Chapter 17: The Secret 2
Alessia stared at Daisy as though she were seeing a ghost.
"No," she breathed. "Enzo? You can’t mean... "
"I do," Daisy replied calmly. "He’s not who you think he is."
A cold wave swept over Alessia. Her hands trembled. "He’s always beside Luca. Always... watching. How did I not see it?"
Daisy gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Because he’s a master of masks. But Alessia..." Daisy’s voice dropped into a whisper. "Now it’s time for Secret Number Two."
A chill crept down Alessia’s spine. The room felt darker suddenly, as though the shadows were listening.
Daisy opened a velvet-lined box and pulled out a charred USB stick. "This one was almost lost," she whispered. "The data is corrupted. But a few clips remained. One of them—was your mother-in-law."
Alessia’s lips parted. "Mrs. Lauretta Morano?"
Daisy nodded. "It was taken in total darkness. She didn’t know anyone was recording... Her voice was low, but clear."
She tapped the play button on her tablet.
A raspy whisper filled the room, layered with static.
"The child doesn’t know she was chosen. But when the blood moon rises, everything will awaken. Especially the truth... and the heir that was hidden."
The clip ended with a crackle.
Alessia’s mind reeled. "What hidden heir? And who’s the chosen child?"
Daisy exhaled. "Well, well... I’ve dug as deep as I can. And what I found shook me too."
She leaned in, lowering her voice.
"Donato," she said, "impregnated a woman living on the outskirts of the city. It’s a baby boy. His name..." She paused thoughtfully. "His name is Matteo."
Alessia’s brows rose in shock. "Matteo?"
"No one knows about him. It’s being kept a secret. As for the chosen child... honestly? I don’t know. That’s the part even Lauretta is cryptic about. But she fears it, and waits for the blood moon."
Alessia paced, her thoughts spinning like a hurricane. "How do you even know all of this, Daisy? We both work the inner chambers—I never heard a thing."
Daisy laughed softly. "That’s because you don’t work directly with Mrs. Lauretta. I do. And she talks... especially when she thinks no one is listening."
She leaned back smugly. "She installed secret cameras all over the mansion. Corners, axis, corridors even near the wine cellar. She doesn’t know I found them. And every night, I download the feed."
Alessia blinked, stunned. "You risked that... for me?"
Daisy nodded. "There are more secrets. But these two... are the ones that matter most."
Alessia’s thoughts darted like lightning. "Enzo... he must’ve been the one who switched the flash. He’s the one behind the letters and pictures I keep getting."
She looked at Daisy, pleading. "Please. Let me take the flash. I need to show it to Luca. He deserves to know what’s happening around him."
Daisy’s expression hardened. "I’m sorry, Alessia. No. I can’t give it to you. But talk to him. He’ll listen."
Alessia sighed, defeated. Her gaze drifted back to the screen where Enzo’s shadowy figure had once flickered.
"So Donato has a son... no one knows about," she murmured. "I hold no grudge. I’m happy for him. But do you think Mrs. Lauretta knows who Enzo really is?"
"She might," Daisy said, her voice low. "And if she does... I bet she’s already set a trap for him. A deadly one."
She paused, then added with icy certainty, "I don’t think you realize just how feared the Morano family truly is."
Alessia raised a brow.
"You try to outsmart them, thinking you’re being discreet," Daisy continued. "But you don’t realize they already saw through you... days ago. By the time you plan your first move, they’re seated at the top—smiling and sipping tea, waiting for you to arrive."
The weight of those words settled in Alessia like a stone.
So this is the family I married into.
She stood, smoothing her dress. "Thank you, Daisy. But I need to go. We’re relocating soon... and I need to prepare—for me and my husband."
Daisy embraced her tightly, then walked her to the car.
As Alessia drove away, her heart pounded. Could Enzo have been the one who came to my room that night? Was he the one who made the lights go off to switch the flash?
The thought chilled her to the bone.
The photos... the letters... the warnings. It was him. It’s always been him.
****
Earlier That Morning
Luca stepped into the office, the cool air brushing against his tailored suit.
"Welcome back, sir," the staff greeted.
He offered a polite nod, eyes drifting to the large portrait of his late father hanging behind the desk.
A flood of memories rushed in.
The bicycle. His scraped knees. The stern voice urging him to try again. His tiny fists gripping the handlebars. His father’s slow clap when he finally succeeded.
"Sir?" a voice interrupted gently.
Enzo.
Luca turned. "Yes?"
Enzo bowed his head. "We never really get over the ones we’ve lost."
Luca gave a tight smile, but said nothing. He walked to his seat and buried himself in paperwork.
Hours passed. Meetings. Contracts. Signatures.
Until—his phone rang.
He picked it up. The voice on the other end was grave.
"Mr. Luca... we have a situation. There’s a report that your company’s accounts have been flagged for suspicious activity. Possible money laundering. Government agents are asking questions."
Luca stood abruptly. "Send me the transaction logs. Now."
Minutes later, the files came in. Luca scanned them quickly—then his eyes narrowed.
The trails were forged. Stamped. Altered. But too neat.
He smirked.
The Atlans.
His rival family.
They’d faked multiple receipts using Morano credentials, trying to frame them.
Luca didn’t hesitate. He launched a live video meeting with the authorities.
"I understand your concerns," he said coolly. "But if you’ll look closely at the metadata of those transaction files..."
He shared his screen and zoomed in.
"...you’ll notice that these documents were created on a server registered in Berlin. That’s where the Atlans have an offshore base. My company doesn’t operate outside Italy."
The agents blinked. "You traced that in under five minutes?"
"I’ve been hunting snakes for years," Luca said, eyes hard.
The officials nodded, satisfied. "We’ll launch an investigation into the Atlans immediately."
When the call ended, Luca finally leaned back, a smirk playing on his lips.
Checkmate.
****
That evening, Alessia could barely contain herself as Luca walked through the front door.
"Darling.... " she began breathlessly.
He paused, raising a brow. "You okay?"
She waited until the house help left them alone, then grabbed his hand.
"I need to tell you something. It’s urgent. The flash revealed Enzo’s manipulative side. He’s been feeding information to the Atlans, Lorenzo, and even Seraphina. He’s—he’s evil, Luca."
She watched him carefully.
But Luca didn’t flinch.
He simply smiled and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.
"I know already," he whispered.
Alessia blinked. "You—what?......