Chapter 7
Adrian stopped pretending.
His shoulders lowered.
His eyes hardened.
“If I wanted to hurt you, Roman, you would've stayed dead.”
Helena inhaled sharply.
Roman stepped forward.
The bodyguards watched his hands.
Roman kept them at his sides.
“Careful.”
Adrian smiled.
There was arrogance in it again.
That old capo confidence.
“You think all of this started because Helena wanted your house?”
Roman said nothing.
Adrian looked toward Veronica.
“Or because she needed money?”
Veronica’s breath caught.
Adrian continued.
“You're all looking too low.”
Roman's eyes narrowed.
“Then raise my view.”
Adrian tapped the photograph.
“Rachel found something in your estate archive.”
“What?”
“A codicil.”
Roman frowned.
He knew every version of his estate plan.
Or thought he did.
Adrian looked toward Helena.
She went pale.
That mattered.
Roman turned to his mother.
“You know.”
Helena's fingers tightened around her pearls.
Adrian laughed softly.
“Of course she knows.”
Roman’s voice dropped.
“What codicil?”
Helena remained silent.
Roman took one step closer.
Her breathing became shallow.
“Mama.”
The childhood word broke through her arrogance harder than any threat.
She looked at him.
Then away.
Adrian answered.
“Your father’s.”
Roman went still.
His father, Vincent D’Angelo, had died eleven years earlier.
Roman inherited control.
Helena inherited a large trust.
The succession had never been questioned.
Adrian continued.
“Vincent changed his mind before he died.”
Helena closed her eyes.
Roman stared at her.
“What did he change?”
Adrian’s smile disappeared.
“He didn't want you to inherit everything.”
Silence.
Veronica slowly sat down.
Roman felt the balance in the room move.
This was no longer just his daughter.
No longer just his money.
The foundation of his authority was now in question.
Adrian looked directly at him.
“Your mother buried the document.”
May you like
Roman’s eyes moved to Helena.
For the first time that night, she looked old.
