The Mafia Boss Was Ready to Marry Another — Until His Maid Revealed the Secret She’d Hidden
Chapter 3
Luca stepped backward.
“No.”
Elena nodded.
“My mother was your father’s older sister.”
He stared at her.
“My father was not a Bennett.”
“No.”
“He was a Delacroix.”
“Yes.”
“My parents hid their marriage because your grandfather rejected it.”
Luca looked stunned.
“You’re my cousin?”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“My mother and your father were half-siblings.”
Luca went silent.
“So we’re not related.”
“No.”
“But why was your name changed?”
“Because my mother left the family.”
“Why?”
“She didn’t want the criminal life.”
Luca stared at her.
“You knew all this?”
“Since I was eighteen.”
“Why stay here?”
She smiled sadly.
“Because your father asked me to.”
Luca turned away.
For the first time, he understood why Elena had always known too much.
Why she could move through the mansion without security stopping her.
Why his father had trusted her.
But one question remained.
“Why hide your identity from me?”
“Because your father wanted you to believe no one in the family could betray you.”
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“It does when you know what he discovered.”
“What?”
Elena pulled out another file.
“Your uncle.”
Luca froze.
“My uncle died before I was born.”
“He didn’t.”
“Who?”
“Richard Delacroix.”
Luca shook his head.
“Impossible.”
“He’s alive.”
“Where?”
“In this city.”
“Why?”
“To take the company.”
Luca sat down.
Elena continued.
Richard had manipulated Vanessa’s family.
He had created shell companies.
He had funded the poisoning.
He had used Vanessa to get close to Luca.
But Richard wasn’t working alone.
Someone inside Luca’s organization was helping him.
Elena placed another document on the table.
A payroll list.
One name was circled.
Marco Bell.
Luca’s security chief.
Luca stared.
Marco had protected him since childhood.
Impossible.
Elena looked at him.
“Your father trusted him.”
“And?”
“He betrayed him.”
Luca stood.
“Show me proof.”
She did.
Bank transfers.
Encrypted messages.
Photographs.
Everything connected.
Luca’s expression darkened.
“Why haven’t you gone to the police?”
“Because half the police department is paid by them.”
He stared.
“You knew all this for years.”
“Yes.”
“And you stayed?”
She nodded.
“Because if I left, nobody would know.”
Luca stepped closer.
“You could have died.”
“So could you.”
Silence.
He looked at her differently now.
Not as a maid.
Not as an employee.
Not as someone beneath him.
As someone who had been protecting him from the shadows.
“How much do you know?”
She hesitated.
“Everything about the family.”
“Everything?”
“No.”
“What don’t you know?”
Elena looked away.
“The identity of the person who killed my mother.”
Luca frowned.
“Your mother was murdered?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Same year as your father.”
He stared.
“You think they’re connected?”
“I know they are.”
She opened one final folder.
Inside was an old hospital record.
The same doctor.
The same poison.
The same night.
Luca read it.
Then looked at her.
“Why would someone kill your mother?”
Elena whispered:
“Because she knew who you really were.”
Luca went still.
“Who I really am?”
Elena nodded.
“Your father didn’t leave you the empire because you were his son.”
“Then why?”
“Because he believed you’re the only person who can end it.”
