“Stop Calling This Number,” She Said—Then the Mafia Boss Whispered, “My Mother Is Dead.”
Chapter 9
The blast threw Clara across the basement.
Marco grabbed her before she hit the wall.
Smoke filled the room.
Stone fell from the ceiling.
“Clara!”
“I’m okay.”
“Can you walk?”
“Yes.”
They climbed through the damaged corridor.
Outside, the church was burning.
Sirens approached.
Clara coughed.
Marco held her close until she steadied.
“You’re bleeding.”
“So are you.”
He looked at the cut on his forehead.
“Not important.”
“It is to me.”
He stared at her.
For a moment, neither moved.
Then Clara pulled away.
“We need to find your mother.”
Marco nodded.
The video had been destroyed.
But the phone survived.
The hidden archive remained intact.
They accessed it from a secure laptop.
Inside was a location.
No name.
Only coordinates.
Marco recognized them.
“It’s the old Romano estate.”
“You said it was abandoned.”
“It was.”
“Then why give us the location?”
“Because my mother wants us to find her.”
They drove there before sunrise.
The estate sat beyond a forest.
Huge stone walls surrounded it.
The gates were open.
That was the first warning.
The second was the complete silence.
No guards.
No vehicles.
No lights.
Marco entered with his weapon drawn.
Clara followed.
They searched the lower floors.
Nothing.
Then they heard a voice.
“Marco.”
He froze.
Clara stopped behind him.
The voice came from the chapel.
Marco opened the door.
A woman stood beside the altar.
Evelyn Romano.
Alive.
Older.
Thin.
But unmistakably herself.
Marco’s weapon dropped.
“Mom?”
She smiled.
“My son.”
He crossed the room and held her.
Clara watched them embrace.
For three years, Marco had believed he had buried his mother.
Now she was standing in front of him.
He was crying.
Clara turned away.
After several moments, Evelyn looked at her.
“Come here, sweetheart.”
Clara stepped forward.
Evelyn touched her face.
“You look just like Margaret.”
“You knew she was alive?”
“No.”
She paused.
“I’m sorry.”
Clara cried.
“My mother loved you.”
“I loved her too.”
“What happened?”
Evelyn sat down.
“Your mother and I found out that someone inside our organizations was selling women back to abusive men.”
“Anthony?”
“No.”
Marco froze.
“Not Anthony?”
Evelyn shook her head.
“Anthony was involved in the money.”
“But he wasn’t the one who started it.”
“Then who?”
Evelyn looked at Marco.
“Your father.”
Marco went still.
“My father?”
“He created the network.”
“What network?”
“The one that moved women, money, and information.”
Marco stared.
“He helped women escape.”
“At first.”
“What happened?”
“He became convinced he could control everyone.”
Clara whispered:
“And my father?”
“Your father discovered the truth.”
“Then he disappeared.”
Evelyn nodded.
“He tried to expose them.”
Marco’s voice broke.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because your father threatened you.”
Marco looked away.
Evelyn continued.
“Anthony took over after him.”
“Then who killed my mother?”
Evelyn looked toward the window.
“No one.”
Marco stared.
“I was poisoned.”
Clara’s eyes widened.
“You weren’t dead?”
“No.”
“I survived because Margaret found a doctor.”
“What happened to her?”
Evelyn closed her eyes.
“She was killed one year later.”
Marco clenched his fists.
“By whom?”
Evelyn looked at him.
“Daniel Hayes.”
Clara felt sick.
“But why?”
“Because Hayes believed the ledger would destroy the people paying him.”
Marco stood.
“Where is he now?”
Evelyn shook her head.
“Too late.”
“Why?”
“He already took someone.”
“Who?”
Evelyn looked at Clara.
“Your father.”
