Chapter 5 - Arthur Stone Finally Told One Truth

Arthur did not raise his voice.

Men like him rarely needed to.

He looked at Valeria first.

“You took my key.”

She swallowed.

“Yes.”

“You have disappointed me.”

Nico stepped between them.

“She is not the problem.”

Arthur looked at him.

“You think that because you have read a few pages in a dead woman’s diary.”

“My mother.”

“Yes.”

“The woman you lied to Daniel about.”

Arthur’s expression barely changed.

“So you found him.”

Nico stared.

“You knew he was alive.”

“Of course.”

Valeria looked at her father.

“You told me he died before I was born.”

Arthur sighed.

“I told you what protected you.”

“From my uncle?”

“From a man who destroyed this family.”

Nico held up Sofia’s declaration.

“He is my father.”

Arthur’s eyes moved to the paper.

For the first time, something real crossed his face.

Fear.

Small.

Fast.

But I saw it.

So did Henry.

Arthur recovered.

“Biology is not fatherhood.”

Nico’s voice was quiet.

“I agree.”

Arthur frowned.

Nico continued.

“Lorenzo D’Amato was my father.”

Henry looked at him.

Nico held Arthur’s gaze.

“He raised me. Protected me. Signed this paper knowing exactly who Daniel was.”

Arthur said nothing.

“But that doesn’t make your lies disappear.”

Arthur glanced toward the bank employees.

“This is not a conversation for a hallway.”

Nico smiled without warmth.

“You didn’t care about privacy when you told Daniel I was dead.”

Arthur’s jaw tightened.

Valeria stepped closer.

“Why did you do it?”

He looked at his daughter.

“Because Daniel would have destroyed everything our father built.”

“How?”

“He was going to hand control of Stone Meridian to outsiders.”

“Which outsiders?”

Arthur pointed at Nico.

“The D’Amatos.”

Nico’s expression did not change.

“My mother owned no part of Stone Meridian.”

Arthur gave a short laugh.

“You still don’t understand.”

Henry spoke.

“Then explain it.”

Arthur looked at him.

“You should have stayed missing.”

Valeria went pale.

Nico moved instantly.

One step.

Enough.

Arthur noticed.

“So that was you,” Nico said.

Arthur smiled again.

“I said nothing.”

“You said enough.”

The manager appeared at the far end of the corridor.

Nico turned to Henry.

“Photograph every page.”

Henry nodded.

Arthur’s face changed.

“Nico.”

Nico ignored him.

I used my phone.

Page after page.

Names.

Payments.

Dates.

One entry caught my eye.

A payment to R. VALE.

Twenty-six years ago.

I stopped.

“Henry.”

He looked.

Valeria leaned closer.

“Vale?”

Arthur’s eyes sharpened.

I read the line.

R. VALE — ZURICH — DANIEL TRANSFER.

Valeria looked at her father.

“Who is R. Vale?”

Arthur said nothing.

Henry’s face had gone white.

Nico noticed.

“You know.”

Henry whispered:

“Rafael Vale.”

Valeria frowned.

“My mother’s brother?”

Arthur looked away.

Valeria stared.

“Uncle Rafael died in a boating accident.”

Henry shook his head.

“No.”

The word landed heavily.

Valeria almost laughed.

“No. Don’t do this again.”

Henry pointed at the ledger.

“Rafael worked for Arthur in Europe.”

Arthur finally snapped.

“Enough.”

Everyone stopped.

Arthur’s calm mask cracked.

Only for a second.

But it cracked.

Nico closed the red book.

“What did Rafael do?”

Arthur looked at him.

“You want truth?”

“Yes.”

“Fine.”

He pointed at the ledger.

“Rafael moved Daniel out of Switzerland.”

“By force?” Nico asked.

Arthur hesitated.

“That was the intention.”

Valeria whispered:

“What happened?”

Arthur’s mouth tightened.

“Rafael let him go.”

Henry stared.

Arthur continued.

“He took the money. Put Daniel on a train. Gave him new papers.”

Valeria looked stunned.

“My uncle saved Daniel?”

“Yes.”

“Then why did you tell us Rafael drowned?”

Arthur looked at his daughter.

“Because he betrayed me too.”

The vault corridor went silent.

Nico’s voice became colder.

“Where is Rafael?”

Arthur looked directly at him.

“I don’t know.”

Henry stepped forward.

“You’re lying.”

Arthur smiled.

“No, Henry.”

Then he looked at Valeria.

“For once, I am telling the truth.”

Valeria’s face collapsed.

Arthur turned to leave.

Nico spoke behind him.

“We’re going to Daniel.”

Arthur stopped.

“Do that, and you will lose more than you find.”

Nico’s eyes narrowed.

Arthur looked over his shoulder.

“Ask him why Sofia stopped going to Switzerland.”

Then he walked away.

Nico stared after him.

Henry looked sick.

Valeria whispered:

“What does that mean?”

Henry did not answer.

Nico turned.

“Henry.”

The old butler closed his eyes.

“The last time Sofia went to Switzerland…”

He opened them.

“She did not go alone.”

“With who?”

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...

Henry looked at Nico.

“With Lorenzo.”