The Mafia Boss Was Ready to Marry Another — Until His Maid Revealed the Secret She’d Hidden
Chapter 5
Vanessa’s face went white.
“My father…”
Marco nodded.
“Your grandmother killed him when he tried to leave.”
Vanessa lowered her gun.
“That isn’t possible.”
“It is.”
Luca watched her.
“You didn’t know.”
She shook her head.
“I thought…”
“You thought your father was loyal.”
“Yes.”
“He wasn’t.”
Vanessa’s eyes filled.
For the first time, she looked less like an enemy and more like a frightened woman.
Elena stepped closer.
“Your father tried to protect you.”
Vanessa stared at her.
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I didn’t know if you’d believe me.”
Vanessa looked at Luca.
“What now?”
Luca lowered his gun.
“Now you help us.”
She laughed bitterly.
“You think I’m going to help you?”
“You can either help us or become the next person your grandmother removes.”
Vanessa stared.
She understood.
Her entire engagement had been a trap.
She was disposable.
So was everyone else.
She agreed.
They discovered a final piece of evidence.
A ledger hidden inside the chapel on the Delacroix estate.
It contained payments to politicians, judges, police officers, and rival organizations.
The names went back forty years.
At the bottom:
Luca Delacroix — successor.
Luca stared.
His father had planned to dismantle the empire.
But after his death, the family had continued.
Now Luca was expected to inherit.
Elena looked at him.
“What will you do?”
He closed the ledger.
“End it.”
“You can’t end something that big.”
“I can try.”
“No.”
He looked at her.
“I’ve spent my whole life becoming what they expected.”
He shook his head.
“I’m done.”
Vanessa looked at them.
“Then we need to move quickly.”
They created a plan.
Release the evidence.
Protect witnesses.
Freeze assets.
Transfer legitimate businesses.
Expose corrupt officials.
But the grandmother moved first.
She kidnapped Elena’s father.
Luca’s mother.
And Rose.
His young daughter.
She sent one message:
Come alone.
Luca wanted to go.
Elena refused.
“No.”
“She has Rose.”
“And your mother.”
“I’ll go.”
“I’m coming.”
“You’ll get killed.”
“So will you.”
He looked at her.
Then nodded.
They drove to the old Delacroix mansion.
The place where Luca had grown up.
The place where Elena had spent years working.
The place where most of the family’s secrets were buried.
The grandmother waited in the ballroom.
She was seventy-four.
Elegant.
Calm.
Terrifying.
She looked at Elena.
“You finally stopped hiding.”
Elena stepped forward.
“I never hid.”
“You wore an apron.”
“It was convenient.”
The old woman smiled.
“You always were your mother’s daughter.”
Luca stood beside Elena.
“Let them go.”
His grandmother looked at him.
“You could have had everything.”
“I don’t want it.”
“You’re my grandson.”
“Not your weapon.”
She laughed.
“You think morality will save you?”
Luca shook his head.
“No.”
He raised his gun.
“People will.”
The doors opened.
Police.
Federal agents.
News cameras.
The evidence had already been released.
His grandmother stared.
Elena smiled.
“You taught us to fear you.”
She looked around.
“Your mistake was teaching us how to stop.”
