Chapter 3 - The Hospital Record Was Empty

Marco found the clinic in eleven minutes.

The building still existed.

The records did not.

At least not officially.

Emma had given birth there three years earlier.

But according to the clinic database, no Emma Russo had ever been admitted.

No Lily Russo had ever been born.

No infant had been discharged.

Nothing.

Luca stared at the tablet.

“Deleted?”

Marco shook his head.

“Replaced.”

“With what?”

“A stillbirth record.”

Emma stopped breathing.

Luca looked at her.

“What?”

She shook her head.

“I never saw that.”

Marco continued.

“The infant is listed as female. No name. No surviving parent signature.”

Luca’s voice went flat.

“Who filed it?”

Marco hesitated.

“An attorney.”

“Name.”

“Bellini Legal Holdings.”

Belini stood.

“No.”

Luca turned.

“You said there was no waiver.”

“There wasn’t.”

“Your company filed a false death record for my daughter.”

“I did not know.”

Caterina laughed softly.

Everyone looked at her.

She had not laughed because anything was funny.

She had laughed because she had heard that sentence before.

Belini stared.

Caterina said:

“You knew enough.”

Belini’s face hardened.

“Be careful.”

Caterina stepped closer.

“About what?”

Luca watched both women.

History lived between them.

Not recent history.

Older.

“Mom.”

Caterina looked at him.

“How long have you known Belini?”

“Longer than you.”

Belini’s eyes sharpened.

Caterina continued.

“Her father financed Antonio’s first shell companies.”

Antonio said nothing.

That was confirmation enough.

Emma looked at Belini.

“You came to the hospital because of Lily.”

Belini shook her head.

“No.”

“Then why were you there?”

Belini’s silence answered.

Luca turned to Marco.

“Find the original admission file.”

Marco nodded.

Caterina interrupted.

“You won’t.”

“Why?”

“Because I took it.”

Luca stared.

“Why?”

“To keep Lily alive.”

Emma’s knees weakened.

Caterina looked at her.

“The false stillbirth record was the reason Antonio stopped looking.”

Emma’s face changed.

“You let him believe she died.”

“Yes.”

“Without telling me?”

“I told the nurse to tell you.”

“She didn’t.”

Caterina closed her eyes.

Another failure.

Another missing message.

Luca saw it.

“How many people have been deciding what Emma should know?”

Nobody answered.

Then Marco’s phone rang.

He looked at the screen.

“Boss.”

“What?”

“We found Matteo.”

Alessandro moved instantly.

“Where?”

Marco’s expression was grim.

“West Chapel.”

Emma frowned.

“At the estate?”

“Yes.”

Luca turned toward Antonio.

“You kidnapped a boy and kept him inside my house?”

Antonio looked almost amused.

“Not me.”

“Then who?”

Before Antonio answered, Belini said:

“Don’t.”

Luca looked at her.

There it was again.

The wrong reaction.

He took one step closer.

“Why not?”

Belini’s eyes flicked toward Caterina.

Caterina understood first.

“Oh.”

Luca turned.

“What?”

Caterina looked at Belini.

“You moved Matteo.”

Belini stood very still.

Alessandro stared at her.

“My son?”

Belini whispered:

“I was trying to protect him.”

“From whom?”

She looked at Antonio.

Then at Luca.

“From the man you still think works for you.”

Antonio’s face changed.

May you like

[COMPLETED] “GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY DRESS! YOU’RE NOTHING BUT AN OLD SEAM...

[COMPLETED] At the Mafia Boss's Engagement Party, I Served His Hungry So...

[COMPLETED] The Mafia Boss’s Fiancée Tried to Dismiss His Father’s Loyal...

Luca saw it.

For the first time, the old consigliere looked betrayed.