HE LEFT HER AT THE ALTAR FOR HER SISTER—UNAWARE SHE WAS THE DON’S ONLY BIOLOGICAL DAUGHTER
Chapter 4
Daniel’s father, Robert Hayes, had been in Elena’s life since she was a child.
He had always treated her kindly.
He had attended family dinners.
He had given her gifts.
When her mother died, he had helped Elena with legal matters.
Now she stared at his photograph beside Isabella.
“How?”
Victor leaned back.
“Your mother worked for him.”
Elena shook her head.
“My mother was a schoolteacher.”
“That was the story she used.”
“What did she actually do?”
“She kept financial records.”
Victor explained that Robert had once worked with Victor.
They had been business associates.
But Robert betrayed him.
He secretly moved money through companies Victor didn’t know existed.
When Victor discovered it, Robert disappeared.
Then Isabella discovered the same accounts.
That was when she became a target.
Elena couldn’t believe it.
“You’re saying Daniel’s father tried to kill my mother?”
“I believe he ordered it.”
“Why?”
“To protect himself.”
Elena stood.
“This doesn’t make sense.”
Victor opened another file.
Inside were bank records.
Payments made thirty years earlier.
One recipient appeared repeatedly.
A private hospital.
Elena recognized the name.
It was the hospital where she had been born.
Victor pointed to one document.
“Your birth certificate was altered.”
Elena stared.
Her mother’s name had been changed.
The father’s name was blank.
“Why?”
“Because someone wanted you to disappear.”
Elena sat slowly.
“Who knew I existed?”
“Robert.”
“Anyone else?”
“Only a handful of people.”
Elena looked at Victor.
“Then why did Daniel leave me for Sofia?”
Victor’s eyes narrowed.
“I don’t know.”
“But you think it’s connected.”
“I think nothing in this city happens by accident.”
That night, Elena returned to her apartment.
Daniel called repeatedly.
She ignored him.
Then Sofia called.
Elena answered.
“What?”
Sofia was crying.
“Please listen.”
“I’ve heard enough.”
“Daniel didn’t leave you because he stopped loving you.”
Elena froze.
“What?”
“He was threatened.”
“By whom?”
“I don’t know.”
“You’re lying.”
“I swear.”
Sofia explained that two weeks before the wedding, Daniel had received anonymous messages.
Photographs of Elena.
Photographs of Victor.
Warnings.
Marry Sofia, or Elena dies.
Elena’s heart stopped.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because they threatened me too.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
Sofia began sobbing.
“They said they knew about Dad.”
Elena froze.
“Your father?”
“Yes.”
“What does he have to do with this?”
“I don’t know.”
The call ended.
Elena immediately contacted Victor.
He answered on the first ring.
“Where are you?”
“Home.”
“Lock the doors.”
“Why?”
“Because whoever threatened Daniel knows where you live.”
Elena looked toward the window.
A black car was parked across the street.
Its headlights were off.
She closed the curtains.
Victor sent security.
Within minutes, two guards arrived.
But the car was gone.
The next morning, the DNA test arrived.
Victor and Elena were biological father and daughter.
There was no longer any doubt.
Elena was Victor Moretti’s only biological child.
Victor had no other legitimate heir.
That made her the sole successor to everything he owned.
And suddenly, everyone who had once ignored her began calling.
Lawyers.
Businessmen.
Politicians.
People she had never met.
But one call frightened her.
It came from Daniel.
“Elena, I need to tell you something.”
“What?”
“I know who threatened me.”
“Who?”
Daniel hesitated.
“My father.”
Elena closed her eyes.
Then Daniel said:
“And he’s planning to kill your father.”
