Chapter 6 - The Woman in the Red DressVivian Duca had spent most of her life being underestimated.
Men saw beauty.
Money.
A political surname.
They did not see the girl who had hidden beneath a dining table while her father beat her mother.
They did not see the teenager who learned that powerful men always called cruelty strategy.
They did not see the woman who had promised herself she would never become collateral in a family arrangement.
So when Salvatore Moretti offered her a way out of marrying Alessandro, she listened.
At first.
Then the price grew.
Seduce Luca.
Get close to Alessandro.
Find out what he knew about Vittorio.
Eventually, poison him.
Vivian told herself Alessandro was dangerous.
That removing him would save lives.
That Salvatore would end the Moretti organization.
She told herself many things.
But none explained the terror she felt while looking at Lily.
The child sat against the wall inside an abandoned church basement in Queens.
Her wrists were tied loosely.
Vivian had insisted on that.
Salvatore had laughed.
“She’s three.”
“She still has circulation.”
“She warned him.”
Vivian said nothing.
Lily watched every movement.
Those huge brown eyes were unbearable.
Vivian crouched.
She signed clumsily.
Your mother dies.
The words had been Salvatore’s order.
The child’s face collapsed.
Vivian hated herself.
She stood.
Salvatore smiled.
“Good girl.”
“Don’t call me that.”
“You didn’t mind when Alessandro bought you diamonds.”
“I never belonged to him.”
“No.”
Salvatore’s smile sharpened.
“You belonged to me.”
Vivian turned.
“I did what you asked.”
“Not everything.”
“I put the drug in his wine.”
“Not enough.”
“It would have worked.”
“Lily stopped him.”
Vivian looked at the child.
“That wasn’t my fault.”
“You should have handled the maid.”
“I didn’t agree to kill Rosa.”
“You agreed to obedience.”
Vivian laughed bitterly.
“You sound like my father.”
“Your father understood the world.”
“My father is dead.”
“Yes.”
Salvatore’s eyes were cold.
“Because I decided he should be.”
Vivian stopped breathing.
“What?”
Salvatore turned away.
“Your family became inconvenient.”
Her entire face changed.
“You told me Alessandro ordered his death.”
“I told you what you needed.”
Vivian stared.
Her father had been murdered four years earlier in Newark.
She had hated Alessandro ever since.
Every touch during their engagement.
Every dinner.
Every photograph.
She had believed she was lying beside the man who killed her father.
Now she realized the lie had been hers.
Salvatore looked at his watch.
“Moretti will arrive soon.”
Vivian’s voice shook.
“You killed my father?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because he discovered Vittorio was alive.”
Vivian’s knees weakened.
“You used me.”
“Everyone uses everyone.”
She looked toward Lily.
The child was watching.
Vivian suddenly understood Alessandro differently.
He had not known.
Perhaps he had never been the monster she required him to be.
Outside, a vehicle approached.
Salvatore’s men moved.
Lily felt vibrations through the floor before anyone heard the engine.
Her eyes widened.
She looked toward the stairs.
Vivian noticed.
“Someone’s here,” a guard called.
Alessandro entered the church carrying a metal box.
Alone.
At least visibly.
Salvatore stood at the altar.
“Put it down.”
Alessandro did.
“Bring Lily.”
A guard carried the child upstairs.
Rosa was nowhere in sight.
Lily saw Alessandro.
Her face transformed.
She tried to run.
The guard held her.
Alessandro signed.
Safe.
Her lower lip trembled.
Mama?
“Safe.”
Salvatore watched.
“Touching.”
“Let her go.”
“Box first.”
Alessandro kicked it forward.
Salvatore opened it.
Ledgers.
Photographs.
USB drives.
He smiled.
Then Vivian noticed something.
The brass key was missing.
She had seen the video from the storage room.
The real box contained a key.
This one did not.
She looked at Alessandro.
He looked back.
He knew she knew.
Salvatore picked up a ledger.
His smile disappeared.
“Fake.”
Gunfire erupted.
Marco’s men crashed through the stained-glass side entrance.
Lily dropped to the floor.
Vivian moved before thinking.
She threw herself over the child.
A bullet hit the wall behind them.
Alessandro saw it.
Vivian protecting Lily.
Salvatore fired toward Alessandro.
Luca appeared from the choir loft and shot the weapon from his hand.
Salvatore screamed.
“Traitor!”
Luca stared down.
“You first.”
Alessandro reached Lily.
He cut her hands free.
She grabbed his neck.
He held her tightly.
Vivian crouched nearby.
“Take her,” she said.
Alessandro looked at her.
“You poisoned me.”
“Yes.”
“You took her.”
“I didn’t.”
“Don’t lie.”
“Salvatore did.”
“You helped.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Vivian’s eyes filled.
“Because he told me you killed my father.”
Another shot cracked.
Alessandro pulled her down.
They moved behind a pew.
“Did I?”
“No.”
The answer surprised him.
“How do you know?”
“He just admitted it.”
Salvatore fled through a side hallway.
Marco chased him.
Luca joined Alessandro.
“We need to move.”
“Where’s Rosa?”
“Outside.”
Lily saw her mother through the doorway.
She ran.
Rosa dropped to her knees.
They collided.
Rosa’s sob broke everyone who heard it.
She kissed Lily’s face.
Hands.
Hair.
Lily signed desperately.
Mama safe?
Rosa nodded.
Safe.
Safe.
Safe.
Alessandro watched.
Something inside his chest hurt.
Then Marco returned.
“Salvatore escaped.”
“How?”
“Tunnel.”
Of course.
Old churches had secrets.
Moretti families had more.
Vivian stood near the altar.
Two guards aimed at her.
Alessandro looked at her.
“What do you want me to do with her?” Marco asked.
Luca’s face went blank.
Vivian looked at Luca.
All the hidden desire between them seemed suddenly small and ugly.
Alessandro walked toward her.
“Did you know about my mother?”
“No.”
“My father?”
“I knew he may have survived.”
“How?”
“Salvatore told me.”
“When?”
“Two years ago.”
Alessandro’s voice hardened.
“Before our engagement.”
“Yes.”
“So the engagement was always a trap.”
“Yes.”
Luca stepped forward.
“Vivian—”
She slapped him.
Everyone froze.
“You knew.”
Luca stared.
“Knew what?”
“Salvatore killed my father.”
“No.”
“You worked with him.”
“I worked around him.”
“You knew more than you told me.”
“Yes.”
“How much?”
Luca looked at Alessandro.
“Enough to be ashamed.”
Vivian laughed through tears.
“You men build whole lives out of half-truths and call yourselves loyal.”
Then Lily tugged Vivian’s sleeve.
Vivian looked down.
The child signed.
Why save me?
Vivian understood only part.
Rosa translated.
“She wants to know why you protected her.”
Vivian looked at Lily.
“Because I already hurt enough people.”
Rosa translated into sign.
Lily watched Vivian carefully.
Then signed.
Bad lady?
Rosa hesitated.
Vivian smiled sadly.
“Yes.”
She did not need translation.
“Bad lady.”
Lily thought.
Then signed something else.
Can become good?
No one spoke.
Vivian began crying.
May you like
Alessandro looked away.
Because the child had asked a question none of them knew how to answer.
Related Stories
