Chapter 6 - THE WOMAN WHO KNEW SERENA'S SECRET
The next morning, Serena Moretti disappeared.
Her apartment was empty.
Her phone was abandoned.
Her passport was missing.
Dominic stared at the photographs of her apartment.
“This isn't coincidence.”
Claire nodded.
“No.”
Gabriel placed a file on the table.
“We found something.”
Dominic opened it.
Serena had transferred money into three accounts.
One belonged to Meridian Strategic Partners.
Another belonged to an offshore entity.
The third belonged to—
Victor Shaw.
Dominic's eyes hardened.
“She was working with him.”
Claire shook her head.
“Not necessarily.”
Dominic looked at her.
“Why defend her?”
“I'm not.”
Claire pointed to the dates.
“These payments stopped three months before Noah was born.”
Dominic frowned.
“So?”
“She was no longer receiving money.”
“That doesn't mean anything.”
Claire continued.
“Look at what happened afterward.”
Dominic studied the records.
The payments didn't stop.
They changed.
Instead of Serena receiving money, money began moving into a trust.
A trust in Noah's name.
Dominic froze.
“Why?”
Claire looked at him.
“I don't know.”
They traced the account.
It had been opened secretly.
Five years earlier.
The beneficiary was Noah.
But Noah hadn't been born.
The account had been established before Claire was pregnant.
Dominic felt a chill.
“Who opened it?”
The bank records showed an authorized representative.
Serena Moretti.
Claire stared.
“That makes no sense.”
Dominic leaned back.
“Unless she knew.”
“Knew what?”
“That Noah would exist.”
Claire shook her head.
“Impossible.”
They contacted the bank through attorneys.
The account contained only one document.
A letter.
Written six years earlier.
Dominic read it.
His face changed.
“What?”
Claire took it.
The letter was from Benjamin Bennett.
It said:
If my daughter ever has a child with Dominic Hale, protect that child before protecting the family.
Claire stared at the page.
Her father had known.
Somehow, he had known the relationship between her and Dominic would become important.
Then the letter continued.
Dominic Hale does not know what his family inherited.
If he discovers it, he may become a target.
Claire's hands trembled.
“What did he mean?”
Dominic read the next line.
His father's empire was built on a secret alliance.
But Dominic himself was not part of it.
Your husband must never be punished for his father's sins.
Claire looked at Dominic.
The room became silent.
All those years, she had feared Dominic had inherited the darkness.
Her father had known otherwise.
He had believed Dominic was capable of breaking it.
Then another page.
Serena Moretti is not your enemy.
Claire stopped.
Dominic's eyes widened.
“What?”
“She wasn't.”
They read together.
Serena was instructed to keep Dominic away from the old network.
To create distance.
To prevent Victor from using Dominic's marriage against him.
Claire's voice broke.
“So Serena was…”
“Protecting me,” Dominic whispered.
“Maybe.”
They found her that evening.
Serena was staying in a small house in Queens.
When Dominic entered, she looked exhausted.
He stood across from her.
“You knew.”
She nodded.
“About my father.”
“Yes.”
“About Victor.”
“Yes.”
“About Claire?”
Serena's eyes filled with tears.
“I knew she was the only person who could eventually stop the network.”
Dominic looked at her.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because your father told me you'd be killed.”
“You could have trusted me.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You were too proud.”
Dominic flinched.
Serena continued.
“You would have confronted them.”
“Yes.”
“And they would have killed you.”
Claire stepped forward.
“Why did you let me hate you?”
Serena looked at her.
“Because if Claire hated me, she would stay away from Dominic.”
“That doesn't make sense.”
“It does when you know what Victor wanted.”
Claire stared.
“What?”
“Your marriage.”
Claire froze.
“What?”
Serena continued.
“Victor believed that if you and Dominic had a child, the Bennett Trust would eventually give you influence over Hale Maritime.”
Claire understood.
“So he wanted to separate us.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because he wanted the company.”
Dominic looked at Serena.
“And you helped him?”
Her face broke.
“I pretended to.”
Silence.
“I let him believe I was loyal.”
She swallowed.
“I thought I could control it.”
Dominic's voice became cold.
“You nearly destroyed my marriage.”
“I know.”
“You let me believe Claire wasn't important.”
“I know.”
“You slept with me.”
Serena closed her eyes.
“I know.”
Dominic looked away.
That was the ugliest truth.
Serena had manipulated him.
But he had chosen her.
No one had forced him.
Claire watched him struggle.
Then Serena said something unexpected.
“I was pregnant.”
The room went silent.
Dominic turned.
“What?”
“Six years ago.”
Claire's face changed.
“You never told him?”
Serena shook her head.
“I lost the baby.”
Dominic stared.
“Why?”
“Stress.”
Her voice cracked.
“Victor knew. He used it.”
Dominic's expression softened despite himself.
“I am sorry.”
Serena nodded.
“But I don't want your forgiveness.”
“Then what?”
“I want you to understand.”
She reached into a drawer.
Pulled out a USB drive.
“Everything is here.”
“Everything?”
“Payments.”
“Names.”
“Recordings.”
“Instructions.”
Dominic took it.
Serena looked at Claire.
“Your father wasn't perfect.”
Claire nodded.
“I know.”
“But he tried to end it.”
“I know.”
“And Michael helped him.”
Claire's eyes widened.
“My uncle?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did he lie?”
“Because he was protecting you.”
Dominic looked at the USB.
“And Victor?”
Serena's face changed.
“He isn't the leader.”
Dominic went still.
“Who is?”
Serena whispered the name.
“Arthur Bellandi's son.”
Dominic stared.
“Marco?”
Serena nodded.
“He's been running everything since his father's death.”
Claire felt cold.
Marco Bellandi.
The quiet man who had sat across from Dominic during the refinancing negotiations.
The man who had shaken his hand.
The man Dominic had invited into his home.
The man who had congratulated him on Noah's birth.
May you like
Marco was the enemy.
And he had been standing beside them the entire time.
