Chapter 6 - THE ENEMY INSIDE THE VERRONE HOUSE
Damiano's mother, Alessandra Verrone, had been diagnosed with dementia two years earlier.
She lived privately in a guarded residence in Connecticut.
Carlo visited her every Sunday.
That fact suddenly seemed terrifying.
Damiano, Rafael, Isabella, and Mia drove there the next morning.
Alessandra was sitting beside a window feeding crumbs to birds.
She looked at Damiano.
For several seconds, there was nothing.
Then recognition.
“My boy.”
Damiano kissed her forehead.
“Hello, Mama.”
She noticed Mia.
Her eyes widened.
“Sofia?”
“No, Mama.”
Alessandra began crying.
“She came back.”
Mia approached cautiously.
“My name's Mia.”
Alessandra touched her cheek.
“Sofia's baby.”
Everyone froze.
“You remember her?” Damiano asked.
Alessandra nodded.
“She gave me the music box.”
“What music box?”
Alessandra pointed toward a cabinet.
Inside sat an old wooden ballerina box.
Damiano opened it.
Music played.
Nothing else.
Rafael examined the bottom.
A false panel.
Inside was a USB drive.
And a letter.
Damiano opened it.
D,
If you are reading this, then Mia is old enough for the truth or danger has found her first.
His hands began trembling.
The letter explained everything.
Sofia had discovered Carlo's conspiracy.
She had also discovered that Silvio intended to remove Damiano and blame a rival family.
The USB contained financial records, audio recordings, and photographs.
But the final paragraph destroyed him.
Please don't teach our daughter revenge. If I cannot raise her, give her the life neither of us had. Let her know a Verrone can inherit love instead of war.
Damiano lowered the letter.
Mia was watching.
“Was that from my mommy?”
Damiano knelt.
“Your first mommy.”
Mia looked at Isabella.
Isabella nodded through tears.
“I’m your aunt, sweetheart.”
Mia's face changed.
“What?”
Isabella began crying.
“I raised you because your mother asked me to.”
Mia backed away.
“You lied.”
“Mia—”
“You said you were my mommy!”
“I am in every way that matters.”
“No!”
Mia ran.
Damiano followed.
He found her in the hallway.
She was crying behind a chair.
He sat on the floor.
Not beside her.
Several feet away.
“I got lied to too.”
Mia looked up.
“About what?”
“About you.”
“Why?”
“Because adults sometimes think hiding the truth is the same as protecting someone.”
“Is it?”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“It isn't.”
She wiped her face.
“Are you really my dad?”
Damiano swallowed.
“Yes.”
“How do you know?”
“Because your mother told us.”
“What if she was wrong?”
That afternoon, Damiano voluntarily submitted DNA samples.
He didn't need the test emotionally.
But Mia did.
Twenty-four hours later:
Probability of paternity: 99.9998%.
Mia stared at the paper.
Then at Damiano.
“So I don't have to borrow you?”
His voice almost failed.
“No.”
Before he could say more, alarms sounded throughout the residence.
Rafael ran in.
“Damiano.”
“What?”
“Carlo knows.”
“How?”
“The drive triggered an access alert.”
Damiano looked toward the security monitor.
Three black vehicles were approaching the gate.
May you like
His uncle had come for the evidence.
And this time, he knew Mia existed.
