Chapter 3 - The Man Who Was Supposed to Be DeadElena told me the story slowly.
Three years before Mia was born, Daniel Carter had worked for my father.
He wasn't a servant.
He wasn't a driver.
He was one of the men trusted with sensitive information.
Daniel had been loyal.
Until he wasn't.
“He found out your father kept a private ledger,” Elena said.
“What ledger?”
“Payments. Names. Deals.”
“Illegal deals?”
She looked away.
“Some.”
That didn't surprise me.
My father had built the Moretti empire in a world where clean hands were a luxury.
But Elena's next words did.
“Daniel wanted the ledger.”
“Why?”
“Because it contained proof that several powerful men were planning to take control of the company.”
I frowned.
“Who?”
She shook her head.
“I never saw the names.”
“Then how does Mia know?”
“She doesn't.”
“But you said she has a memory.”
“Not consciously.”
I stared.
Elena continued.
“Daniel came to our apartment the night your father died. He was looking for something.”
“What?”
“A flash drive.”
“Where was it?”
“Your father gave it to me.”
My eyes narrowed.
“Why?”
“He knew Daniel was coming.”
“Where is it?”
Elena's face went pale.
“I don't know.”
“You had it.”
“Yes.”
“Then what happened?”
“I gave it to someone I trusted.”
“Who?”
She looked directly at me.
“Your mother.”
I felt the room shift.
My mother had died five years before my father.
Cancer.
Or so I believed.
“What did she do with it?”
“I don't know.”
“Then why tell me?”
“Because your mother told me that if Daniel ever returned, I should find you.”
I stared at the floor.
Too many dead people.
Too many secrets.
Too many stories that suddenly didn't match the truth.
Then Elena grabbed my wrist.
“Adrian.”
I looked at her.
“You need to understand something.”
“What?”
“Daniel isn't alone.”
My phone rang.
Marco.
I answered.
“Talk.”
“We found something.”
“What?”
“Daniel Carter has been using another name.”
“Which one?”
Marco hesitated.
“Thomas Vale.”
I froze.
That name was familiar.
Not from the street.
From my own company.
Thomas Vale was the chairman of a private investment firm that had been trying to buy shares in Moretti Holdings for the past year.
He had met with me twice.
I had disliked him immediately.
I had not known why.
Now I did.
“Where is he?”
“Gone.”
“Find him.”
“We're trying.”
“No.”
I looked at Elena.
“We're going to find him.”
Then the hospital lights went out.
Again.
My security team moved instantly.
I grabbed Elena's wheelchair.
“Stay behind me.”
The hallway fell into darkness.
Then came footsteps.
A man's voice echoed.
“Elena.”
She froze.
Daniel.
“Daniel?”
A light flashed at the end of the corridor.
A man stood there.
Tall.
Gray coat.
Cold smile.
Mia's father.
He looked at me.
Then smiled.
“Adrian Moretti.”
I stepped forward.
“You should be dead.”
“So should your father.”
The words hit like a bullet.
Daniel raised a small black device.
“This is bigger than you.”
“What do you want?”
He looked at Elena.
“What's mine.”
“You mean Mia.”
His expression softened.
For one terrifying second, he looked like a normal father.
Then his face hardened.
“She has something inside her memory.”
“You're insane.”
“No.”
He smiled.
“I'm patient.”
Then he threw a smoke grenade.
The hallway disappeared.
I heard Elena scream.
I grabbed her.
A door slammed.
When the smoke cleared, Daniel was gone.
So was Mia.
My blood turned cold.
She had never been at the hospital.
I looked at Elena.
“Where is she?”
Elena stared at me in horror.
“With Mrs. Bell.”
My phone rang.
I answered.
A man's voice whispered:
May you like
“Come home, Adrian.”
Then the call ended.
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