Chapter 4 - The Uncle Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
Matteo did not panic.
He locked the hotel room.
Called two men.
Then another.
Within ten minutes, the hallway outside Room 614 was empty except for Matteo’s security.
I had never seen him become so calm.
It was the kind of calm that made everyone else nervous.
“Trace the number.”
One of his men nodded.
Rebecca stared at her father’s phone.
“Anthony is alive.”
Victor said:
“We don’t know that.”
Matteo looked at him.
“Yes, we do.”
“How?”
“Because whoever sent this knows my mother is here.”
Isabella stood.
“We need to leave.”
Matteo turned.
“No.”
“He threatened you.”
“He threatened the wrong person.”
“Matteo.”
He looked at his mother.
For a moment, he was fourteen again.
Then it passed.
“You disappeared to protect me.”
“Yes.”
“And it cost me eighteen years.”
Isabella’s eyes filled.
“I know.”
“So no one disappears tonight.”
Mr. Lawson nodded.
“Then we find out who contacted Anthony.”
Victor shook his head.
“You don’t understand him.”
Matteo looked at him.
“You helped him find my mother.”
Victor lowered his eyes.
“You don’t get to tell me what I understand.”
Rebecca stepped between them.
“Matteo, please.”
He turned to her.
“Did your family still have contact with Anthony?”
“No.”
“Think.”
“I am.”
“Anyone?”
Rebecca hesitated.
“My cousin.”
Victor looked up sharply.
“Rebecca.”
She ignored him.
“Elliot Vaughn.”
Matteo frowned.
“Your father’s nephew?”
“Yes.”
Victor stood.
“He has nothing to do with this.”
Rebecca stared at him.
“You gave him control of Vaughn Holdings.”
“Three years ago.”
“The same year you told me my mother was alive.”
Victor said nothing.
Rebecca continued.
“Elliot asked me about Isabella twice.”
“When?”
Matteo asked.
“Last year.”
Isabella looked at her.
“What did you tell him?”
“That I didn’t know where you were.”
“Did he believe you?”
“No.”
Mr. Lawson said:
“Elliot benefits if Isabella never challenges Anthony’s estate.”
Matteo looked at him.
“How much?”
“Potentially hundreds of millions.”
Victor shook his head.
“Elliot wouldn’t bring Anthony back.”
Mr. Lawson looked at him.
“Money has brought back worse men.”
One of Matteo’s security men entered.
“Boss.”
Matteo turned.
“The number is routed through three services.”
“Location?”
“Last live connection was two blocks from the hotel.”
Everyone went silent.
Matteo looked toward the window.
“Camera footage.”
“We’re pulling it.”
Isabella whispered:
“He’s here.”
Matteo looked at her.
“Maybe.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“I know him.”
“How?”
“Anthony never threatened from far away.”
A knock sounded.
Three times.
Everyone froze.
Matteo’s security man drew his weapon.
Matteo held up one hand.
“Who is it?”
A voice answered from the hallway.
“Hotel manager.”
No one moved.
Then another voice.
Older.
Rough.
“Or you can keep pretending you don’t recognize me, Isabella.”
Isabella’s face went white.
Rebecca grabbed the table.
Victor whispered:
“Oh God.”
Matteo walked toward the door.
His mother caught his wrist.
“Don’t.”
He looked through the peephole.
An elderly man stood between two of Matteo’s guards.
Tall.
Thin.
White hair.
Dark coat.
A scar crossed his jaw.
Matteo opened the door.
The guards had already searched him.
No weapon.
The old man smiled.
Not kindly.
“Matteo.”
Matteo stared at him.
“Anthony Vaughn.”
The man nodded.
“Your mother gave you my name.”
Rebecca stepped into view.
Anthony’s expression changed.
“Elena’s girl.”
Rebecca stared at him.
“You’re alive.”
“So are you.”
Victor appeared behind her.
Anthony smiled.
“Brother.”
Victor looked like he had stopped breathing.
“You should be dead.”
Anthony laughed.
“You tried.”
Matteo blocked the doorway.
“Why are you here?”
Anthony’s eyes moved to Isabella.
“To correct a lie.”
“Which one?”
“The one where your father paid me to disappear.”
Mr. Lawson stepped closer.
“We have the transfer.”
Anthony looked at him.
“Daniel Lawson.”
“You remember me.”
“I remember everyone who signed papers they didn’t understand.”
Matteo said:
“Get to the point.”
Anthony looked at him.
“The ten million wasn’t payment.”
“What was it?”
“Ransom.”
Isabella shook her head.
“No.”
Anthony smiled.
“You still don’t know?”
Matteo turned to his mother.
“Know what?”
Anthony answered.
“Your father didn’t pay me to leave Isabella alone.”
“He paid someone else.”
“Who?”
Anthony looked at Victor.
Then at Rebecca.
“Your family’s favorite liar.”
Victor shouted:
“Don’t.”
Anthony continued.
“Elena.”
Rebecca stopped moving.
“My mother?”
Anthony nodded.
“She had something Carlo wanted.”
Matteo stared.
“What?”
“A ledger.”
Mr. Lawson frowned.
“What ledger?”
Anthony looked at him.
“The original accounts.”
“Accounts for what?”
“Vaughn Holdings.”
Matteo’s voice was quiet.
“Money laundering.”
Anthony smiled.
“Not just money.”
Isabella sat down.
She knew something.
Matteo saw it.
“What else?”
Anthony looked at her.
“Tell him.”
Isabella whispered:
“Weapons.”
The room went still.
“Your father found out Anthony and Victor were moving weapons through the companies.”
Victor shook his head.
“Anthony did that.”
Anthony laughed.
“And you signed every shipment.”
Rebecca looked at her father.
Victor said nothing.
Matteo turned to Anthony.
“And Elena took the ledger?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To protect Rebecca.”
Rebecca stared at him.
“How would that protect me?”
Anthony’s expression changed.
“Because the ledger contains one name your father never wanted you to see.”
Rebecca’s voice broke.
“Whose?”
Anthony looked at Victor.
Victor lowered his head.
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