Chapter 1 – The Silver Locket On The Floor

Michael didn’t answer.

He stood perfectly still in the dining room doorway, his hands resting in the pockets of his tailored suit.

Thirty-six guests held their breath.

“Luca,” Michael finally said, his voice smooth and practiced. “Mom is confused. It’s been a long evening.”

Luca didn’t blink.

“Who is living in Dad’s house, Michael?”

Vanessa stepped toward her fiancé, her red silk gown rustling. “Darling, please. People are watching.”

“Let them watch,” Luca said. He never took his eyes off his brother. “For twenty years, I was told that property was sold to pay off Dad’s early debts. Now I find out he kept it. And you’ve been hiding it.”

“I haven’t hidden anything,” Michael lied. “It’s a rental property. Managed by a trust.”

Teresa squeezed my hand so hard her knuckles turned white.

“He’s lying,” she whispered to me.

But her voice carried.

Michael’s jaw tightened. “Mom, you need to go upstairs. Hannah, take her to her room.”

“She doesn’t have a room,” Luca said, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “Because you and Vanessa threw her out of it.”

Michael shot Vanessa a glaring look. It was a brief, furious glance, but it told me everything.

Michael hadn’t known Vanessa dismantled the bed so soon.

“We were preparing for the renovations,” Vanessa quickly interjected. “That’s all.”

“Stop,” Luca commanded. He walked slowly toward his brother. “I want the keys to West Addison. Right now.”

“I don’t have them on me,” Michael said, taking a half-step back.

“You manage the trust. Give me the keys.”

“It’s late, Luca. We can discuss this in the morning.”

“Give me the keys, Michael, or I will have my men take them from your pockets.”

The room was completely silent. Everyone knew Luca Moretti wasn’t a man who made empty threats. He had built the family’s legitimate empire from the ground up, but he still had the old guard’s loyalty.

Michael swallowed hard. He reached into his jacket pocket.

His hand was shaking.

As he pulled out a heavy silver keyring, something else slipped from his pocket.

It hit the hardwood floor with a sharp clink.

A silver locket.

It popped open on impact.

Michael lunged for it, but Luca was faster. He scooped the locket off the floor and looked at the tiny photograph inside.

All the color drained from Luca’s face.

He stared at the picture, then slowly raised his eyes to Vanessa.

“Why,” Luca asked, his voice cracking, “do you have a picture of Vanessa holding a baby wrapped in my mother’s blue blanket?”

Share