Chapter 8 - The Voice Behind the Dead Man

Peter Vale never reached his flight.

Moretti security did not arrest him.

Airport police did.

That mattered to Luca.

This was no longer a family dispute.

It was evidence.

Two hours later, the recording reached Dante.

They played it in Vittorio’s conference room.

Carlo sat at the far end of the table.

Belini sat opposite him.

Emma remained beside Luca.

For once, nobody interrupted.

Carlo’s recorded voice filled the room.

“Use the name Salvatore. Tell Luca the pregnancy ended. Tell him Emma requested isolation.”

Peter asked, “And the wife?”

“Belini handles her.”

Belini closed her eyes.

The recording continued.

“What if she refuses to leave?”

Carlo answered.

“Freeze the account. Terminate the lease. Block communication.”

Peter laughed nervously.

“That sounds extreme.”

Then Carlo said the sentence that ended everything.

“If the child becomes legally recognized, I lose the trust.”

Silence.

The recording stopped.

Carlo looked older.

Luca leaned back.

“So that was it.”

Carlo said nothing.

“Not my father.”

Nothing.

“Not the company.”

Still nothing.

“The trust.”

Carlo finally answered.

“You think power is separate from survival because you inherited enough of both.”

Luca’s expression did not change.

“You lied about my son’s death.”

“Yes.”

“You isolated my wife.”

“Yes.”

“You used my father’s credentials.”

“Yes.”

Belini stared at him.

“You told me Vittorio ordered it.”

Carlo looked at her.

“I told you what made you cooperate.”

Her face emptied.

For the first time Emma almost felt sorry for her.

Almost.

Then she remembered the clinic.

The apartment.

The red bag.

The sentence.

Your baby complicates everything.

Belini had been manipulated.

But she had also chosen.

Luca turned to her.

“Did Carlo order you to visit Emma?”

“Yes.”

“Did he order you to lie?”

Belini hesitated.

“No.”

“Did he order you to freeze her account?”

“No.”

“Terminate the lease?”

“No.”

“Hide her in the resort?”

Belini’s voice broke.

“No.”

Emma looked at her.

Belini met her eyes.

“I thought if you disappeared long enough, Luca would marry me.”

The honesty was uglier than the lies.

Emma nodded slowly.

“Thank you.”

Belini frowned.

“For what?”

“For finally saying it.”

Dante entered.

Two detectives waited outside.

Carlo smiled faintly.

“So this is how Moretti justice works now?”

Luca looked at Emma.

Then at her stomach.

“No.”

He looked back at Carlo.

“This is how ordinary justice works.”

Carlo’s smile disappeared.

The detectives entered.

Belini stood.

“Am I being arrested?”

One detective answered.

“You’re being asked to come with us.”

She looked at Luca.

He gave her nothing.

No rescue.

No promise.

No alliance.

She turned to Emma.

“I never wanted the baby dead.”

Emma believed her.

That did not make the rest disappear.

“Maybe not.”

Belini waited.

Emma finished.

“But you were willing to make him fatherless.”

Belini lowered her eyes.

Then left.

Carlo followed.

The door closed.

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...

For the first time in eight months, nobody stood between Luca and Emma.

That frightened her more than she expected.