Chapter 14 - THE COUSIN WHO WANTED THE THRONEAdrian arranged the meeting at a private restaurant in Manhattan.
Dominic arrived with Michael's replacement legal adviser and two independent investigators. He refused to make the mistake of trusting a single person with the family's affairs again.
Adrian was already seated.
He looked younger than Dominic, perhaps thirty-two, with neatly styled dark hair and an expensive watch.
"Thank you for coming," Adrian said.
"Don't mistake curiosity for trust."
Adrian smiled.
"Anthony always said you were difficult."
"Anthony has been lying to me for twelve years."
"Then perhaps you should hear my side."
Dominic sat.
Adrian explained that he had grown up believing his father was dead. His mother had told him that Anthony was a distant relative who occasionally sent money.
When she died, he discovered documents revealing his parentage.
He eventually contacted Anthony.
"And he offered you the family fortune?"
"He offered me the truth."
Dominic leaned forward.
"What truth?"
Adrian produced a document.
It was a letter from Dominic's father.
The letter acknowledged Adrian as his nephew and stated that the family should never abandon him.
It did not grant him inheritance rights.
Adrian looked disappointed when Dominic pointed this out.
"Your uncle gave you a false promise."
"Anthony said you were keeping everything for yourself."
"That's because he wanted you to believe him."
Adrian lowered his voice.
"He said your father planned to disown you."
Dominic stood.
"My father never disowned me."
Adrian's expression changed.
"How can you be so certain?"
"Because I have his original will."
For the first time, Adrian looked uncertain.
Dominic continued.
"Anthony used you. He needed someone with a legitimate connection to the family to submit a false inheritance claim."
Adrian looked toward the window.
"I didn't know about the kidnapping."
"What kidnapping?"
"Maria. Your mother. The girl."
Dominic's face hardened.
"Elena has a name."
Adrian looked down.
"I know."
He admitted that he had transferred money through the consulting company but claimed he believed it was a legitimate family investment.
He also confessed that Anthony had instructed him to obtain the original hospital register.
"Where is it?"
Adrian hesitated.
"At an old medical records facility in Brooklyn."
Dominic waited.
"Give me the address."
Adrian wrote it down.
Then he added something unexpected.
"There's a woman there. Her name is Caroline Bennett."
Dominic frowned.
"Who is she?"
"She worked with Raymond Cross. She knows what happened to your father."
Adrian stood.
"Be careful. Anthony knows I met you."
He walked toward the exit.
Dominic watched him leave.
Something about the conversation felt incomplete.
His investigator approached.
"Boss, we have a problem."
"What?"
"Adrian's car has disappeared from the parking garage."
Dominic looked at the restaurant entrance.
A second message arrived.
It contained a photograph of Adrian standing beside Victor Hail.
The timestamp was recent.
Adrian had not come to Dominic because he wanted to make peace.
He had come because he wanted something.
And Dominic suspected that the real purpose of their meeting had been to discover how much evidence the Moretti family possessed.
When he returned to the mansion, Elena was waiting in the library.
She had been reviewing the staff records with Noah.
"Did you find him?" she asked.
"Yes."
"Did he tell you the truth?"
Dominic shook his head.
"I don't know."
She looked at the documents.
"Then perhaps you should ask Maria."
Dominic turned.
"What?"
Elena held up her phone.
A new message had arrived from an unknown number.
I'M ALIVE. THEY'RE MOVING ME TONIGHT.
Below it was a photograph of a woman with dark hair.
Maria Santos.
The next message contained an address.
May you like
And one final sentence:
DON'T TRUST ADRIAN. HE KNOWS WHO HURT ME.
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