Chapter 6 - Isabella’s Final SecretDominic Russo disappeared before sunrise.
His house was empty.
Phones destroyed.
Bank accounts cleared.
The security camera at his garage showed him leaving Chicago less than thirty minutes after the hospital shooting.
To Vincent, it was practically a confession.
To Chelsea, it felt too easy.
“Why leave the memory card now?” she asked.
Marco glanced toward her.
Vincent was replaying Isabella’s recording for the fourth time.
The video continued.
“Dominic works for men my father-in-law trusted,” Isabella said. “They’ve been moving money through construction companies, unions and city contracts for decades. Gabriel found the first evidence by accident.”
Vincent looked toward Marco.
Marco nodded.
“That matches what we found.”
Isabella continued.
“Vincent’s father ordered me to stop asking questions. I told him I wouldn’t. Three days later, he died.”
Chelsea frowned.
“So Vincent’s father didn’t order her murder.”
Vincent looked at the screen.
Isabella’s voice continued.
“I think Dominic intends to continue what Vincent’s father started. I think he’s afraid Vincent will change everything.”
The video cut abruptly.
Chelsea asked, “That’s all?”
Marco nodded.
Vincent stood.
“Find Dominic.”
“We’re trying.”
“Try harder.”
Marco left.
Chelsea stayed.
Vincent looked at Isabella frozen on the screen.
“You loved her.”
“Yes.”
Chelsea sat beside him.
“This must feel strange.”
“What?”
“Her warning helping protect me.”
Vincent’s eyes moved to hers.
“Isabella would have liked you.”
Chelsea smiled faintly.
“You don’t know that.”
“I do.”
“How?”
“You’re both stubborn.”
“That is not romantic.”
“She once threw my phone into Lake Como because I took a business call during dinner.”
Chelsea laughed.
“Okay. I like her.”
Vincent smiled.
Then sadness returned.
Chelsea reached for his hand.
Loving someone new did not require erasing someone who came before.
She was beginning to understand that.
So was he.
At noon, Gabriel called.
Directly.
Vincent put the call on speaker.
“Where are you?”
“Still charming, brother.”
“Stay away from Chelsea.”
Gabriel laughed softly.
“You think Dominic is the whole story.”
Vincent’s expression tightened.
“He ordered Isabella’s murder.”
“He approved it.”
“Difference?”
“Yes.”
“Then enlighten me.”
Gabriel went silent.
“Meet me tonight.”
“No.”
“Then Dominic disappears permanently.”
Chelsea leaned closer.
“Where?”
Vincent shot her a look.
Gabriel recognized her voice.
“Chelsea.”
She hated the warmth in his tone.
“Don’t say my name like we’re friends.”
Gabriel chuckled.
“I understand why he likes you.”
Vincent’s jaw hardened.
Gabriel gave an address.
An abandoned Catholic church on the South Side.
“Midnight.”
The call ended.
Vincent said, “You’re not coming.”
Chelsea smiled pleasantly.
“Of course.”
Vincent narrowed his eyes.
“You’re lying.”
“Absolutely.”
At 11:58 p.m., Chelsea sat inside an armored SUV beside Vincent.
He looked furious.
“I told you no.”
“And yet here we are.”
“You climbed into Marco’s car.”
“Technically.”
“You hid under a blanket.”
“I committed.”
“This is not amusing.”
Marco spoke from the front seat.
“It was a little amusing.”
Vincent glared at him.
Inside the abandoned church, Gabriel stood before the ruined altar.
Unarmed, apparently.
Vincent’s security remained outside.
Chelsea walked beside Vincent.
Gabriel’s gaze went immediately to her.
Vincent stepped in front.
“Look at me.”
Gabriel smiled.
“Still jealous.”
“Still alive because I haven’t decided otherwise.”
Gabriel’s smile disappeared.
“I didn’t kill Isabella.”
“I know.”
The words shocked him.
Vincent continued.
“We found her recording.”
“Then you know about Dominic.”
“Yes.”
Gabriel looked almost relieved.
“Good.”
“Who else?”
Gabriel’s eyes lowered.
“Gianni.”
Vincent frowned.
“Gianni helped you escape.”
“After he helped Dominic.”
Silence.
Chelsea whispered, “He participated in Isabella’s murder?”
Gabriel looked toward her.
“He provided her route. Dominic provided the bomb.”
Vincent’s face became stone.
“Why would Gianni confess about my father but not himself?”
“Because dying men are cowards too.”
Vincent turned away.
Gabriel stepped forward.
“I tried to warn Isabella.”
Vincent spun.
“You loved her.”
“Yes.”
“You terrified her.”
Gabriel flinched.
“I was twenty-four and angry at the world. I confused obsession with love.”
Chelsea watched him carefully.
“At least you know it now.”
Gabriel looked at her.
“I learned.”
“Then why photograph me?”
“I didn’t.”
Chelsea froze.
“You didn’t take those pictures?”
“No.”
Vincent stepped closer.
“Someone used your signature.”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Gabriel reached into his coat.
Vincent drew a weapon.
“Slowly.”
Gabriel removed a photograph.
He handed it to Chelsea.
A young man stood beside Isabella.
Chelsea had never seen him.
“Who is this?”
Gabriel said, “Adrian Russo.”
Vincent’s eyes widened.
“Dominic’s son died in prison.”
“No.”
Gabriel laughed bitterly.
“Everyone in this family has a remarkable habit of refusing to stay dead.”
Chelsea studied the photo.
Adrian was perhaps twenty-five.
“Why would he target me?”
“Because he worshiped Isabella.”
Vincent looked confused.
Gabriel continued.
“Adrian worked as her driver for several months.”
Vincent remembered.
“He quit.”
“He was fired.”
“Why?”
“He became obsessed with her.”
Chelsea suddenly felt cold.
Gabriel said, “Dominic arranged his son’s disappearance after Isabella died. He sent him overseas.”
Vincent asked, “The messages?”
“Adrian.”
“The shooter?”
“Probably.”
“The assassin at Chelsea’s apartment?”
“Definitely.”
Chelsea swallowed.
“So Dominic wants Vincent dead, and Adrian wants… what?”
Gabriel looked at her with something close to pity.
“You.”
The church lights went out.
A gunshot exploded.
Gabriel shoved Chelsea down.
Vincent fired toward the balcony.
Men rushed inside.
Chaos erupted.
Chelsea crawled behind a pew.
Someone grabbed her ankle.
She screamed.
A masked man pulled her backward.
Chelsea kicked violently.
Vincent shouted her name.
A cloth covered Chelsea’s mouth.
Chemical smell.
Her vision blurred.
She clawed at the attacker.
The last thing she saw was Vincent running toward her.
Then darkness.
Chelsea woke inside a moving vehicle.
Her hands were tied.
Her head pounded.
A man sat opposite her.
Adrian Russo.
Older now.
Lean.
Sharp-faced.
He smiled when her eyes opened.
“Hello, Chelsea.”
She tried to move.
“You’ve caused a lot of trouble.”
“Sorry.”
He laughed.
“You really are like her.”
“I’m nothing like Isabella.”
His smile vanished.
“Don’t say her name.”
Chelsea’s fear sharpened.
“You loved her.”
“I understood her.”
“No. You stalked her.”
His eyes darkened.
Chelsea realized immediately she had pushed too far.
But Adrian only leaned closer.
“She was supposed to expose them all.”
“Your father killed her.”
“No.”
Chelsea stared.
“Dominic planted the bomb.”
“My father built it.”
Adrian smiled.
“But he didn’t press the button.”
Chelsea’s stomach turned.
“Who did?”
Adrian leaned close enough that she smelled tobacco on his coat.
“I did.”
Chelsea stopped breathing.
“Why?”
“Because Isabella chose Vincent even after she learned what his family was.”
Adrian’s eyes became wet.
“She chose him.”
Chelsea understood then.
This was never justice.
Never loyalty.
Never revenge.
It was possession.
“If I couldn’t free Isabella,” Adrian whispered, “I could free her from him.”
Chelsea stared at him.
“You murdered the woman you claimed to love.”
His smile disappeared.
Then he looked toward the road ahead.
“And now Vincent loves you.”
Chelsea said nothing.
May you like
Adrian smiled again.
“So this time, I’m going to let him watch.”
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