Chapter 11 - ELEANOR'S LAST CHOICEDominic's first instinct was anger.
His second was fear.
He ordered every vehicle stopped.
Every road watched.
Every gate locked.
But Eleanor had disappeared without leaving a trace.
Then Dominic received a message.
A photograph.
Lily was sitting beside Eleanor in a car.
She wasn't crying.
She looked calm.
The message contained one sentence:
Don't follow us.
Dominic nearly smashed the phone.
Adrian grabbed his arm.
“Wait.”
“She took Lily.”
“She may be protecting her.”
“Without telling me?”
“She protected Lydia the same way.”
Dominic stopped.
He hated that Adrian was right.
Eleanor drove Lily to an old house near the river.
Lily looked out the window.
“Where are we going?”
“To see your father.”
“My daddy?”
“Yes.”
Lily smiled.
Eleanor looked at her in the rearview mirror.
“You love him?”
“Yes.”
“Even though he scared you?”
Lily nodded.
“He is still my daddy.”
Eleanor smiled sadly.
“I understand.”
Adrian was waiting inside.
Eleanor entered.
“You came.”
“I knew you would.”
Lily ran into Adrian's arms.
“Daddy!”
Adrian held her tightly.
Eleanor watched.
“I need you to take her away.”
Adrian looked at her.
“Where?”
“Anywhere Samuel cannot find.”
“And Dominic?”
“He will follow.”
“He should.”
“No.”
Eleanor's voice became firm.
“Dominic has become the target.”
Adrian frowned.
“Why?”
“Because Samuel can't control him.”
She placed a folder on the table.
Inside were photographs.
Samuel meeting Victor.
Samuel meeting several judges.
Samuel paying police officers.
Samuel bribing hospital officials.
And one photograph showed Samuel meeting a man Dominic recognized.
His own attorney.
Dominic's trusted lawyer.
Adrian stared.
“He has people everywhere.”
“Yes.”
Eleanor looked at Lily.
“That's why she must disappear.”
Meanwhile, Dominic discovered the betrayal.
His attorney had been secretly transferring assets.
The same assets Samuel had been trying to control.
Dominic stared at the records.
“Call the police.”
Marco shook his head.
“Half the department may be compromised.”
Dominic looked at him.
“Then we do this ourselves.”
He gathered his team.
But before they left, Ethan stepped forward.
“Dad.”
Dominic looked down.
“Stay here.”
Ethan shook his head.
“I know where Lily went.”
Dominic froze.
“How?”
“She told me.”
“When?”
“Before Grandma took her.”
“What did she say?”
Ethan whispered:
“She said Grandma was taking her to the place where Mommy first met Daddy.”
Dominic thought.
The old river house.
The same place Lydia had hidden years ago.
He turned to Marco.
“Let's go.”
Dominic reached the river house at midnight.
The door was open.
Inside, he found Eleanor.
Alone.
Dominic's heart sank.
“Where is Lily?”
“Safe.”
“Where?”
Eleanor handed him a note.
“She left with Adrian.”
Dominic stared.
“You let them go?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because someone is coming.”
“Who?”
Eleanor looked toward the window.
“Victor.”
Dominic turned.
A black vehicle stopped outside.
Victor stepped out.
Samuel stood beside him.
Dominic's men surrounded the house.
Victor smiled.
“Hello, son.”
Dominic raised his weapon.
“Where is my daughter?”
Victor laughed.
“She's not your daughter.”
Dominic froze.
“Ethan is your son.”
Victor smiled.
“Lily belongs to Adrian.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you protecting her?”
“Because she's family.”
Victor's expression darkened.
“You sound weak.”
“No.”
Dominic stepped forward.
“I sound like a father.”
Victor's smile disappeared.
Samuel raised his weapon.
“Enough.”
A shot rang out.
Dominic ducked.
Marco's team returned fire.
Victor and Samuel retreated.
Dominic chased them toward the river.
But before they escaped, Victor shouted:
“You still don't know what happened to your mother!”
Dominic stopped.
“What?”
Victor laughed.
“She wasn't protecting you.”
“She was protecting herself.”
Then he disappeared into the darkness.
Dominic returned to Eleanor.
“What did he mean?”
Eleanor looked exhausted.
“He was lying.”
“You're sure?”
“Yes.”
“Then prove it.”
Eleanor nodded.
She opened the final compartment of the old safe.
Inside was a videotape.
Dominic stared.
“What is this?”
“The night your mother died.”
Dominic's heart stopped.
“You have it?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you show me?”
“Because you weren't ready.”
Dominic stared at her.
“Play it.”
Eleanor inserted the tape.
The screen flickered.
A security camera showed the Moretti mansion.
Eleanor entered a room.
Victor followed.
Lydia was already there.
They argued.
Then Victor raised a weapon.
Eleanor stepped between them.
The video stopped.
Dominic stared.
“What happened next?”
Eleanor whispered:
“Your mother survived.”
Dominic froze.
“What?”
“She didn't die.”
“Then who did?”
Eleanor looked at him.
“Your father.”
Dominic felt sick.
“Then who have we been mourning?”
Eleanor shook her head.
“A woman who looked like Lydia.”
Dominic stared at the frozen screen.
Then the tape continued.
A second woman entered.
She looked exactly like Lydia.
But she wasn't Lydia.
She was her sister.
Dominic whispered:
“Who was she?”
Eleanor answered:
“Victor's secret wife.”
Dominic's face went pale.
And suddenly the family history became even more complicated.
May you like
Because the woman he had buried…
had never been his mother.
