Chapter 9 - THE HEIR'S CHOICEThey escaped through a tunnel beneath the cemetery.
When they emerged, the sun was rising.
Dominic immediately counted everyone.
Ethan.
Lily.
Lydia.
Eleanor.
Adrian.
Marco.
All alive.
But the trust was gone.
Samuel had taken it.
Dominic looked at his mother.
“How did he know?”
Eleanor shook her head.
“He always knew.”
“Then why didn't he take it years ago?”
“Because he needed you.”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
Eleanor looked exhausted.
“The trust cannot be activated without the living Moretti heir.”
Dominic frowned.
“And that's me.”
“Yes.”
“So Samuel needs me alive.”
Eleanor nodded.
“But not for long.”
Dominic understood.
Samuel needed Dominic to activate the trust.
Then he could force him to transfer control.
If Dominic refused…
Samuel could use the children.
They returned to the mansion.
Security had been doubled.
The children were moved into the safest room.
Dominic sat in the library.
Adrian entered.
“We need to talk.”
Dominic looked up.
“What?”
“I found something.”
He placed a small drive on the desk.
“This was hidden inside the cemetery vault.”
Dominic frowned.
“Samuel missed it.”
Adrian nodded.
The drive contained a video.
Eleanor appeared on screen.
She looked younger.
She was speaking directly to the camera.
“If Samuel has the trust, then he believes he has won.”
Dominic leaned closer.
“He hasn't.”
Eleanor continued:
“The original trust contains a hidden provision.”
Dominic looked at the real Eleanor.
“What provision?”
She whispered:
“The heirs can reject the trust.”
Dominic stared.
“What?”
“If Ethan and Lily both reject the inheritance, the entire fortune dissolves into charity.”
Adrian nodded.
“Samuel gets nothing.”
Dominic looked at him.
“Then why doesn't he know?”
“Because nobody has ever activated that clause.”
The video continued.
“But there is a condition.”
Dominic's stomach tightened.
“The heirs must make the decision themselves.”
He looked toward the children.
“They're too young.”
“Yes.”
“So an adult must represent them.”
Eleanor shook her head on the video.
“No.”
Dominic frowned.
“They must choose their guardian.”
Silence.
The video ended.
Dominic sat back.
“Who would they choose?”
Adrian looked toward the hallway.
“Ethan trusts you.”
“And Lily?”
Dominic looked at Anna.
She had entered the room quietly.
Lily followed her.
The little girl looked at Dominic.
Then she walked over.
She placed her tiny hand in his.
“I choose you.”
Dominic's eyes filled with tears.
“Why?”
“Because you saved me.”
He smiled.
“You saved my son first.”
Lily shook her head.
“You saved me after.”
Dominic knelt.
“I will protect you.”
“I know.”
That afternoon, Samuel called.
Dominic answered.
“You have my attention.”
Samuel laughed.
“You have my trust.”
“You stole it.”
“I recovered what belongs to me.”
“No.”
Dominic's voice became cold.
“It belongs to the children.”
Samuel paused.
“You still don't understand.”
“Try me.”
“You think love will protect them.”
Dominic looked toward Ethan and Lily.
“It will.”
Samuel laughed.
“Then choose.”
“Choose what?”
“Your son.”
Dominic froze.
“Or Lily.”
Silence.
Samuel continued:
“You cannot save both.”
Dominic's hands tightened around the phone.
“You're bluffing.”
“Am I?”
A video appeared on Dominic's screen.
Ethan and Lily were sitting in separate rooms.
Both frightened.
Samuel's voice came through.
“Choose which one inherits.”
Dominic stared.
“You're insane.”
“I want to know whether you're really the man your grandfather believed you were.”
Dominic looked toward Adrian.
They exchanged a glance.
Adrian whispered:
“Keep him talking.”
Dominic returned to the call.
“What do you want?”
“Come to the old hotel.”
“Alone.”
Samuel laughed.
“And bring the original heir.”
Dominic's heart stopped.
“You have one hour.”
The call ended.
Dominic stood.
Adrian immediately grabbed his arm.
“You're not going.”
“I am.”
“It's a trap.”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
Dominic looked at Ethan and Lily.
“Because he thinks I have to choose.”
Adrian stared.
Dominic smiled.
“I don't.”
They prepared a counterattack.
Marco traced the call.
Samuel was inside the abandoned Moretti hotel.
The same building where Dominic had started his empire.
The same place his father had once held his meetings.
Dominic looked at Adrian.
“You stay with the children.”
“What are you planning?”
“To make Samuel believe he's won.”
Adrian nodded.
“Then what?”
Dominic looked at Lily.
She was holding Ethan's hand.
“We let the heirs make the choice.”
They entered the hotel at sunset.
Dominic walked alone into the ballroom.
Samuel stood beneath the chandelier.
The original trust sat on the table.
“You came.”
Dominic nodded.
“Where are the children?”
“Safe.”
“Bring them.”
Samuel smiled.
“They're already here.”
Two doors opened.
Ethan and Lily were brought into the ballroom.
They weren't injured.
But they were frightened.
Dominic's heart broke.
“Dad!”
Ethan ran toward him.
Samuel's men blocked him.
Dominic raised his hands.
“Let him come.”
Samuel smiled.
“Tell me which one.”
Dominic stared.
“Neither.”
Samuel frowned.
“What?”
Dominic looked at the children.
“You don't get to decide their future.”
Samuel laughed.
“Then who does?”
Lily stepped forward.
Her tiny voice echoed through the ballroom.
“We do.”
Samuel froze.
Dominic smiled.
The trap had begun.
Lily looked at Ethan.
“Do you want the money?”
Ethan shook his head.
“No.”
“Me neither.”
Samuel's face changed.
Dominic looked at the hidden camera Marco had placed inside the ballroom.
Every word was being recorded.
Lily continued:
“We don't want the inheritance.”
Samuel stepped forward.
“No.”
Dominic's expression hardened.
“Yes.”
He opened the trust.
“The heirs are rejecting it.”
Samuel's face turned pale.
“You can't.”
“They can.”
Dominic looked at Ethan.
“Say it.”
Ethan took a breath.
“I reject the inheritance.”
Lily looked at Dominic.
“I reject it too.”
The trust document suddenly changed color as a hidden electronic seal activated.
Samuel stared.
“What did you do?”
Dominic smiled.
“You lost.”
Samuel reached for the document.
Police stormed through the doors.
Marco had already sent the evidence.
Samuel was surrounded.
He looked at Dominic.
“You think this ends here?”
Dominic stared back.
“It ends tonight.”
Samuel laughed.
“No.”
He looked toward Eleanor.
“She knows the truth.”
Dominic turned.
His mother stood near the doorway.
Samuel smiled.
“Ask her who actually killed your mother.”
Dominic froze.
Eleanor's face went pale.
Samuel was dragged away.
But his final words remained.
“Ask her what happened the night Lydia disappeared.”
Dominic turned toward Eleanor.
“Mom?”
Eleanor closed her eyes.
Lydia stepped forward.
“I know.”
Dominic looked at her.
“Know what?”
Lydia whispered:
“The person who ordered my disappearance…”
She stared at Eleanor.
“…wasn't Victor.”
Dominic's blood ran cold.
“Then who?”
Lydia looked at him.
“Your mother.”
Eleanor began crying.
Dominic stared at the woman who had raised him.
The woman he had just saved.
The woman he had finally begun to understand.
May you like
And suddenly…
the family story had one last secret left.
