Chapter 10 - THE SON OF MICHAEL
The shooter escaped.
Anthony's men found an open maintenance door near the river.
No car.
No trail worth trusting.
Joseph survived.
The bullet passed through his shoulder.
Pain made him quieter.
Anthony did not allow him to leave.
Not because he cared whether Joseph lived.
Because dead men answered nothing.
Samuel sat alone in a side office.
Anthony entered.
Closed the door.
No bodyguards.
Laurel remained outside.
“What happened the night Michael died?”
Samuel stared at the floor.
“Dominic ordered me to stop Julian.”
“I know.”
“Michael reached the restaurant alone.”
“Then?”
“I followed.”
“Why?”
“Because I realized Dominic had been given bad information.”
“By Joseph?”
“I believed so.”
Anthony waited.
Samuel continued.
“When I reached the restaurant, Michael was arguing with someone.”
“Who?”
“Rebecca.”
Anthony frowned.
“His wife.”
“Yes.”
“What about?”
“She wanted him to leave the city.”
“Why?”
“She was pregnant.”
Anthony closed his eyes.
Michael knew.
His brother had been about to become a father.
Samuel continued.
“Michael refused. Said he had proof Joseph was manipulating Dominic.”
“What proof?”
“I never saw it.”
“Then?”
“A man approached.”
“Name.”
“I didn’t know him then.”
Anthony’s eyes hardened.
“Then.”
Samuel looked up.
“Paul.”
Anthony stared.
“No.”
“I saw his face.”
“Paul was Michael’s uncle.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Samuel's voice shook.
“I don’t know.”
“You watched?”
“I was across the street.”
“Then what?”
“Paul spoke to Michael. Rebecca went inside.”
Anthony waited.
“Michael turned away.”
Samuel swallowed.
“Paul shot him.”
Silence.
Anthony felt no explosion of anger.
Only cold.
“Why didn’t you kill Paul?”
“Dominic arrived.”
Anthony stared.
“My father.”
“Yes.”
“Before or after?”
“After.”
“Did he see Michael?”
“Yes.”
“What did he do?”
Samuel's eyes filled with old shame.
“He told me to get Rebecca out.”
Anthony's voice cracked for the first time.
“And Paul?”
“Dominic let him leave.”
Anthony stepped backward.
“Why?”
“I asked him.”
“What did he say?”
Samuel whispered:
“Because one son is already dead. I won’t bury another brother tonight.”
Anthony laughed.
Broken.
His father protected Paul.
Protected the killer.
Then built a war around Michael's death.
Not because Dominic ordered it.
Because family loyalty mattered more than truth.
Anthony understood suddenly why everyone had lied.
They had inherited Dominic’s rule.
Protect blood.
Even when blood was poison.
“Why did Paul kill Michael?”
“I learned later.”
“Tell me.”
“Joseph had convinced Paul that Michael intended to expose Nathan’s true parentage.”
Anthony frowned.
“Nathan wasn’t even born yet.”
“His mother was pregnant.”
Anthony froze.
Paul already knew the child was Joseph’s.
Samuel nodded.
“Paul loved Nathan’s mother.”
The truth rearranged itself.
Paul agreed to raise Nathan because he loved her.
Joseph was Nathan’s biological father.
Paul was the man who chose to become his father.
Michael somehow knew.
Perhaps Michael planned to expose Joseph publicly.
Paul believed that would destroy the woman he loved.
Joseph manipulated that fear.
Paul killed Michael.
Then raised Joseph’s son for thirty-five years.
Anthony's voice became cold.
“Paul raised his hand at the banquet.”
“Yes.”
“He stood against Laurel.”
“Yes.”
“Where is he?”
“I don’t know.”
Anthony left the room.
Laurel followed.
“What did he say?”
Anthony walked without answering.
She grabbed his arm.
“Anthony.”
He stopped.
“Paul killed Michael.”
Laurel stared.
“Your uncle.”
“Yes.”
“Does Nathan know?”
“No.”
Joseph was awake when Anthony entered.
Nathan sat beside him.
Paul was not there.
Anthony looked at Nathan.
“Where is Paul?”
Nathan frowned.
“I thought he was with your men.”
Anthony turned to Joseph.
“You knew.”
Joseph smiled weakly.
“About?”
“Paul.”
Nathan looked between them.
“What about Paul?”
Joseph said nothing.
Anthony hated him in that moment.
Not for the past.
For enjoying the delay.
Anthony looked at Nathan.
“Michael discovered your mother was pregnant.”
Nathan stared.
“So?”
“He believed Joseph was manipulating the family.”
Nathan looked at Joseph.
Anthony continued.
“Paul thought Michael would expose your parentage.”
Nathan’s face changed.
“No.”
Anthony did not soften it.
“He killed Michael.”
Nathan stepped backward.
“No.”
Joseph closed his eyes.
That confirmed enough.
Nathan looked at him.
“You knew?”
Joseph said nothing.
“You knew Paul killed Michael?”
“Yes.”
Nathan’s voice broke.
“And you let him raise me?”
Joseph looked at his son.
“He loved you.”
Nathan laughed.
A terrible sound.
“He murdered a man to protect me before I was born.”
“Yes.”
“And you let me call him Dad.”
“Yes.”
Nathan struck Joseph.
Once.
Hard.
Anthony did not stop him.
Nathan raised his hand again.
Then stopped himself.
That mattered.
He stepped away.
“Where is he?”
Nobody knew.
Then Anthony's phone vibrated.
A message.
From Paul.
One address.
One sentence.
COME ALONE IF YOU WANT THE BOY.
Anthony stared.
Michael’s son.
Paul had found him.
Or wanted Anthony to believe he had.
Nathan read over his shoulder.
“I’m coming.”
Anthony shook his head.
“He asked for me.”
Nathan's face hardened.
“He killed Michael because of me.”
“You were unborn.”
“He killed Michael because Joseph used me.”
Anthony looked at him.
Nathan’s eyes were full of something Anthony recognized.
The beginning of revenge.
Anthony put the phone away.
“No.”
Nathan stared.
Anthony continued.
May you like
“You don’t inherit this one.”
Then he walked toward the door.
