Chapter 10 - THE NIGHT LYDIA DISAPPEAREDNobody spoke after Lydia's accusation.
Eleanor stood beside the doorway with tears running down her face.
Dominic stared at her.
His mind refused to accept it.
The woman who had raised him.
The woman he had spent years mourning.
The woman who had supposedly protected him from Victor.
She had ordered Lydia's disappearance?
“Tell me she's lying.”
Eleanor closed her eyes.
“I wish I could.”
Dominic's voice broke.
“Mom.”
“I did it.”
The words were quiet.
But they seemed louder than any gunshot.
Adrian stepped forward.
“Why?”
Eleanor looked at both sons.
“Because Lydia was going to destroy you.”
Lydia shook her head.
“I was trying to save them.”
“You were going to expose everything.”
“Yes.”
“And that would have gotten them killed.”
Dominic stared.
“By who?”
Eleanor answered:
“Your father.”
Silence.
Victor had been manipulating the family for years.
Samuel had been working for him.
But now Dominic realized something even worse.
His mother had not been the mastermind.
She had been trying to stop one.
Eleanor finally told them the truth.
Years ago, Victor discovered Lydia had evidence that he was stealing from the Moretti organization.
He threatened her.
He threatened Adrian.
And then he threatened Dominic.
Lydia refused to surrender the evidence.
Victor ordered her killed.
Eleanor intercepted the order.
Instead of allowing Lydia to be murdered, Eleanor staged her disappearance.
She created a false trail.
She helped Lydia escape.
Then she told Victor Lydia was dead.
Dominic stared.
“You saved her?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did you let us believe she was gone?”
“Because Victor was watching you.”
Lydia stepped forward.
“She saved my life.”
Dominic looked at her.
“Then why did Samuel say Mom ordered your disappearance?”
Lydia answered:
“Because he wanted you to hate her.”
Dominic suddenly understood.
Samuel had spent years manipulating everyone.
He had used Victor.
He had used Adrian.
He had used Dominic's grief.
He had even used Eleanor's secrets.
The entire family had been trapped inside a web of lies.
Then Ethan interrupted.
“Dad?”
Dominic turned.
The boy held Lily's hand.
“Are we safe?”
Dominic looked at him.
“Yes.”
“Really?”
Dominic knelt.
“As long as I'm here.”
Lily looked toward Eleanor.
“Is she bad?”
Dominic glanced at his mother.
He didn't know how to answer.
Eleanor knelt beside Lily.
“No.”
Her voice trembled.
“I made terrible choices.”
Lily studied her.
“But you saved Mommy.”
Eleanor began crying.
“Yes.”
The little girl hugged her.
Everyone became silent.
Dominic looked away.
For the first time, he realized children didn't understand revenge the way adults did.
They understood who protected them.
And who didn't.
Later that night, Dominic entered the study.
Eleanor followed.
“I owe you the truth.”
Dominic sat behind the desk.
“Then tell me everything.”
She nodded.
“The original Moretti fortune wasn't created by your father.”
“I know.”
“It was created by your grandfather.”
“I know.”
“No.”
Eleanor shook her head.
“You don't know what he created.”
She opened an old safe.
Inside was a black ledger.
Dominic opened it.
Every major asset was listed.
Hotels.
Casinos.
Ports.
Construction companies.
Private investments.
But one section was different.
THE FOUNDATION.
Dominic looked at her.
“What is this?”
“The reason everyone wants Lily.”
Eleanor opened another page.
The foundation owned medical patents.
Dozens of them.
But one patent was worth more than everything else combined.
A treatment for severe neurological injuries.
Dominic stared.
“The research.”
“Yes.”
“That's why my accident…”
“Yes.”
Dominic's face hardened.
“Samuel wanted the treatment.”
“Victor wanted it.”
“And you?”
“I wanted it destroyed.”
Dominic looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because people had already died testing it.”
Silence.
Eleanor continued.
“Lydia discovered the treatment worked, but the original trials were unethical.”
Dominic looked at the files.
“And Lily?”
“She was born after Lydia was exposed to the treatment.”
Dominic understood.
“She inherited the response.”
“Yes.”
“That's why her touch affects people.”
“Not everyone.”
“Only certain genetic matches.”
Dominic looked toward his legs.
“Me.”
“Yes.”
“Ethan?”
“No.”
“Lily?”
“She has the complete genetic pattern.”
Dominic stared.
“She could help thousands of people.”
Eleanor nodded.
“But if the research falls into the wrong hands…”
Dominic finished the sentence.
“They could exploit her.”
“Yes.”
A knock came at the door.
Marco entered.
“We have a problem.”
Dominic stood.
“What?”
“Samuel escaped custody.”
Dominic's expression hardened.
“How?”
“Someone attacked the transport vehicle.”
“Who?”
Marco shook his head.
“We don't know.”
Dominic looked toward Eleanor.
She whispered:
“Victor.”
Dominic's phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
Victor's voice came through.
“You finally know the truth.”
Dominic stared.
“Where are you?”
“Close.”
“Come out.”
“I will.”
Victor paused.
“But not for you.”
Dominic's blood went cold.
“Who?”
“The girl.”
Dominic immediately looked toward Lily.
Victor continued:
“Bring Lily to the old Moretti theater.”
“No.”
“You have until midnight.”
The call ended.
Dominic looked at Marco.
“Find him.”
Marco nodded.
But before he could leave, the mansion alarm screamed.
A security guard rushed inside.
“Boss!”
“What?”
“The nursery.”
Dominic ran.
The room was empty.
Ethan stood in the doorway.
“Dad!”
Dominic stopped.
“Where's Lily?”
Ethan pointed toward the window.
“She went with Grandma.”
Dominic froze.
“Eleanor?”
Ethan nodded.
“She said she knew where Lily's father was.”
Dominic turned.
May you like
His mother was gone.
And so was Lily.
