Chapter 10 - The Family Business
Derek pitched forward onto the wet wooden dock, clutching a bleeding wound in his right shoulder.
He was not dead, but the shock of his own fake girlfriend shooting him completely paralyzed him.
Brittany dropped the silver revolver and fell to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably into her trembling hands.
Luca limped forward heavily, his jaw clenched against the agonizing pain of his recent gunshot wounds.
He kicked Derek’s fallen weapon off the edge of the pier, watching it splash harmlessly into the dark water below.
"The federal agents are already on their way, Derek," Luca stated, his voice ringing with absolute, chilling authority.
"They have the motel security footage of you alive, and they have the offshore bank records proving your fraud."
Derek groaned in agony, realizing his grand, cowardly master plan had completely and utterly failed.
Federal sirens began wailing in the distance, growing louder as they approached the desolate shipping yards.
Luca turned to Enzo, who had silently emerged from the foggy shadows.
"Ensure Brittany is relocated to a secure safehouse with a new identity, she earned her freedom tonight," Luca ordered.
I watched my husband orchestrate the chaos with a brilliant, undeniable strength that took my breath away.
I closed the distance between us and wrapped my arms gently around his uninjured side.
Luca tensed for a brief second, entirely surprised by my sudden, willing affection, before resting his chin on my head.
"I told you I was going to sign the annulment papers tomorrow," he whispered softly into my damp hair.
I looked up into his dark, dangerous eyes, realizing I no longer wanted to escape this beautiful prison.
"I am not signing anything, Luca," I replied, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to his rough jawline.
He had manipulated my past, but he was the only man willing to bleed and die to protect my future.
The federal agents swarmed the pier, arresting the disgraced Derek Morrison and clearing Luca of all fabricated charges.
One year later, the Moretti syndicate successfully transitioned into the largest legitimate real estate empire in the world.
Our daughter, Mia, was thriving, walking confidently through the grand halls of our estate with her father’s stubborn attitude.
Luca and I stood on the balcony of our master suite, watching the golden sunset paint the beautiful Italian countryside.
He wrapped his strong arms around my waist, resting his hands gently over my newly swollen, pregnant belly.
We had finally built a life based on genuine love, absolute trust, and a fiercely protected peace.
Suddenly, the heavy oak doors of the bedroom were thrown open by Enzo, who looked paler than I had ever seen him.
He held a small, black velvet box that had just been delivered anonymously to the heavily guarded front gates.
May you like
Inside the box rested a tiny, silver pacifier completely covered in fresh, dark blood.
And a handwritten note that read: "You stole my legacy, Luca, and now I am coming to slaughter yours."
