Chapter 6 - Alessandra’s Second Secret

Marco did not chase Anton.

That surprised everyone.

He looked at Father Ellis.

“Is the tape really under the altar?”

The priest hesitated.

Then smiled faintly.

“No.”

Dominic’s head snapped toward him.

Father Ellis continued.

“It was there once.”

Marco understood.

“You moved it.”

“Yes.”

“Where?”

Father Ellis looked at me.

I felt every eye in the room turn.

“What?”

The priest said:

“Grace, do you remember the small wooden box I asked you to place in the chapel cabinet last Christmas?”

I did.

A plain cedar box.

No label.

“You said it contained old rosaries.”

“I lied.”

Marco stared at him.

“The tape has been in my estate chapel for ten months?”

“Yes.”

Dominic swore under his breath.

Marco looked at two guards.

“Get it.”

They left.

Alessandra stepped forward.

“There is something else.”

Marco did not look at her.

“There always is.”

She flinched.

Then placed her second phone on the table.

“I didn’t visit Anna only to tell her to stay away.”

Marco finally looked at her.

“What did you do?”

“I gave her copies of my father’s old files.”

Victor looked stunned.

“What?”

Alessandra turned to him.

“I found them in your office.”

“You stole from me?”

“I copied them.”

Victor stood.

“What files?”

“The warehouse payments. Dominic’s trust. The clinic invoice. The forged dental records.”

Marco stared at her.

“You had proof.”

“Pieces.”

“And you hid it from me.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because every time I tried to decide what to do, Dominic already knew.”

She looked toward him.

“He knew when I entered my father’s office. He knew when I contacted Father Ellis. He knew when I found Anna.”

Dominic said nothing.

Marco asked:

“How?”

Alessandra shook her head.

“I didn’t understand until tonight.”

She pointed at the ceiling.

“Your house.”

Marco frowned.

“What about it?”

“Your security system was installed by Santoro Protection.”

“Yes.”

“Who owns Santoro Protection?”

Marco looked at Dominic.

Dominic’s expression stayed calm.

Marco’s face changed.

Alessandra continued.

“He has had access to your cameras, gate logs, calls, and staff entrances for years.”

I felt cold.

I thought of the man in the service corridor.

I thought of every private conversation in that house.

Marco asked:

“Did you know he was watching me?”

Victor whispered:

“No.”

Alessandra said:

“I suspected after Anna told me someone had followed me to the motel where we met.”

Marco looked at Anna.

“You were staying in a motel?”

“For one night.”

“Where do you live?”

She smiled sadly.

“Three states away. Under another name.”

Marco looked wounded by that answer in a way nothing else had done.

Another name.

Another life.

A mother alive somewhere else.

Alessandra stepped closer.

“I told her to stay away because I thought Dominic would kill her if she came here.”

Anna looked at her.

“You also told me Marco would choose you over the truth.”

Alessandra lowered her eyes.

“Yes.”

Marco stared.

“Did you believe that?”

“No.”

“Then why say it?”

“Because I wanted her to hate me enough to leave.”

Marco turned away.

She continued.

“I was scared, Marco.”

“So was my mother.”

“I know.”

“For twenty-four years.”

“I know.”

He looked back at her.

“And you had one year to tell me.”

“Yes.”

“You chose not to.”

“Yes.”

There was no defense left in her voice.

Only truth.

Then one of the guards returned carrying the cedar box.

Marco placed it on the table.

Father Ellis used the brass key.

Inside was a microcassette.

And beneath it,

a folded note.

Marco opened the note first.

His father’s handwriting.

MARCO,

IF YOU EVER HEAR THIS, TRUST THE PERSON WHO BROUGHT IT TO YOU MORE THAN THE PERSON WHO TOLD YOU I WAS DEAD.

Marco looked at Father Ellis.

The priest nodded.

“Play it.”

Before Marco could move,

Alessandra’s phone vibrated.

One new message.

From D.

Marco picked it up.

He read it aloud.

YOU HAVE TEN MINUTES TO GIVE ME THE TAPE OR ANNA DOES NOT LEAVE THAT HOUSE ALIVE.

Dominic looked at the screen.

Then at Marco.

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...

And for the first time,

he smiled.