The Wrong Heir

Aria’s POV

My mother screamed my husband's name for one terrifying second, I couldn't move. The television had gone black, the gunshot still echoed in my ears, and Massimo sat frozen on the bed with his phone slipping from his fingers Kelvin. The gunshot had come from the corridor where Lorenzo had taken him. “Massimo!” I grabbed his shoulders “Look at me”

He barely seemed to hear me his eyes remained fixed on the dark screen, his face drained of colour. The revelation about his birth had shattered something inside him but the gunshot had left him with a more immediate fear his brother might be dead. “I'm going to find him” he said swinging his legs over the edge of the bed

I pushed him back “You can barely stand”

“Get out of my way Aria”

“No”

His expression hardened “That's my brother”

“And you're my husband! If you walk into that corridor bleeding, Lorenzo won't need to shoot you you'll collapse before you reach him”

He looked at me as if he wanted to argue but the pain in his chest stopped him. I caught his arm before he could slide from the mattress “Let me help you” I whispered “Please”

For a moment, I thought he would refuse then his shoulders dropped and he allowed me to help him back against the pillows I turned to Maria “What happened to the child you gave birth to?”

She looked at me with terrified eyes “Please Aria not now.”

“Your secrets have put everyone in this house in danger. If you know something that can help us you need to tell us”

She pressed her hands together “I gave birth to two boys”

I stared at her “Twins?”

She nodded “Alessandro was overjoyed. He had wanted an heir for years and when the doctor told us we had two healthy boys, he said our family had been blessed”

“Then what happened?”

Maria swallowed “One of the babies developed complications shortly after birth. The doctors took both children for examination I was exhausted and Alessandro had gone to speak with the hospital director”

Her voice began to tremble “When they returned the babies to me, I was told one needed special care. I never questioned it I trusted the doctors.”

“And now Lorenzo is claiming you brought home the wrong child?”

“I don't know what happened” she whispered “I swear to you I don't”

Massimo watched her in silence “Did Father know?” he finally asked

Maria shook her head “I don't believe he did”

“You don't believe he did?” His voice sharpened “Or you know he didn't?”

She flinched “I knew nothing about a switch not until Dante began asking questions about the hospital records”

I exchanged a glance with Massimo “Why would Dante care which child was raised as Alessandro's heir?” I asked

Maria hesitated then she said something that made my stomach tighten “Because the inheritance was never supposed to belong to the child who was raised in this house”

Before either of us could question her, the bedroom door burst open. A guard stumbled inside “Madam, sir, we need to move. The eastern corridor has been breached”

Massimo reached for his gun “Where is Lorenzo?”

“We don't know his men are blocking the passage to the main hall”

“And Kelvin?”

The guard looked down “We found blood near the stairwell, but no body”

Massimo pushed himself upright “Then he's alive”

“Sir, we cannot confirm that”

“Find him”

The guard hurried away I helped Massimo stand, ignoring his protest when I wrapped an arm around his waist Maria followed us into the corridor, clutching the silver key she had brought earlier “Where are you going?” she asked

“To the old chapel” Massimo answered “You said father kept a ledger there. If it contains the truth about our family, we're going to find it”

Maria shook her head “The chapel isn't safe”

“Neither is this house”

He looked at her “And if you're hiding anything else from us mother, this is your last chance to tell me”

She lowered her eyes we moved through a narrow service passage while distant gunfire sounded elsewhere in the estate. Two loyal guards escorted us to a rear exit, where a black vehicle waited. The driver was missing Massimo swore under his breath then a phone rang inside the car. I reached through the open window and found a device lying on the passenger seat It's screen displayed an incoming video call Lorenzo I answered. His face appeared, calm and almost amused “Good evening Aria”

“Where is Kelvin?”

“Alive for now”

Massimo leaned toward the phone “If you've hurt him I'll tear this entire organization apart to find you”

Lorenzo smiled “You still think this is about power, Massimo. That's why you've never understood what's happening around you”

“What do you want?”

“The ledger bring it to the old chapel before sunrise and your brother walks away”

“And if we refuse?”

Lorenzo turned the camera Kelvin sat tied to a chair in a dimly lit room. His lip was split, and blood stained his collar, but his chest rose steadily “Don't bring him anything” Kelvin shouted “Massimo it's a trap!”

Someone struck him across the face the screen shook. I heard Massimo draw a sharp breath beside me Lorenzo turned the camera back toward himself “You have until sunrise”

The call ended Massimo stared at the phone “We're going to the chapel” he said

Maria grabbed his arm “No you cannot give Lorenzo that ledger”

“Why?”

“Because if he gets it, he will kill both of you”

“Then tell us what it contains”

She looked between us, her expression crumbling “It contains the name of your real father”

Massimo went completely still I felt his hand tighten around mine “You told me Alessandro was my father” he said

“He raised you as his own he loved you”

“That isn't what I asked”

Maria's eyes filled with tears “I don't know which child was taken from me. I don't know whether the records Lorenzo showed you are genuine but I know Alessandro suspected something was wrong long before he died”

“Why didn't he tell us?”

“Because he believed the truth would destroy the family”

Massimo released her arm “He was right”

He climbed into the vehicle and I followed Maria remained outside for a moment before joining us. She sat opposite us, clutching the key so tightly that its edges pressed into her palm as the driverless estate vehicle rolled forward under the control of one of our guards, I watched Massimo. He had gone quiet, his attention fixed on the passing trees. I wanted to comfort him, but I couldn't find words that wouldn't sound empty. Instead, I rested my hand over his he turned toward me “Whatever that ledger says” I told him “it doesn't change who you are”

His gaze softened briefly “Doesn't it?”

“No a name can tell you where you came from. It can't decide what kind of man you become”

He looked down at our joined hands “And if everything I've built belongs to someone else?”

“Then we'll find out what belongs to you and fight for what matters”

He leaned forward and pressed his forehead against mine. For a few seconds, neither of us spoke then the vehicle stopped. Our guard turned around “We're here”

The old chapel stood beyond a rusted iron gate, abandoned and half-hidden by overgrown trees. Moonlight spilled through broken windows illuminating the stone steps Massimo stepped out slowly, refusing my offer to help him Maria followed us to the entrance “This is where your father kept the ledger” she whispered

She inserted the silver key into a small lock beneath the altar. A hidden compartment clicked open Inside lay a thick black book Massimo reached for it. Before his fingers touched the cover, a voice came from behind us “Don't”

We turned a man stood in the doorway, holding a gun I recognized him immediately Alessandro's oldest adviser. The man who had attended every family gathering, every funeral, every important meeting since Massimo was a child Don Viti Massimo raised his weapon, but his injured arm trembled “Move away from the altar” he ordered

Don Viti ignored him and looked directly at Maria “You were never supposed to bring them here”

Maria stepped backward “You told me the ledger had been destroyed”

“I told you what you needed to hear”

Massimo's face hardened “You've been working with Lorenzo?”

Don Viti smiled “Lorenzo is merely a tool Dante is a distraction. The real problem has always been the two boys Alessandro brought home”

He pointed his gun at Massimo then he turned it toward me “Now Aria, I suggest you open that book and read the first page aloud”

I looked down at the ledger my hands shook as I opened the cover. The first page contained two names, written in faded ink, followed by a date and a short note kne name belonged to Massimo. The other belonged to Kelvin beneath them, someone had written a sentence that made my blood run cold.

ONE SON WAS BORN TO RULE THE LIVOTI FAMILY. THE OTHER WAS BORN TO DESTROY IT.

I lifted my eyes toward Don Viti he smiled “Now turn the page” he ordered “And discover which brother was born to kill the other.”