Chapter 8 - THE ROSSI HEIRESS
Boston was covered in rain when Emma and Dante arrived.
They had barely spoken during the flight.
Emma sat beside the window.
Dante sat across from her.
For the first time, there was no contract between them.
No rules.
No scheduled end date.
Just a question neither dared to ask.
What would happen after they found Isabella?
Emma finally broke the silence.
“If she's alive…”
Dante looked at her.
“What?”
“What if she doesn't want to see me?”
“She will.”
“You don't know that.”
“No.”
“Then don't promise.”
“I won't.”
Emma looked at him.
“You've changed.”
Dante raised an eyebrow.
“How?”
“You used to answer questions before I finished asking them.”
“And now?”
“You're letting me be afraid.”
His expression softened.
“I don't know how to do anything else.”
Emma smiled faintly.
“That's almost honest.”
“Almost.”
The hospital was private.
Small.
Expensive.
The patient records were sealed.
Dante's lawyer had arranged access.
Emma stood outside the room.
Her hand shook.
“What if it's her?”
Dante stood beside her.
“Then you'll know.”
Emma looked at him.
“And if it isn't?”
“Then we'll keep looking.”
She nodded.
The door opened.
A nurse stepped out.
“Ms. Morrison?”
Emma's heart stopped.
“Yes?”
“The patient requested that only you enter.”
Dante's expression hardened.
“Who?”
The nurse looked at Emma.
“Isabella Rossi.”
Emma closed her eyes.
She had imagined this moment for years without knowing she was imagining it.
Her mother was behind that door.
Alive.
Waiting.
Emma stepped inside.
The room was dim.
An older woman sat near the window.
Her hair was silver.
Her face was thinner.
But her eyes—
Emma knew those eyes.
The woman looked at her.
For a long moment, neither spoke.
Then Isabella whispered:
“Emma.”
The sound of her name shattered something inside her.
Emma's knees weakened.
“You know me.”
Isabella began crying.
“I have known you every day of my life.”
Emma stood frozen.
“Why?”
“Because I was never allowed to forget.”
“Who stopped you?”
Isabella looked toward the door.
“Lucian.”
Emma's blood ran cold.
“Why?”
“Because your father had the ledger.”
“And you?”
“I had something worse.”
“What?”
“The truth.”
Emma stepped closer.
“What truth?”
Isabella reached beneath her pillow.
She pulled out an envelope.
“I was supposed to give this to you when you turned twenty-nine.”
Emma stared at it.
Her birthday was eleven days away.
“Why twenty-nine?”
“Because that's when the Rossi trust becomes yours.”
Emma's breath caught.
“What trust?”
“The Rossi estate.”
Emma shook her head.
“I don't want money.”
“This isn't about money.”
Isabella looked at her.
“It is about power.”
“What power?”
“Control of the Rossi shares.”
Emma frowned.
“What shares?”
Isabella's voice dropped.
“Twenty-eight percent of Moretti Global.”
Emma stared.
Dante had never told her that.
“Why would the Rossi family own part of the Moretti empire?”
“Because your grandfather and Dante's grandfather made a pact.”
“What kind?”
“The Rossi family invested the original capital.”
Emma stared.
“And the Morettis built the empire.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did the families turn against each other?”
Isabella's eyes filled with pain.
“Because someone stole the money.”
“Who?”
She whispered:
“Lucian.”
Emma's heart stopped.
“He stole from both families.”
“Yes.”
“And my father found out.”
“Yes.”
“That's why he died.”
Isabella looked away.
“I don't know if Lucian killed him.”
“But you suspect him.”
“Yes.”
Emma sat beside her.
“Why did you leave me?”
Isabella closed her eyes.
“Because Lucian threatened to kill you.”
“You could have told me.”
“I tried.”
“When?”
“Many times.”
Emma frowned.
“How?”
“Letters.”
“I never received them.”
“I know.”
“Who stopped them?”
Isabella looked at her.
“Eleanor.”
Emma froze.
“My mother?”
“Eleanor was not your biological mother.”
“I know.”
“She loved you.”
Emma's eyes filled.
“She did.”
“She saved you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Eleanor agreed to raise you as her own.”
“Why?”
“Because she knew Lucian would never search for a child who appeared to belong to Thomas Morrison.”
Emma stared.
“So Eleanor protected me.”
“Yes.”
“She died believing she was my mother.”
“She was your mother.”
Emma began crying.
“She was.”
Isabella reached for her hand.
“I never wanted to take that away from you.”
Emma held her fingers.
“I don't know what to call you.”
Isabella smiled through tears.
“Call me whatever feels true.”
Emma looked at her.
Then whispered:
“Mom.”
Isabella broke down.
Emma leaned forward.
They held each other for the first time.
Outside the room, Dante stood alone.
He had heard enough.
And he finally understood why his father had been afraid.
Later that night, Isabella told Emma the last secret.
“Your twenty-ninth birthday isn't just about the trust.”
Emma looked at her.
“What else?”
“The Rossi family kept a second inheritance.”
“What?”
“A ledger.”
Dante's expression changed.
“The original ledger?”
Isabella nodded.
“It was never destroyed.”
“Where?”
“In the place where your father believed no one would look.”
Emma frowned.
“Where?”
Isabella looked at Dante.
“He knows.”
Dante stepped forward.
“I don't.”
Isabella smiled.
“You do.”
She pointed toward him.
“Your father's grave.”
Dante froze.
“My father?”
“The ledger is hidden beneath his name.”
Before they could leave, the hospital lights flickered.
Dante's security team moved instantly.
Isabella grabbed Emma's wrist.
“Listen to me.”
Emma looked at her.
“Lucian will come.”
“When?”
“Soon.”
“Why?”
“Because he knows you're here.”
Dante entered the room.
“We're leaving.”
A gunshot cracked somewhere downstairs.
Security shouted.
The hospital went into lockdown.
Dante took Emma's hand.
“Stay with me.”
Isabella shook her head.
“No.”
Emma turned.
“What?”
“You need to go.”
“I'm not leaving you.”
Isabella smiled.
“I waited twenty-nine years to see you.”
She touched Emma's cheek.
“I can wait a little longer.”
Dante looked toward the door.
“Now.”
They rushed out.
Emma looked back once.
Isabella stood in the doorway.
Alive.
Crying.
Watching her daughter leave again.
They reached the underground garage.
A black SUV waited.
Dante opened the door.
Emma climbed inside.
Then she heard a voice.
“Emma.”
She turned.
David stood behind a concrete pillar.
Dante immediately drew his weapon.
David raised both hands.
“I don't want to hurt her.”
“Then leave,” Dante said.
David looked at Emma.
“I know where Lucian is going.”
Emma stared.
“Where?”
May you like
David smiled bitterly.
“To your father's grave.”
