Chapter 6 - THE BROTHER WHO WANTED THE CROWN
Daniel Bellini had Gabriel’s eyes.
That was the first thing Claire noticed.
Not exactly.
Daniel’s were lighter.
Colder.
But when he looked directly into the camera, the resemblance to Vittorio Moretti’s portrait was impossible to ignore.
Gabriel noticed too.
His expression hardened.
Salvatore looked physically ill.
The video continued.
Daniel stood behind Lucy and Teresa.
Teresa had a bruise near her temple.
Lucy appeared frightened but unharmed.
“You've spent your entire life believing you inherited everything because you were the legitimate son,” Daniel said.
Gabriel’s jaw tightened.
“I spent mine being told I should be grateful for scraps.”
Salvatore whispered, “I never treated him that way.”
Vanessa looked at him.
“Someone did.”
Daniel continued.
“Midnight was generous. You now have two hours.”
A document appeared on screen.
“Transfer Crown’s controlling rights to Daniel Vittorio Moretti Bellini.”
Gabriel glanced at Arthur.
Daniel smiled.
“Yes, Gabriel. I know the name your father gave me.”
Salvatore sank against the side of the car.
“My wife knew.”
Vanessa nodded.
“Apparently.”
Daniel leaned toward the camera.
“If you refuse, the little heir becomes a family tragedy.”
Claire stepped toward the screen.
Gabriel immediately moved between her and the phone as though he could shield her from the words.
Daniel continued.
“And don't bother surrounding the warehouse.”
Gabriel glanced at Marco.
Too late.
Men were already moving there.
Daniel smiled.
“I know how you think.”
The image shifted.
Several containers appeared behind Teresa.
Wires.
Fuel drums.
Gabriel’s expression changed.
“He rigged it.”
Salvatore closed his eyes.
Daniel said, “One shot. One wrong door. One radio signal in the wrong frequency.”
He raised a small remote.
“And Port Richmond gets a new crater.”
The video ended.
No one spoke.
Then Claire said, “We are not giving him what he wants.”
Everyone turned toward her.
Gabriel frowned.
“He has Lucy.”
“I know exactly who he has.”
“Then—”
“If we hand him Crown, what guarantees he releases them?”
“Nothing.”
“Exactly.”
Gabriel’s voice lowered.
“I won’t gamble with Lucy’s life.”
Claire walked closer.
“And I won't teach the man who stole my daughter that terror works.”
Salvatore stared at her.
For the first time, something almost like admiration crossed his face.
Gabriel did not look impressed.
He looked furious.
“Claire, this isn't a negotiation over money.”
“No.”
She pointed toward the phone.
“It’s a negotiation over control.”
She looked at Arthur.
“What does Daniel actually need?”
Arthur frowned.
“The controlling interest.”
“How is it transferred?”
“Through the trustees.”
“Which trustees?”
“Originally four family representatives.”
“And now?”
Arthur thought.
“Gabriel. Richard Crowley. Salvatore. And…”
He stopped.
Gabriel noticed.
“And?”
Arthur looked toward Vanessa.
“Teresa.”
Vanessa laughed without humor.
“Of course.”
Claire stared.
“Teresa is a trustee?”
“Yes.”
“Then Daniel cannot take control without her signature.”
“Unless she dies.”
Claire’s blood chilled.
Arthur nodded.
“Her rights pass to the eldest surviving Moretti descendant.”
Gabriel.
Unless Lucy’s claim was established.
Claire understood.
“He needs everyone rearranged.”
Gabriel looked at her.
Claire began pacing.
“Daniel takes Lucy because she threatens his inheritance. He takes Teresa because she controls one trustee vote. He demands you sign away another.”
She pointed toward Salvatore.
“And what about his vote?”
Salvatore gave a bitter smile.
“If Daniel is legally recognized as my son on paper, my holdings transfer to him upon my death.”
Claire looked at him.
“So he may plan to kill you too.”
Salvatore nodded.
“Apparently family dinner will be awkward.”
Nobody laughed.
Vanessa nearly collapsed.
Marco caught her.
Gabriel looked at her wound.
“You need a doctor.”
“No hospitals.”
“You’re bleeding.”
“If Daniel has people inside police or hospitals, I disappear.”
Gabriel looked at Marco.
“Bring Lawson.”
Vanessa grabbed his sleeve.
“Wait.”
Gabriel stared at her hand until she released him.
“I have something else.”
She removed a flash drive.
“I copied Black Crown’s records.”
“Why?”
“Because I realized my father was being framed.”
Gabriel looked surprised.
“You believe Richard is innocent?”
“No.”
Vanessa looked exhausted.
“My father is guilty of many things.”
She swallowed.
“But not this.”
Claire thought about the slap.
The threats.
The cruelty.
“Why did you threaten me?”
Vanessa looked at her.
For once, there was no smile.
“Because Daniel told me you were stealing from Gabriel.”
Claire stared.
“He said you were searching the east wing for financial records. He showed me photographs of you near Teresa’s room.”
“You knew Teresa was there.”
“No.”
Vanessa shook her head.
“I thought Gabriel had hidden business documents there.”
Claire did not believe her.
Vanessa saw it.
“You don't have to forgive me.”
“I don't.”
“I wouldn't either.”
Gabriel crossed his arms.
“The pills?”
“I put them on the tray.”
Claire froze.
Vanessa continued.
“Daniel gave them to me.”
“Why?”
“He told me they were medication Gabriel’s elderly aunt needed.”
Claire stepped toward her.
“You helped drug Teresa.”
“I didn't know.”
“You didn't ask.”
Vanessa’s eyes filled for the first time.
“No.”
Claire wanted to hate her cleanly.
It would have been easier.
But Vanessa looked genuinely ashamed.
Gabriel said nothing.
He would judge later.
Lucy came first.
Marco’s phone rang.
He answered.
“We have eyes on the warehouse.”
Gabriel turned.
“Thermal?”
“Blocked. Building’s lined.”
“Entrances?”
“Three visible. Likely tunnels.”
Arthur suddenly looked up.
“Tunnels.”
Everyone turned.
“What?” Gabriel asked.
“The warehouse predates Prohibition.”
“So?”
“Vittorio and Salvatore used it in the eighties.”
Salvatore’s face changed.
“There’s a drainage tunnel beneath Dock Four.”
Marco stepped closer.
“Where does it exit?”
“Delaware River.”
Gabriel looked at him.
“Rigged?”
“Daniel may not know about it.”
Salvatore hesitated.
“He was ten the last time I used it.”
Claire stared.
“He could remember.”
“Yes.”
“But it’s our best option.”
Gabriel began issuing orders.
Claire interrupted.
“I’m coming.”
“No.”
“Gabriel—”
“No.”
“That’s my daughter.”
“And Daniel wants you too.”
“Which means I can distract him.”
Gabriel’s eyes narrowed.
“No.”
Claire stepped closer.
“You said Lucy was yours too.”
“Yes.”
“Then stop acting like she’s only your responsibility.”
Gabriel stared at her.
“You hired me to clean your house.”
Claire’s voice trembled.
“You don't get to decide whether I'm brave enough to save my own child.”
Something softened in his expression.
Only briefly.
“Stay behind me.”
Claire nodded.
They reached Port Richmond forty minutes later.
The abandoned warehouse stood beside the dark Delaware River.
Rain had begun.
Marco’s men blocked surrounding streets without approaching the building.
Arthur stayed behind with Vanessa and Dr. Lawson.
Salvatore insisted on entering.
Gabriel allowed it.
The drainage tunnel smelled of rust and river water.
Claire followed Gabriel through darkness.
Salvatore behind her.
They moved slowly.
No radios.
No phones.
The tunnel ended beneath an iron grate.
Gabriel lifted it.
They emerged inside an old storage room.
Voices came from beyond the wall.
Daniel.
“…you should have told him.”
Then Teresa.
“You weren't mine to tell.”
Gabriel froze.
Claire touched his arm.
He looked at her.
Through a crack in the wall, they could see Teresa tied to a chair.
Daniel stood in front of her.
Lucy sat nearby.
Daniel’s back faced them.
“You let me grow up believing Salvatore was my father.”
“He was your father.”
“He wasn't my blood.”
“He raised you.”
“My blood belonged here.”
Teresa shook her head.
“Blood never made a Moretti.”
Daniel laughed.
“That's convenient.”
“It’s true.”
“What makes Gabriel more worthy than me?”
“Nothing.”
Daniel stopped.
Teresa continued.
“That’s what you never understood. Crown was never supposed to be a throne.”
Claire watched Gabriel’s face.
Teresa said, “Vittorio created the inheritance rule to keep families from killing one another.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“And instead they killed him.”
“Yes.”
Daniel’s face changed.
Gabriel leaned closer to the crack.
Teresa continued.
“But not for money.”
“What?”
“You still don't know.”
Daniel stared at her.
“My father died because of Crown.”
“No.”
Teresa’s voice softened.
“He died protecting you.”
Daniel stepped backward.
“What?”
Salvatore covered his mouth.
Teresa continued.
“Vittorio learned someone planned to kill Salvatore and you in the same car accident.”
Daniel looked confused.
“Why?”
“Because if you died, Crown passed cleanly to the Crowley family.”
Claire’s eyes widened.
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
Teresa said, “Vittorio took the car instead.”
Gabriel’s breathing changed.
His father’s death.
Not random.
Not intended for Vittorio.
A sacrifice.
Daniel looked furious.
“Liar.”
“Ask Richard.”
“He's the one who told me—”
Daniel stopped.
Teresa stared at him.
Gabriel understood.
“Richard recruited him,” he whispered.
Claire nodded.
Daniel paced.
“No. Richard said Gabriel’s father tried to kill me.”
“He lied.”
Teresa leaned forward.
“And he’s lying now.”
Daniel suddenly looked toward a dark corner.
“Come out.”
Gabriel stiffened.
Claire thought they had been discovered.
Then Richard Crowley stepped from the shadows.
Gun in hand.
Vanessa’s father.
He smiled.
“That's enough, Teresa.”
Daniel looked confused.
“You said you weren't coming.”
Richard aimed the gun toward him.
“I changed my mind.”
Daniel stared.
“What are you doing?”
Richard smiled.
“Cleaning up thirty years of mistakes.”
Then Claire saw the truth hit Daniel.
Too late.
Richard had never intended Daniel to inherit anything.
He had used him.
Teresa closed her eyes.
Richard pulled the hammer back.
Gabriel kicked through the thin wall.
Everything exploded into motion.
Salvatore shouted.
Claire ran toward Lucy.
Daniel turned.
Richard fired.
Gabriel tackled him.
The bullet hit a metal beam.
Sparks flew.
Lucy screamed.
Claire reached her.
“Mom!”
She grabbed her daughter.
Daniel lunged for the detonator.
Salvatore tackled him.
“No!”
The remote flew across the floor.
Richard and Gabriel fought beside a fuel drum.
Claire cut Lucy’s bindings.
Teresa shouted.
“The remote!”
It slid toward an open drain.
Daniel reached.
Salvatore grabbed his wrist.
Then Richard broke free from Gabriel.
He aimed his gun.
Not at Gabriel.
At Lucy.
Gabriel saw it.
Claire saw it.
There was no time.
A gunshot thundered through the warehouse.
Richard’s body jerked backward.
He collapsed.
Vanessa stood in the doorway.
Blood soaking through her bandage.
A pistol shook in both hands.
She stared at her father.
“No more children.”
Then a red light began flashing on the detonator.
Daniel looked down.
His face drained.
“That wasn’t supposed to happen.”
Gabriel turned.
“How long?”
Daniel stared at the timer.
May you like
00:59.
Fifty-nine seconds.
