincent’s surveillance operation.

He planned to expose it.

Carlo arranged the crash.

Serena stopped moving.

“My father knew?”

Patricia did not answer.

Serena screamed:

“Did he know?”

“Yes.”

The word destroyed something.

Serena leaned against the wall.

Dante stood beside her.

Not touching.

Waiting.

She whispered:

“My father let Carlo kill his son.”

Patricia shook her head.

“He said he didn’t authorize it.”

“He protected him afterward.”

“Yes.”

“That is the same choice made later.”

Patricia had no answer.

Dante looked at the payment records.

Vincent had paid the mechanic’s family after the crash.

Silence money.

He put the documents inside his jacket.

Serena looked at him.

“What are you doing?”

“Keeping them.”

“For revenge?”

“No.”

Dante’s voice was calm.

“For evidence.”

She stared at him.

That surprised her.

Dante noticed.

“You think I’m going downstairs to execute your father.”

“I don’t know what you’re going to do.”

“Neither do I.”

He looked at the clock.

11:31.

“But I know what he wants me to do.”

“What?”

“React like the monster he told you I was.”

Serena’s face broke.

Dante continued.

“So I won’t.”

A loud metallic crash came from the hallway.

Carlo had reached the floor.

Dante checked his magazine.

Five rounds.

Patricia whispered:

“We can’t stay.”

Dante looked at the old monitors.

One still had power.

He pressed a switch.

Static.

Then camera feeds appeared.

Lobby.

Elevators.

Garage.

South entrance.

And the study.

Dante froze.

Arthur Pendleton stood inside.

His family lawyer.

The man who had brought the divorce papers.

Arthur was speaking to Vincent Romano.

Serena stared.

“They’re together.”

Dante turned up the audio.

Arthur said:

“He signed them.”

Vincent smiled.

“Good.”

Serena looked at Dante.

Vincent continued.

“Then make sure the papers never reach Serena before midnight.”

Dante’s expression became cold.

Arthur asked:

“And after?”

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Vincent answered:

“After Dante dies, burn them.”