Chapter 4 - Belini Admitted Why She Went to the Gate

Belini asked to speak without Marco.

Luca refused.

She asked without Emma.

He refused again.

So she stood before all three of them and told the truth she should have told six years earlier.

“My father arranged the first meeting.”

Luca’s expression did not move.

Belini continued.

“Your father contacted mine. He wanted an alliance between the Morettis and Vescaris.”

“Before Emma disappeared.”

“Yes.”

“How long before?”

“Three months.”

Emma stared.

Luca asked:

“Did you know about her?”

“Not at first.”

“And then?”

“Vittorio told us you were involved with someone unsuitable.”

Emma almost smiled.

“Unsuitable.”

Belini looked ashamed.

“He said you would end it.”

“I never intended to.”

“I know that now.”

“When did you find out she was pregnant?”

“The morning she came to the estate.”

Emma’s eyes narrowed.

“You recognized me at Bellori’s immediately.”

“Yes.”

“Because you remembered me.”

“Yes.”

Belini’s voice weakened.

“I was the woman at the gate.”

The room went silent.

Emma had known.

But hearing the admission still hurt.

Belini sat down.

Her red gown pooled around the chair.

“Vittorio gave me the envelope. He gave me the recording. He told me exactly what to say.”

“And you did it.”

“Yes.”

“You told a pregnant woman I wanted her gone.”

“Yes.”

“You offered her money.”

“Yes.”

Emma’s eyes filled.

“Why?”

Belini looked at her.

“Because I was twenty-five, ambitious, and raised to believe family alliances were more important than people I didn’t know.”

“Did you know the recording was edited?”

“No.”

“Did you ever learn?”

Belini hesitated.

Luca caught it.

“When?”

“Two years later.”

Emma stood.

“You knew for four years.”

Belini looked at the floor.

“Yes.”

“And said nothing.”

“I was already with Luca.”

“That is not an answer.”

“I was afraid.”

Emma laughed.

“So was I.”

Belini closed her eyes.

Luca’s voice stayed quiet.

“What did my father promise you?”

“Nothing.”

“Belini.”

She looked at him.

“He promised the Vescari family access to Moretti shipping contracts after our marriage.”

Marco wrote it down.

Luca asked:

“And the four boys?”

“I knew only that Emma was pregnant.”

“Until when?”

“Three years ago.”

“How?”

“Vittorio showed me a surveillance report.”

Emma went pale.

“He had photographs?”

“Yes.”

“Of my children?”

“Yes.”

Luca’s expression changed.

Not loudly.

Not dramatically.

But Marco moved toward the door as if expecting an order.

None came.

Instead Luca asked:

“Did you ever see them in person?”

“No.”

“Did you ever contact Emma?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

Belini looked at him.

“Because every year I waited made telling you worse.”

That, at least, sounded true.

Marco’s phone vibrated.

The DNA lab had confirmed receipt.

Then another alert appeared.

An old Moretti server had just been accessed remotely.

Using Vittorio’s credential.

Luca looked at the screen.

A single file had been opened.

EMMA RUSSO — CONTINGENCY.

Marco’s jaw tightened.

“He’s deleting it.”

Luca shook his head.

“No.”

The old credential was fake now.

A mirror system.

Whatever Vittorio thought he was destroying, Marco was copying.

The first recovered document appeared.

A private instruction signed six years earlier.

IF E. RUSSO RETURNS, DO NOT ALLOW CONTACT WITH LUCA.

Underneath:

ALL CHILD-RELATED INFORMATION TO ME ONLY.

Luca stared at his father’s signature.

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The betrayal was no longer a possibility.

It was policy.