Chapter 4: The Ally Hidden Among Enemies
Domenico stared at the name on the phone screen.
For several seconds, nobody in the room dared to breathe.
The guards knew that look.
They had seen it before.
Not when Domenico was angry.
Anger was easy to understand.
This was different.
This was the moment when he was putting pieces together.
The moment when someone realized they had underestimated him.
The name on the screen belonged to someone who had spent years earning his trust.
Someone who had access to the Falcone estate.
Someone who knew every schedule, every security route, every private meeting.
Someone who had watched Ruby grow up.
Domenico slowly lowered the phone.
“Say it again.””
The guard swallowed.
“The message came from inside the house.””
“I heard that.””
Domenico’s eyes remained fixed on the screen.
“Who sent it?””
The guard hesitated.
“Your head of household staff.””
Silence.
Valentina looked confused.
Marcus looked relieved.
Almost too relieved.
Domenico noticed.
He noticed everything.
“Name.””
The guard answered quietly.
“Alessandro Riva.””
The name echoed through the room.
Alessandro.
The man who had served the Falcone family for fifteen years.
The man who had been there before Valentina.
Before Ethan.
Before the second marriage.
The man Ruby called Uncle Alessandro.
Domenico looked toward the hallway.
“Bring him here.””
The guards moved immediately.
Valentina stepped forward.
“Domenico, wait.””
He turned.
“What?””
Her voice was softer now.
Not defensive.
Concerned.
And that worried him more.
“You don’t know what he might say.””
Domenico stared.
“Neither do you.””
Valentina froze.
Because for the first time, Domenico was no longer assuming.
He was testing.
She looked away.
That small movement told him enough.
“You knew Alessandro was involved.””
“No.””
“Then why are you afraid of what he might say?””
Valentina didn’t answer.
Marcus stood.
“This is pointless.””
Domenico looked at him.
“Everything you say tonight sounds like you’re trying to end the conversation before I find the truth.””
Marcus’s jaw tightened.
“You’re accusing everyone around you.””
Domenico walked toward him.
“No.””
He stopped inches away.
“I’m questioning everyone who had the opportunity.””
Marcus stared back.
“And you think that includes your own wife?””
Domenico glanced toward Valentina.
“I know it includes her.””
The words struck harder than a shout.
Valentina’s face changed.
A mixture of anger and fear crossed her expression.
“You really think I would hurt Ruby?””
Domenico didn’t answer immediately.
Because the worst part was that he didn’t know anymore.
And that realization hurt more than anything.
Before he could speak, the doors opened.
Alessandro Riva entered.
He was in his late fifties, with silver hair and the calm expression of someone who had survived decades around dangerous people.
But tonight, even he looked nervous.
“Boss.””
Domenico studied him.
“Did you send this message?””
Alessandro looked at the phone.
Then lowered his eyes.
“Yes.””
Valentina inhaled sharply.
Marcus leaned back.
Domenico’s voice remained calm.
“Why?””
Alessandro didn’t answer.
“Why did you warn someone that I knew about the room?””
The older man looked at Valentina.
Then Marcus.
Then back at Domenico.
“Because I knew you would find out.””
“That’s not an answer.””
Alessandro sighed.
“Because I wanted to give them time.””
The room changed.
Domenico’s eyes narrowed.
“Give who time?””
Alessandro looked toward the staircase.
Toward where Ruby was sleeping.
“Your daughter.””
Everyone became still.
Domenico stepped closer.
“Explain.””
Alessandro looked exhausted.
“I didn’t send that message to help them.””
A pause.
“I sent it because I knew they were going to do something worse.””
Marcus immediately stood.
“This is nonsense.””
Domenico raised a hand.
Marcus stopped.
Alessandro continued.
“When you entered the banquet hall early, they changed their plan.””
“Who?””
Alessandro looked directly at Valentina.
The answer was clear.
Domenico’s face hardened.
Valentina shook her head.
“No.””
Alessandro continued.
“Mrs. Falcone was supposed to announce that Ruby would be sent away temporarily.””
Domenico stared at his wife.
“Sent away where?””
Nobody answered.
His voice became colder.
“Where?””
Alessandro finally spoke.
“To a private boarding residence.””
The room went silent.
Ruby.
Three years old.
Sent away.
Domenico felt something inside him go completely still.
“Without asking me?””
Valentina stepped forward.
“It was temporary.””
Domenico looked at her.
“You were going to send my daughter away.””
“I was trying to protect her.””
The answer was so unexpected that everyone looked at her.
Domenico frowned.
“Protect her from what?””
Valentina’s eyes filled with frustration.
“You don’t understand.””
“Then explain.””
She looked around the room.
At Marcus.
At Alessandro.
At the guards.
Then she lowered her voice.
“Not here.””
Domenico laughed once.
A cold sound.
“Not here?””
He pointed around the empty banquet hall.
“This entire house was discussing my daughter’s future without me.””
His eyes locked onto hers.
“And now you’re worried about privacy?””
Valentina looked away.
Alessandro spoke quietly.
“Boss.””
Domenico turned.
“You know something?””
“Yes.””
“Then speak.””
Alessandro hesitated.
“The problem was never Ruby.””
Domenico’s expression changed slightly.
“Go on.””
“The problem was who Ruby’s mother was.””
The room went quiet again.
Domenico hated that sentence.
Because he had heard versions of it before.
People who smiled at him while mentioning his first wife.
People who acted like Ruby was a reminder of a chapter they wanted closed.
“What about her?””
Alessandro looked uncomfortable.
“Before she died, your first wife discovered someone was using the Falcone name for their own interests.””
Marcus immediately interrupted.
“That’s absurd.””
Domenico turned.
“Why are you afraid of this story?””
Marcus’s face hardened.
“I’m not.””
“You interrupted before I even asked a question.””
Marcus said nothing.
Domenico looked back at Alessandro.
“Who was she suspicious of?””
The older man lowered his voice.
“She never told me a name.””
“Why?””
“Because she didn’t know who she could trust.””
Domenico looked at Valentina.
A painful thought appeared.
“Not even me?””
Alessandro’s expression softened.
“She loved you.””
The answer came immediately.
“But she knew you loved people completely.””
Domenico frowned.
“What does that mean?””
“It means she worried that if someone convinced you they were family, you would defend them before looking closely.””
The words struck.
Because they were true.
Domenico had built his empire through loyalty.
But loyalty had a weakness.
Sometimes it made people blind.
Alessandro continued.
“She left the letter because she believed if something happened, Ruby would become the easiest target.””
Domenico looked toward the staircase.
His daughter.
His little girl.
A target.
The thought made his hands tighten.
Then Marcus laughed.
Quietly.
Everyone looked at him.
“You’re all listening to a dead woman’s paranoia.””
Domenico turned.
Marcus continued.
“Think about it. You’re destroying your own family because of a letter hidden years ago.””
Domenico watched him carefully.
“Maybe.””
Marcus smiled.
“But you don’t actually know anything.””
Domenico nodded slowly.
“You’re right.””
The answer surprised him.
“I don’t know everything.””
He stepped closer.
“But I know this.””
He pointed toward the staircase.
“I know my daughter’s room was emptied.””
He looked at Valentina.
“I know her clothes were packed.””
Then Marcus.
“I know someone tried to convince me she belonged somewhere else.””
His voice dropped.
“And I know every person who benefited from that was standing in this room.””
Nobody spoke.
Then a guard rushed inside.
“Boss.””
Domenico turned.
“What now?””
The guard looked pale.
“We checked the security records.””
“And?””
“The suitcases were packed three days ago.””
Domenico frowned.
Three days.
Not tonight.
Not after the banquet began.
Three days earlier.
The guard continued.
“There’s more.””
Domenico waited.
“The person who entered Ruby’s room to pack her belongings…”
The guard looked down.
“…was you.””
The room froze.
Domenico stared.
“That’s impossible.””
The guard shook his head.
“The cameras show your face.””
Valentina’s expression changed.
Marcus looked almost satisfied.
Domenico took the security tablet.
The footage played.
A figure entered Ruby’s room.
Same height.
Same build.
Same face.
Domenico Falcone.
But Domenico knew one thing with absolute certainty.
He had not packed his daughter’s life away.
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Which meant someone had just created a perfect copy of him.
And whoever had done it wanted him to believe he was the monster Ruby needed protection from.
