She Walked Into the Mafia Boss’s Room to Clean—Then His Family Walked In While He Was Still in a Towel
Chapter 7
The next few seconds happened so quickly Sofia barely understood them.
Carlo’s men moved.
Matteo reacted.
The vault erupted in chaos.
Sofia ducked behind a pillar.
Matteo disarmed one attacker.
Then another.
Carlo escaped through the side corridor.
“Sofia!”
She ran toward Matteo.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
Blood was on his sleeve.
“That says otherwise.”
“Not mine.”
She exhaled.
He looked at the ledger.
“Take it.”
She held it tightly.
“Where?”
“Out.”
They ran.
Once outside, Matteo called his security team.
Carlo had disappeared.
But the ledger remained.
For the first time, they had proof.
The next morning, Matteo gathered the Moretti family.
His mother.
Bianca.
Carlo’s associates.
His lawyers.
Everyone.
He placed the ledger on the table.
“This ends today.”
His mother stared.
“You found it.”
“Yes.”
She closed her eyes.
“I hoped you never would.”
Matteo looked at her.
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“Twenty years.”
Sofia stood beside him.
His mother looked at her.
“Your mother saved us.”
Sofia’s eyes filled.
“How?”
“She warned your father.”
“My mother knew your family was in danger.”
“Yes.”
“And Carlo?”
“He was stealing.”
“Why didn’t my father stop him?”
His mother looked broken.
“Because he thought family should be protected.”
Matteo laughed bitterly.
“Even when family betrayed him.”
“Yes.”
His mother looked at Sofia.
“Your mother was supposed to expose Carlo.”
“What happened?”
“She disappeared.”
“Did Carlo kill her?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
His mother hesitated.
“Your mother left voluntarily.”
Sofia froze.
“What?”
“She knew the only way to keep you alive was to make them believe she was dead.”
Sofia’s world shifted.
“She was alive?”
“For years.”
“What happened?”
“She died six months before you joined this house.”
Sofia covered her mouth.
Matteo gently took her hand.
His mother continued.
“She left the ledger because she knew one day you would need it.”
“Why me?”
“Because your mother trusted you more than anyone.”
Sofia looked down.
For years, she’d thought her mother had abandoned her.
Instead, she’d spent her life protecting her.
Then Bianca spoke.
“There’s something else.”
Everyone looked at her.
“The ledger doesn’t identify who controls Carlo’s company.”
Matteo frowned.
“What?”
“The company is owned by another entity.”
He looked at the records.
The owner was hidden behind a trust.
A trust established twenty years earlier.
The beneficiary was listed as:
Sofia Bennett.
Silence.
Sofia stared.
“Me?”
Matteo looked at her.
“Yes.”
“Why would my mother do that?”
His mother answered.
“Because your mother wanted to make sure Carlo could never own it.”
Sofia suddenly held the key to the entire organization.
Carlo wanted the ledger.
But he also wanted the company.
And now she was the legal owner.
Matteo looked at her.
“What do you want to do?”
Sofia was frightened.
But she knew one thing.
She wouldn’t run.
“I want to end it.”
Matteo nodded.
“Then I’ll help.”
She looked at him.
“Why?”
He answered without hesitation.
“Because I trust you.”
And that was the first time Sofia realized her feelings for Matteo had already changed.
She wasn’t simply afraid of losing her job.
She was afraid of losing him.
