Chapter 10 - THE WOMAN WHO BUILT THE BETRAYAL
Caterina Vulpe had entered Vittorio's life twenty years earlier.
Beautiful.
Intelligent.
Ambitious.
She claimed to come from a wealthy family in northern Italy.
Vittorio married her within six months.
But Caterina's past was false.
Her real name was Caterina Voss.
She had worked as an intermediary for an international criminal network.
Her role was to gain access to powerful organizations, identify their weaknesses, and redirect their assets.
Giovanni Corvino discovered her identity.
He planned to expose her.
Then his estate burned.
Aleandro stared at the documents.
“My father knew?”
Salvatore hesitated.
“At first, no.”
“And later?”
Salvatore looked down.
“Later, he chose to protect her.”
Aleandro closed his eyes.
Irene sat silently.
Her family had been destroyed because powerful people wanted to protect themselves.
Then Salvatore revealed something else.
Lucia Corvino had survived the attack.
She had been held under threat for years.
Caterina used her to pressure anyone who might reveal the ledger's location.
Irene stood.
“Where is my mother?”
Salvatore looked at her.
“I don't know.”
She stepped closer.
“Don't lie to me.”
He shook his head.
“I swear.”
Aleandro placed a hand on Irene's shoulder.
She pulled away.
“I've spent fourteen years without her.”
Her voice broke.
“And now everyone keeps telling me she's alive, but nobody knows where.”
Salvatore looked at her.
Then said quietly:
“There is one person who might know.”
Irene stared.
“Who?”
Salvatore looked at Aleandro.
“Vittorio Vulpe.”
Aleandro felt cold.
His father.
Alive.
May you like
Hiding.
And possibly the only man who knew where Lucia was being held.
