CHAPTER 9 THE HEART THAT REFUSED TO STOP
Adrian collapsed against the wall.
For one terrifying second, he couldn't hear anything.
Then Lily screamed.
“Daddy!”
Vincent caught him before he hit the floor.
“Stay with me.”
Adrian pressed a hand against his chest.
His heartbeat was chaotic.
Too fast.
Then too slow.
Then one violent удар that seemed to shake his entire body.
“Get the medical team.”
Vincent shouted into his radio.
“NOW!”
Adrian forced himself upright.
“No.”
Vincent stared at him.
“You're having an arrhythmia.”
“I know.”
“You need a hospital.”
“I need my daughter.”
“Your daughter is standing right there.”
Adrian looked at Lily.
She was crying.
Then he looked toward the windows.
“Anna is outside.”
Vincent's expression tightened.
“We'll find her.”
“Not without me.”
“You're in no condition.”
Adrian grabbed Vincent's jacket.
His voice was barely a whisper.
“She's been running from us for twenty-eight years.”
He struggled to breathe.
“I won't make her run alone tonight.”
The medical team arrived six minutes later.
Adrian refused the stretcher.
The paramedic argued.
He ignored him.
“Your heart rhythm is unstable.”
“I'll stabilize it.”
“You don't control that.”
Adrian looked at him.
“I've controlled worse.”
The paramedic shook his head.
“That's not how cardiology works.”
Vincent almost laughed.
“Good luck convincing him.”
The doctor attached a portable monitor.
Adrian watched the screen.
Irregular rhythm.
Then a sudden spike.
The doctor frowned.
“Mr. Moretti, you cannot continue this.”
Adrian looked at Lily.
She stood beside Sarah.
Sarah's hands were trembling.
“Daddy?”
Adrian forced a smile.
“I'm okay.”
The doctor stared at him.
“You are not okay.”
Adrian ignored him.
He turned to Vincent.
“Find Anna.”
Vincent nodded.
“I'm going.”
“And Cross?”
“Gone.”
Adrian's eyes hardened.
“Find him too.”
“Already working on it.”
“Volkov?”
“His men pulled back.”
“Why?”
Vincent hesitated.
“We don't know.”
Adrian looked toward the window.
He did.
Volkov had come for Anna.
And failed.
For now.
Three miles away, Anna Moretti ran through an abandoned rail yard.
Rain soaked her coat.
Her lungs burned.
Behind her, headlights moved between the warehouses.
She didn't look back.
She knew exactly who was following her.
The Black Ledger.
Not Volkov.
Not Cross.
Something older.
Something far more dangerous.
Anna reached the end of the tracks.
A black sedan blocked her path.
She stopped.
Two doors opened.
Three men stepped out.
Anna raised her hands.
“I don't have it.”
One of the men smiled.
“We know.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Because you do.”
Anna frowned.
“Do what?”
“Remember.”
Her face changed.
The man stepped closer.
“You remember what happened in 1998.”
Anna shook her head.
“I was a baby.”
“You were.”
“Then how could I remember?”
The man smiled.
“Not everything is remembered with the mind.”
Anna's expression hardened.
“Who sent you?”
“The woman who raised you.”
Anna froze.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“She wouldn't.”
The man stepped closer.
“She already did.”
Anna backed away.
Then headlights appeared behind the men.
A black SUV.
It stopped.
The doors opened.
Vincent stepped out.
“Anna.”
She stared at him.
“Who are you?”
“Vincent Russo.”
She knew the name.
“Adrian's man.”
“Yes.”
Anna looked around.
“Where is he?”
“He's alive.”
“Is he hurt?”
Vincent hesitated.
Anna's eyes narrowed.
“Tell me.”
“He had a cardiac episode.”
Her face changed.
“What?”
“He's stable.”
“Where?”
“At the estate.”
Anna took one step toward him.
Then stopped.
“You're lying.”
“I'm not.”
“Why should I trust you?”
“Because I came alone.”
Anna looked around.
Vincent was alone.
At least visibly.
“Your father sent me.”
Anna's eyes widened.
“My father?”
Vincent nodded.
“Adrian.”
A tear appeared in her eye.
She quickly wiped it away.
“Does he know?”
“Know what?”
“That I'm his daughter.”
Vincent looked at her.
“Yes.”
Anna closed her eyes.
For twenty-eight years, she had wondered what her father looked like.
Whether he was alive.
Whether he ever searched for her.
Whether he knew she existed.
And now she had an answer.
He did.
She opened her eyes.
“Take me to him.”
Adrian woke in the estate's library.
A medical monitor beeped beside him.
His chest felt heavy.
The doctor stood nearby.
“You're lucky.”
Adrian opened his eyes.
“I know.”
“No. You don't.”
The doctor sat.
“You've had a serious arrhythmia.”
“How serious?”
“Serious enough that you could have died.”
Adrian looked toward the door.
“Lily?”
“Safe.”
“Sarah?”
“Safe.”
“Anna?”
The doctor didn't answer.
Adrian sat up.
“Where is she?”
The door opened.
Vincent entered.
“She found us.”
Adrian's heart skipped.
“Where?”
Vincent stepped aside.
Anna entered.
Adrian stared.
Everything around him disappeared.
The rain.
The house.
The monitor.
The pain.
All of it.
He saw only her.
His daughter.
Twenty-eight years old.
Standing ten feet away.
Terrified.
Trying not to cry.
Adrian couldn't speak.
Neither could Anna.
She looked at him.
He looked at her.
Finally, Anna whispered:
“Dad?”
Adrian's eyes filled.
“Yes.”
Anna took one step forward.
Then another.
She stopped in front of him.
“You're real.”
Adrian nodded.
“So are you.”
A broken laugh escaped her.
“I thought you were dead.”
“I thought you were.”
“I've spent my whole life believing my parents abandoned me.”
Adrian swallowed.
“I didn't know.”
Anna's face tightened.
“You didn't know?”
“No.”
“You never looked for me?”
“I didn't know you existed.”
She stared at him.
Then her anger broke.
She started crying.
Adrian opened his arms.
Anna hesitated.
Then stepped forward.
He held her.
For twenty-eight years, Adrian had never known what it felt like to hold his daughter.
Now he held the daughter he had never been allowed to meet.
He closed his eyes.
“I am sorry.”
Anna cried against his shoulder.
“You don't have to apologize.”
“Yes, I do.”
“You didn't know.”
“I should have.”
“You were a child too.”
Adrian pulled back.
“I was eighteen.”
“So was my mother.”
Adrian froze.
“Your mother?”
Anna looked at him.
“Not Elena.”
His expression changed.
“Who?”
Anna whispered:
“Sarah.”
Silence.
Adrian stepped back.
“What?”
Anna's eyes filled with tears.
“Sarah is my mother.”
Adrian stared at her.
“No.”
“She was.”
“That's impossible.”
“Ask her.”
Adrian looked toward the doorway.
Sarah stood there.
Her face was white.
Anna turned.
“Tell him.”
Sarah couldn't speak.
Adrian looked at her.
“Sarah?”
She lowered her head.
“I didn't know what else to do.”
Adrian's voice became cold.
“You're Anna's mother?”
Sarah nodded.
“Yes.”
Adrian's mind raced.
He looked at Lily.
Then Anna.
Then Sarah.
“How?”
Sarah began crying.
“I was eighteen.”
Adrian stared.
“We were together?”
Sarah nodded.
“For one summer.”
Adrian closed his eyes.
Memories flashed.
A beach.
A red dress.
A summer storm.
A girl laughing.
Then darkness.
A hospital.
His father shouting.
His mother crying.
A car leaving.
He had forgotten.
Not naturally.
The memories had been buried.
Adrian opened his eyes.
“My father erased my memory.”
Sarah whispered:
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because he believed you were in danger.”
Adrian looked at Anna.
“And he took my daughter.”
Sarah nodded.
“He said it was the only way to keep her alive.”
Adrian's voice broke.
“You let him.”
“I was eighteen.”
“You let him.”
“I tried to stop him.”
“But you couldn't.”
Sarah shook her head.
“No.”
Adrian turned away.
His chest tightened again.
The monitor began beeping.
The doctor stepped forward.
“Sit down.”
Adrian ignored him.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
Sarah looked at him.
“Because your father threatened to kill you if I did.”
Adrian froze.
“He threatened you?”
“He said if I ever told you, he'd make sure you disappeared too.”
Adrian's face hardened.
“My father.”
“Yes.”
“And Elena knew.”
“Yes.”
“Cross knew.”
“Yes.”
“Who else?”
Sarah's voice became small.
“Everyone.”
Adrian looked around.
The entire room seemed to shrink.
“Everyone except me.”
Anna sat across from Adrian.
Lily sat beside her.
The two girls stared at each other.
For the first time.
Sisters.
Neither knew what to say.
Lily finally asked:
“Do you like teddy bears?”
Anna smiled through her tears.
“Yes.”
“I have Mr. Buttons.”
“I know.”
Lily frowned.
“How?”
Anna looked at Adrian.
“Because I gave him to you.”
Adrian stared.
“What?”
Anna smiled.
“When you were three.”
Lily's eyes widened.
“I don't remember.”
“You wouldn't.”
Anna reached into her coat.
She pulled out a tiny photograph.
Lily as a baby.
Anna holding her.
Adrian stared.
“When was this?”
“Three years ago.”
Adrian's eyes widened.
“You were near her?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To protect her.”
“From what?”
Anna looked toward Sarah.
“From the people who wanted me.”
Adrian's expression hardened.
“Who?”
Anna didn't answer.
Instead, she took out a small black notebook.
She placed it on the table.
“This is why.”
Adrian opened it.
Every page contained names.
Bank accounts.
Addresses.
Code words.
Dates.
Politicians.
Judges.
Police officers.
Shipping companies.
International organizations.
At the top of the first page were two words.
BLACK LEDGER.
Adrian stared.
“This is real.”
Anna nodded.
“My grandfather kept it.”
“Your grandfather?”
“Marco.”
Adrian looked up.
“My father?”
“Yes.”
“Why did he give it to you?”
“He didn't.”
“Then who?”
Anna looked at him.
“Your mother.”
Adrian froze.
“Elena.”
“Yes.”
“Where is she?”
Anna's expression changed.
“She isn't your mother.”
Adrian stared.
“What?”
Anna shook her head.
“That's what I came here to tell you.”
Silence.
“She isn't Elena Moretti.”
Adrian's face went cold.
“Then who is she?”
Anna looked toward the door.
“The woman you met at the chapel…”
She swallowed.
“…is Elena's sister.”
Adrian stopped breathing.
“My mother's sister?”
“Yes.”
“What happened to Elena?”
Anna's voice dropped.
“She died seventeen years ago.”
Adrian's eyes widened.
“No.”
“She died the night you were told she was dead.”
“Then who was buried?”
Anna looked at him.
“A woman whose identity had been prepared for years.”
Adrian stood.
His mind was spinning.
“Why would they do that?”
Anna's eyes filled with fear.
“Because the real Elena discovered who Lily's biological father was.”
Adrian stared.
“Who?”
Anna hesitated.
Then whispered:
“Daniel Cross.”
Adrian froze.
“No.”
“Lily isn't your biological daughter.”
The words struck the room like a gunshot.
Adrian looked at Lily.
His little girl.
His heart.
His reason for living.
His daughter.
Anna continued.
“You raised her in your heart.”
A tear slid down her cheek.
“But genetically…”
She looked at Adrian.
“…she belongs to Daniel Cross.”
Adrian couldn't breathe.
The room went silent.
Lily looked up.
“Daddy?”
Adrian forced himself to look at her.
She smiled.
“You're my daddy.”
Adrian's eyes filled with tears.
“Yes.”
He knelt beside her.
“Always.”
He pulled her into his arms.
Whatever blood said didn't matter.
Whatever documents said didn't matter.
She was his daughter.
And nobody could change that.
Then Anna placed another photograph on the table.
Adrian looked at it.
Daniel Cross.
Elena.
Sarah.
And Marco.
All standing together.
But there was one more person in the photograph.
A man Adrian had never seen.
A man wearing the same silver pendant Lily wore.
Anna whispered:
“He is the one who started the Black Ledger.”
Adrian looked at the name written beneath him.
His face went pale.
ADRIAN MORETTI SENIOR.
His grandfather.
The man who was supposed to have died before Adrian was born.
But beneath the name was a second line.
STATUS: ALIVE.
Adrian slowly looked up.
“How old is he?”
Anna's voice was almost inaudible.
“Ninety-one.”
The lights suddenly went out.
The estate fell into darkness.
Then every phone in the room received the same message.
Adrian's.
Vincent's.
Sarah's.
Anna's.
Even Lily's small tablet.
One sentence appeared.
YOU FOUND THE FAMILY.
A second message followed.
NOW THE FAMILY WILL WATCH ITSELF DIE.
Then the final message.
WELCOME HOME, ADRIAN.
From somewhere outside the estate came the sound of dozens of engines.
Vincent moved toward the window.
His face changed.
“Boss…”
Adrian stood.
“What?”
Vincent looked out into the darkness.
“There's an army outside.”
Adrian moved beside him.
Rows of black vehicles surrounded the estate.
At least thirty.
Maybe more.
Then headlights illuminated the driveway.
A single elderly man stepped out of the center vehicle.
Silver hair.
Black coat.
Walking with a cane.
Adrian stared.
He recognized him.
The face from an old childhood photograph.
His grandfather.
Alive.
May you like
The man slowly raised his head.
And smiled.
