Chapter 9 - What Makes a MonsterAdrian had spent twenty-six years imagining the face of the man responsible for his sister’s death.
Adrian could see it even beneath twenty years of decay.
Marble staircase.
Bronze elevator doors.
A ballroom beneath a cracked glass ceiling.
Now snow entered through broken windows.
The building stood outside Montreal behind layers of fencing and forest.
Vincent Moretti had chosen well.
Nobody would accidentally find this place.
Daniel led Adrian and Marco through an underground service tunnel.
Lily remained in a secure vehicle with Teresa and Noah.
She had argued.
Adrian had won.
Barely.
“You hear me?” Adrian whispered into his microphone.
Lily’s voice came through his earpiece.
“Unfortunately.”
He smiled despite himself.
“Stay in the car.”
“I know.”
“Do not leave.”
“Adrian.”
“What?”
“If you tell me one more time, I’ll intentionally leave.”
He sighed.
Marco grinned.
“She handles you well.”
“Focus.”
They reached a metal door.
Daniel unlocked it.
Inside were old boiler rooms.
Then footsteps.
Two guards appeared.
Daniel stepped forward.
“They’re with me.”
One guard frowned.
“Your father said alone.”
Daniel’s face remained calm.
“Plans changed.”
The man reached for his radio.
Marco knocked him unconscious.
Adrian took the second.
They continued.
Upstairs, Ethan sat in room 314.
Daniel knew because his father had sent images.
They reached the third floor.
A voice came behind them.
“Adrian.”
Everyone froze.
An elderly woman stood at the corridor’s end.
Isabella Romano.
Adrian had not seen her in seventeen years.
She looked smaller.
Older.
But unmistakable.
“Aunt Isabella.”
Tears filled her eyes.
“You shouldn’t have come.”
Then two armed men stepped behind her.
Adrian raised his weapon.
Isabella shook her head.
“They’ll kill Ethan.”
Daniel slowly lowered his gun.
“Where’s Vincent?”
“In the ballroom.”
“Helena?”
Isabella’s face changed.
“Dead.”
Daniel stopped breathing.
“What?”
“Three months ago.”
“No.”
“Your father killed her.”
Daniel swayed.
Adrian caught his arm.
Daniel looked furious.
“He told me she was in Switzerland.”
“He has lied to you your entire life.”
Isabella looked at Adrian.
“And your father lied to you.”
Adrian swallowed.
“Why?”
“To protect you.”
“From what?”
“From yourself.”
He almost laughed.
“Explain.”
“After Sofia died, you wanted war.”
“She was murdered.”
“Yes.”
“You knew Vincent did it.”
“I suspected.”
“My father?”
“He confirmed it.”
“Then why didn’t he tell me?”
“Because you would have killed Vincent.”
“Correct.”
“And Vincent had prepared evidence that would send you to prison for crimes committed in your name.”
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
“My father chose the empire.”
“No.”
Isabella stepped closer.
“He chose you.”
Adrian looked away.
“He spent the rest of his life trying to dismantle Vincent quietly.”
“Did he succeed?”
“No.”
“Then Sofia got no justice.”
Isabella’s eyes filled.
“No.”
The word hurt all of them.
A gunshot echoed upstairs.
Lily’s voice burst through Adrian’s earpiece.
“What was that?”
“Stay in the car.”
“Adrian—”
“Stay.”
They ran.
Room 314.
Marco kicked open the door.
Ethan was there.
Alive.
A guard lay bleeding beside him.
Ethan held the man’s gun.
Daniel stared.
“How—”
Ethan shrugged.
“Accounting is boring. I improvised.”
Lily’s voice came through Adrian’s earpiece.
“Is that Ethan?”
Ethan heard.
“Lil?”
Lily began crying.
“Ethan.”
He closed his eyes.
“Hey, kid.”
“You’re alive.”
“Apparently.”
“I hate you.”
“I deserve that.”
“I’m going to kill you.”
“Get in line.”
Adrian cut through.
“Family reunion later.”
Ethan looked at him.
“So you’re Moretti.”
“You’re difficult to keep dead.”
“I hear that.”
Marco cut Ethan’s restraints.
Then the hotel alarm sounded.
Daniel looked toward the hallway.
“My father knows.”
Speakers crackled.
Vincent Moretti’s voice filled the building.
“Welcome, Adrian.”
Adrian hadn’t heard that voice in twelve years.
“Bring the drive to the ballroom.”
Ethan stiffened.
“He’ll kill everyone.”
“Probably,” Adrian said.
“That doesn’t seem to concern you.”
“It does.”
“You hide it well.”
“Thank you.”
They reached the ballroom.
Vincent waited beneath a ruined chandelier.
Seventy years old.
Silver hair.
Perfect suit.
Alive.
Adrian felt something visceral seeing him.
The man responsible for Sofia.
Vincent smiled.
“Nephew.”
“Don’t call me that.”
“You look like your father.”
“You killed his daughter.”
Vincent sighed.
“An unintended casualty.”
Adrian moved.
Marco caught him.
Vincent smiled wider.
“Still emotional.”
“No.”
Adrian became still.
“I used to be.”
Vincent’s confidence faltered slightly.
“Where is the drive?”
Ethan held it up.
“Here.”
Vincent looked at Daniel.
“Bring it.”
Daniel didn’t move.
“Son.”
“You killed Mom.”
Vincent’s eyes shifted to Isabella.
“Is that what she told you?”
“Is it true?”
Vincent sighed.
“Helena became weak.”
Daniel’s face collapsed.
“She was your wife.”
“She was a liability.”
Daniel raised his weapon.
Adrian grabbed his arm.
“No.”
Daniel stared.
“Why?”
“Because he wants you angry.”
Vincent laughed.
“You think you understand me?”
“Yes.”
Adrian looked around the ballroom.
“You need us alive.”
Vincent’s smile faded.
“Otherwise you would have shot us already.”
Silence.
Ethan whispered, “He needs biometric confirmation.”
Vincent’s eyes flickered.
Ethan smiled.
“There it is.”
Adrian understood.
“The money.”
“Four hundred million,” Ethan said. “I changed the authorization.”
“To what?”
Ethan looked at Adrian.
“Two Moretti family members.”
Daniel stared.
“You need us both.”
Vincent’s jaw tightened.
Adrian laughed.
For the first time, Vincent looked uncertain.
Then Lily’s scream erupted through Adrian’s earpiece.
Gunfire.
Adrian turned.
“Lily?”
No response.
“LILY!”
Vincent smiled.
“I said bring the woman.”
Adrian looked toward Daniel.
Daniel went pale.
“I didn’t tell him where she was.”
Vincent lifted a radio.
“You didn’t have to.”
A guard entered the ballroom.
Holding Noah.
Adrian’s entire expression changed.
The baby was screaming.
Vincent smiled.
“Now.”
He pointed a gun at Noah.
May you like
“Perhaps everyone will become more cooperative.”
And something inside Adrian finally snapped.
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