Chapter 5: The Man Who Died Twice
For several seconds, Dante couldn't move.
He stood in the narrow hallway, staring at Elena as if the walls had shifted around him.
"My father died nine years ago," he said.
Elena wiped her cheek.
"That's what I was told.""
"His funeral was attended by two hundred people.""
"I know.""
"I watched them lower his coffin into the ground.""
"I know, Dante.""
"Then explain how you saw him seven years ago.""
Elena looked at Marcus, who had gone unnaturally still beside the stairwell.
"Not here.""
Dante's voice dropped.
"You're telling me my father faked his death?""
"I'm telling you I saw a man who looked exactly like him. He knew things only Thomas Moretti could have known. He knew my mother's maiden name.
He knew where I grew up. He knew what I called you when we were alone.""
Dante's face tightened at the last detail.
"What did he say?""
Elena folded her arms around herself.
"He arrived shortly after Sophie was born. I was exhausted. I'd been awake for almost thirty hours, and I was trying to understand how I was supposed to raise a baby alone.""
Her gaze drifted toward the apartment door.
"I remember the smell of antiseptic. The nurse had just brought Sophie back from the nursery. I was holding her when the door opened.""
She paused.
"He walked in wearing a gray overcoat. No security. No driver. He looked at Sophie, then at me.""
Dante's fingers curled.
"And?""
"He said, 'So it's true.''"
Elena's voice became smaller.
"I asked him what he wanted. He told me that I had made a terrible mistake by getting pregnant with you.""
Dante took a sharp breath.
"Those were his exact words?""
"Yes.""
Marcus stepped closer.
"Did he threaten you?""
Elena looked at him.
"He didn't need to shout. He told me that a child with Moretti blood would never have an ordinary life. He said people would watch her, follow her, and eventually use her to control you.""
Dante looked away.
He knew his father had been ruthless. He had grown up watching the older man turn affection into leverage and loyalty into a debt that could never be repaid.
But this was different.
This was a child.
"What happened next?"" he asked.
Elena swallowed.
"He placed an envelope on the bed. There was money inside. More than I'd ever seen in my life.""
Dante's expression darkened.
"He tried to buy you off.""
"He said it was to help me disappear. I refused.""
"And he left?""
"No.""
Elena looked directly at him.
"He took the envelope back. Then he told me something I'll never forget.""
Her lips trembled.
"He said, 'If Dante finds out about this child, one of them will die. And it won't be the child.''"
Dante stared at her.
Marcus swore under his breath.
"Why didn't you call the police?"" Marcus asked.
Elena gave him a tired look.
"And tell them what? That a dead mafia boss had visited my hospital room? I had no money, no influence, and a newborn baby. I didn't even know whether the man I saw was alive or whether I was being threatened by someone impersonating him.""
Dante rubbed a hand over his face.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
Elena's eyes flashed.
"I tried.""
He looked up.
"What?""
"I called you that night. Three times.""
Dante went still.
"My phone records—"
"Your phone went straight to voicemail. I left messages. I called the apartment. I called Marcus.""
Marcus frowned.
"I never received a call from you.""
"I know.""
Elena's voice broke.
"Because someone called me back the next morning. A man who said he worked for your father. He told me Dante had been informed about the baby and wanted nothing to do with us.""
Dante's expression turned cold.
"I never said that.""
"I know that now.""
"Who was the man?""
"I never learned his name.""
Dante turned toward Marcus.
"Find the hospital staff from that night. Every nurse, every doctor, every security guard. Find out who signed my father's visitor log.""
Marcus nodded.
"And the funeral records?""
"Everything. The death certificate, the burial permit, the original autopsy report. I want to know who was in that coffin.""
Marcus pulled out his phone.
"I'll handle it.""
Elena watched him leave.
Then she turned back to Dante.
"You shouldn't be here.""
"Someone threatened my daughter.""
"Don't call her that until you know.""
The words struck harder than she intended.
Dante's eyes lowered.
"You're right.""
Elena hadn't expected him to agree.
He looked toward the apartment door.
"Can I speak to Sophie for a minute?""
"No.""
"Elena—"
"She has school tomorrow. She needs sleep, not a stranger asking her whether he's her father.""
Dante flinched.
"I'm not a stranger.""
"To her, you are.""
The hallway fell silent.
Then the apartment door opened.
Sophie stood there clutching a stuffed rabbit.
"Mommy?""
Elena turned immediately.
"Sweetheart, I told you to stay inside.""
Sophie looked past her mother at Dante.
"Are you leaving?""
Dante crouched.
"If your mommy wants me to.""
Sophie considered that.
"Do you know my daddy?""
Dante's throat tightened.
"I knew your mommy a long time ago.""
"Was he nice?""
Elena closed her eyes.
Dante looked at her before answering.
"Sometimes.""
Sophie tilted her head.
"Sometimes isn't very good.""
A faint, broken smile crossed his face.
"No, sweetheart. It isn't.""
Sophie hugged her rabbit.
"My mommy says my daddy gave me a special necklace before he left.""
Dante felt the silver pendant in his jacket pocket.
"Did she tell you anything else?""
"She says I should keep it safe. She says it belonged to someone who loved me.""
Dante looked at Elena.
She was crying silently now.
He stood slowly.
"I won't bother you tonight.""
Elena nodded.
He walked toward the stairs, then stopped.
"Elena?""
She looked at him.
"If my father is alive, I'll find him.""
Her expression changed to something close to fear.
"Don't.""
"Why?""
"Because you don't understand what he was capable of.""
Dante's voice hardened.
"I was raised by him.""
"Exactly.""
She stepped closer.
"You learned how to frighten people from him. You learned how to make them obey. But you never learned what he did when someone refused.""
Dante held her gaze.
"What did he do to you?""
Elena opened her mouth.
Then the lights in the hallway went out.
Sophie screamed.
Dante moved instantly, pulling Elena and the little girl away from the door as a sharp crack split the silence.
A bullet punched through the apartment door at the height of an adult's chest.
Marcus came running up the stairs, weapon drawn.
"Boss!""
Dante shielded Sophie with his body.
"Get them down!""
Marcus guided Elena and Sophie toward the stairwell while Dante checked the hallway.
Another crack rang out from somewhere outside.
A window shattered at the end of the corridor.
Dante didn't hesitate.
He followed them downstairs, keeping Sophie pressed safely against his chest until they reached the street.
A black sedan sat at the curb, its engine running.
Marcus pulled open the rear door.
"Get in!""
Elena climbed inside with Sophie. Dante followed, slamming the door shut as Marcus accelerated away from the building.
Sophie was shaking so badly that her rabbit slipped from her hands.
Dante retrieved it and placed it in her lap.
"You're safe," he whispered.
She looked up at him through wet eyelashes.
"Are the bad people coming after my mommy?""
Dante's jaw tightened.
"Not if I can stop them.""
Elena pulled Sophie into her arms.
"You shouldn't make promises you can't keep.""
Dante looked at her.
"I know.""
His phone vibrated.
Marcus glanced at the screen mounted beside the steering wheel.
"Boss, it's the hospital.""
Dante answered immediately.
"Talk.""
A man's voice came through the speaker, hurried and nervous.
"We located the archived delivery file. The hospital director reviewed the access log. Someone requested the records two weeks ago.""
"Who?""
A pause.
"Your fiancée, Mr. Moretti.""
Dante slowly turned toward Elena.
She looked just as shocked as he felt.
Bianca had requested the records two weeks ago.
The same week Elena received her third threatening letter.
Dante's voice became dangerously quiet.
"Where is Bianca now?""
Marcus checked his phone.
"At your estate.""
Dante ended the call.
Then another message arrived.
It contained a photograph of Bianca standing in front of an old cemetery, holding a bouquet of white roses.
Behind her stood a man in a gray overcoat.
The face was unmistakable.
Thomas Moretti.
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Beneath the photograph were five words.
*YOUR FATHER IS WAITING FOR YOU.*
