Chapter 13 - Nicholas’s Final Lie
Nicholas claimed Dante’s father, Antonio Moretti, planned the estate attack himself.
According to Nicholas, Antonio wanted to eliminate Sofia because she threatened to expose the family’s criminal accounts.
The attack became chaotic.
Richard Vale took advantage.
Nicholas said he merely followed Antonio’s orders.
If true, Elena and Dante’s father had helped destroy their mother.
Dante wanted to reject the claim immediately.
Elena demanded evidence.
Nicholas produced a signed order.
Antonio’s name appeared beneath instructions to remove Sofia’s audit team from the estate.
Forensic examination showed the signature was genuine.
Dante’s grief became rage.
“Our father ordered it.”
Julian studied the page.
“Perhaps not the attack.”
The wording concerned personnel removal, not violence.
A second document attached later changed “remove from assignment” into “remove permanently.”
The typeface differed slightly.
The altered page came from Nicholas’s office.
Investigators recovered the original document from Sofia’s archive.
Antonio had ordered corrupt guards dismissed after learning of the theft.
Nicholas changed the instruction and presented it to Richard as authorization for violence.
He manipulated both sides.
Richard believed he was cooperating with Antonio’s representative.
Antonio believed Nicholas was securing the estate.
Sofia discovered the truth too late.
Nicholas had built the attack around mistrust.
His lie almost survived another generation.
Dante confronted him only inside a monitored interview room.
Nicholas smiled through the glass.
“You became exactly what I trained you to become.”
Dante sat opposite him.
“You taught me to punish questions.”
“And it kept you alive.”
“It kept you powerful.”
Nicholas leaned closer.
“You think the law will love you because you surrendered a few ledgers? You are still a Moretti.”
Dante did not deny it.
“I am also Elena’s brother.”
Nicholas laughed.
“She will never trust what you are.”
Dante looked toward the observation window where Elena stood.
“Perhaps not.”
He rose.
“But she taught me I can choose what I become next.”
Nicholas expected threats.
Dante gave him none.
The prosecutor entered with the completed charges.
Murder conspiracy.
Racketeering.
Fraud.
Obstruction.
Kidnapping conspiracy connected to Elena’s disappearance.
Nicholas’s smile disappeared.
Dante walked out without looking back.
Elena met him in the hallway.
He did not ask whether she was proud.
He asked, “Did I do that because it was right or because you were watching?”
She answered honestly.
May you like
“Keep choosing it when I’m not.”
👉 Nicholas’s prosecution began, while Elena prepared to testify against Victoria in the courtroom where wealth could no longer determine whose humiliation mattered.
