I Gave Them the Daughter They Wanted의 모든 챕터: 챕터 1 - 챕터 8

“Dr. Hale, once you enter the North Star Project, you will be cut off from the outside world for at least ten years.”The official on the phone paused.“In seven days, your current identity will be terminated. Your name will disappear from public databases and civilian systems. If you want to withdraw, this is your last chance.”I looked at the confidentiality agreement on my desk.“I’ve made my decision. I’m joining.”After the call ended, I saw three people approaching through the glass doors of the research center.My father, Vincent Moretti. My mother, Celeste. My older brother, Luca.In my first life, I had waited twenty-six years for them to come toward me like that.Celeste reached me first and took my hand.“Elena, we’ve decided. Seven days from now, the Moretti family will hold a formal recognition banquet and announce that you are our biological daughter.”She softened her voice.“Sofia will stay with us. We’ll adopt her legally. You’ll be our daughter by blood, and she’ll be

Sofia was still in surgery when we reached North Ridge Hospital.The Moretti family physician came out with Sofia’s latest results.“She has lost too much blood. We need more immediately.”I stepped forward. “I’m B-negative. Test me.”The doctor checked my blood pressure and hemoglobin..“Miss Hale has been outside in severe cold, and both numbers are already low. Donating now could put you into shock.”Celeste went pale. “Then she shouldn’t do it.”Vincent looked toward the operating-room doors. Luca was already on the phone trying to locate compatible blood elsewhere.An alarm sounded behind the emergency-room doors.The doctor glanced back. “We may not have time to wait for another unit.”I thought of the life I remembered and of Sofia dying before any of us understood how much that death would change the family.“Use mine.”Celeste caught my hand. “Elena, you heard what he said.”“I did.”Luca lowered his phone. “You don’t owe Sofia this.”“I’m not doing it because I owe her.”I lo

Luca spent the next three days trying to find out where Elena had gone.Every search ended the same way.Her civilian records had been terminated at midnight, and the government SUV that picked her up belonged to a program none of the Moretti family’s contacts were willing to discuss.On the fourth day, Luca finally received a response from a federal official he had known for years.It contained only three lines.Dr. Elena Hale voluntarily entered classified federal service.Her former civilian identity has been terminated.No private contact is permitted.Vincent read the message twice.“That’s it?”“That’s all they’ll give us.”“Then go higher.”“I already did.”Luca closed the file.“Anyone with enough clearance to know where she is also has enough sense not to tell the Moretti family.”Vincent’s expression darkened, but there was no one in the room he could order into solving the problem.For most of his life, the Moretti name had opened doors.This one remained closed.Celeste had

The surveillance car was gone by the time federal security checked the next block.That did not make Luca less concerned.By the following morning, Moretti men were positioned around the hotel where the North Star team was staying. Federal agents were already there, and the two security groups clearly disliked each other, but neither side interfered.I noticed immediately.“You said you would protect me until you knew what the Bellandis wanted.”Vincent looked up from his phone.“We still don’t know.”“So half your men are staying outside my hotel?”“Until this is settled.”I glanced at Luca.He gave me a small shrug.“At least he asked the federal team before placing them.”For Vincent, apparently, that counted as progress.I had no intention of returning to the Moretti estate, but I also had no interest in pretending the threat was imaginary.The Bellandis had spent years fighting the Morettis over ports, contracts, and territory. For ten years they had not known where I was. My retu