Chapter 13
Dante returned to the estate and opened Lorenzo’s private safe.
Inside were old wills, trust amendments, and one unsigned succession draft.
Marco’s name appeared where Dante’s had once been.
The date was two weeks before Marco’s murder.
Dante sat in his father’s chair.
All these years he had believed he inherited power because Lorenzo trusted him most.
In truth, he inherited it because Marco died before the papers changed.
Elena found him there.
“You look like you lost something.”
“I did.”
“What?”
“A story I told myself.”
He showed her the draft.
She read it quietly.
“Does it matter now?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I built ten years of my life on the idea that my father chose me.”
Elena handed the paper back.
“He did choose you.”
Dante looked up.
“He chose you after Marco died. Maybe for the wrong reasons. Maybe because he was afraid. But you still chose what you did next.”
“That’s not comforting.”
“It wasn’t meant to be.”
A small voice came from the doorway.
“Uncle Dante?”
Mateo stood there.
He had been released from the hospital that afternoon.
Dante folded the document.
Mateo looked at the desk.
“Was this Grandpa Lorenzo’s?”
“Yes.”
“Was he nice?”
Dante thought.
“Sometimes.”
“Was he bad?”
“Sometimes.”
Mateo sighed. “Your family has complicated answers.”
Elena laughed.
Dante almost did too.
Mateo walked closer.
“Aunt Rosa says the court wants to test my DNA.”
“They need proof you’re Marco’s son.”
“I am.”
“I know.”
Mateo looked at him.
“If the test says yes, do I have to be a Moretti?”
Dante felt the question deeper than any threat.
“No.”
“What if I want to be?”
“Then you get to decide what that means.”
Mateo nodded.
Behind him, Sophia ran past with the stuffed cat.
Mateo pointed.
“She stole my cookie.”
Sophia shouted from the hall, “Not thief!”
Everyone went still for one second.
Then Elena started laughing.
Even Dante smiled.
The next morning, the DNA result arrived.
Probability of paternity: 99.99 percent.
May you like
Marco’s son was legally confirmed.
And with that result, thirty-eight million dollars changed owners overnight.
