Chapter 9 - The final piece of the puzzle
The private archives of St. Jude’s Memorial Hospital were located three levels below ground, behind heavy steel security doors. Domenico walked down the brightly lit corridor, holding a small metal safe that Vance had retrieved from the chief administrator's office.
Inside a secure conference room, Domenico plugged a small flash drive into a laptop. The screen flickered to life, displaying a bright, high-definition video.
On the screen sat a woman with soft features, fair skin, and warm eyes—Elena. She looked pale and frail, sitting in a hospital bed, but her expression was fierce with maternal love.
"Domenico," Elena’s voice whispered from the speakers, bringing a wave of intense emotion to Domenico’s chest. "If you are watching this, it means our daughter is safe with you. I don't have much time. Camilla came to my room today... she thinks I don't know what she's planning. She thinks she can use our baby as a pawn."
Domenico gripped the edge of the table, his knuckles turning white.
"She told me you were dead, Domenico," Elena continued, tears streaming down her face on the video. "She told me the family fell apart after the explosion. But I never believed her. I named our daughter Sofia... after your mother. Promise me, Domenico... promise me you won't let them turn her into one of them. Teach her to be strong. Teach her to love."
The video cut to black.
Domenico sat in silence for a long time, the heavy weight of five years of lies finally lifting off his shoulders, replaced by an unshakable purpose. He unplugged the drive, slipped it into his pocket next to the yellowed document, and stood up.
He walked out of the hospital and returned to the estate.
In the main courtyard, federal agents and state police cars were parked everywhere. Vance had called in the legitimate authorities using the recorded confession and the forged birth registry as bulletproof evidence.
Camilla and Marco were being led down the front steps in handcuffs, surrounded by federal officers. As Camilla walked past Domenico, she stopped, her face pale and filled with regret.
"Domenico..." she whimpered. "Please... I'm your sister..."
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Domenico looked at her with cold, unyielding brown eyes. "My sister died five years ago. You're just a stranger who tried to steal my daughter."
He turned away as the officers loaded them into the back of the police transport, ending their reign of greed forever.
