Chapter 13 - THE TRUTH ABOUT ADELINE'S FAMILY
The document had been hidden for twelve years.
Buried among Victor’s stolen files.
Ignored.
Forgotten.
Until Adeline Croft’s name appeared on the first page.
Enzo stared at the paper.
For the first time in months, he looked confused.
Not angry.
Not dangerous.
Confused.
“Why is your name in my father’s files?”
Adeline slowly walked closer.
“I don’t know.”
The room became silent.
The document contained information about Margaret Croft, Adeline’s grandmother.
But it also contained something else.
A photograph.
A photograph of a young girl standing beside Enzo’s father.
That girl was Adeline’s mother.
Adeline froze.
“My mother?”
Enzo looked at the picture again.
“She knew my father?”
Eleanor Bell, who had been standing quietly nearby, finally spoke.
“Yes.”
Everyone turned.
Eleanor looked down.
“Your grandmother was not just a housekeeper.”
Adeline swallowed.
“What was she?”
Eleanor took a deep breath.
“She was your father’s closest ally.”
The truth came out slowly.
Years ago, before Enzo’s father died, he discovered someone was planning to destroy the Marchetti family.
He needed someone he could trust.
Someone outside the world of power.
Someone who could protect the evidence.
That person was Margaret Croft.
Adeline’s grandmother.
“She protected your father’s secrets for years,” Eleanor explained.
Adeline looked at Enzo.
“So I wasn’t hired by accident.”
“No,” Enzo said quietly.
“You were brought here because your family was connected to mine.”
Adeline felt overwhelmed.
All her life, she believed she was just a girl from a normal family.
Now she discovered her past was tied to one of Chicago’s most powerful families.
“But why didn’t my grandmother tell me?”
Eleanor looked sad.
“Because she wanted you to have a normal life.”
A tear slipped down Adeline’s cheek.
“She protected me.”
“Yes.”
Enzo stepped closer.
“And now I understand.”
Adeline looked at him.
“Understand what?”
“Why my father trusted her.”
A pause.
“She had something my family lost.”
“What?”
Enzo looked at her.
“Integrity.”
Before anyone could say more, Luca rushed into the room.
“Sir.”
Enzo turned.
“What happened?”
Luca looked serious.
“Victor wasn’t working alone.”
Everyone froze.
“There was another person.”
Enzo’s expression darkened.
“Who?”
Luca placed a photograph on the table.
May you like
And everyone went silent.
Because the person in the picture was someone they thought was gone forever.
