Chapter 2 - The Locked Study
Silence swallowed the living room. Domenico’s words hung in the air, heavier than the shards of broken porcelain at his feet. Sofia whimpered, burying her small face into the collar of his white dress shirt. He gently rubbed her back, but his eyes never left Camilla and Marco. Camilla took a hesitant step backward, her high heels clicking softly against the marble. "Domenico, please," she stammered, her usual sophisticated composure entirely shattered. "That... that is an old legal draft. It means nothing." "Nothing?" Domenico’s voice was deceptively calm. He folded the document with one hand and slipped it into his inner suit pocket. "A contract with the Moretti family from the night my brother was murdered. A contract offering the Romano territory in exchange for his life. And at the bottom... my signature." Marco adjusted his suit jacket, his jaw tightening. "You know your brother had enemies, Dom. People forged things back then to create chaos." Domenico didn't blink. He knew a lie when he saw one, and Marco was sweating. Without another word, Domenico turned on his heel and walked out of the room, carrying Sofia with him. He headed straight for his private study, the heavy oak doors shutting firmly behind him. He set Sofia down on a plush leather sofa, handing her a soft plush bear to keep her calm. Then, he pulled the document back out. The ink was faded, but the terms were undeniable. It was a betrayal of the highest order. But what terrified Domenico wasn't just the forgery. It was the wax seal at the bottom. It wasn't the Moretti seal. It was his father's personal crest. His father had orchestrated the hit on his own son? And framed Domenico for it? Outside the study, the mansion was entirely too quiet. Domenico knew that whoever had hidden that document in his mother's antique vase had done it for a reason. They were waiting for the right moment to destroy him. And now, the clock was ticking. He picked up his secure phone and dialed his most trusted lieutenant. "Enzo," Domenico said softly. "Lock down the estate. Nobody leaves. Not Camilla. Not Marco." Before Enzo could reply, a sudden, violent crash echoed from the floor above—the nursery. Domenico's blood ran cold.
