Chapter 13
The compartment beneath Daniel’s chair held no money.
No weapons.
One black velvet pouch.
One voice recorder.
And Daniel’s old signet ring.
Victoria touched it.
Eleven months disappeared for a second.
Then she pressed play.
Daniel’s voice:
“If Marcus found this, Helena finally betrayed him too.”
Marcus stared at the floor.
Helena whispered:
“Turn it off.”
Nobody did.
Daniel continued.
“My sister believes children should fear adults.”
Pause.
“She believes wives should fear husbands.”
Clara looked toward Helena.
“She believes sons should fear mothers.”
Marcus’s jaw tightened.
“And capos should fear losing whatever they love.”
Daniel exhaled on the recording.
“That is not leadership.”
Victoria closed her eyes.
His voice continued.
“If I die before the anniversary, Victoria must know one thing.”
Helena stepped forward.
“No.”
Guards blocked her.
Daniel:
“I chose her.”
Silence.
“To lead.”
Marcus looked at Victoria.
Not shocked now.
Defeated.
“She does not need my blood to justify it.”
Helena started crying.
Angry.
“She stole him.”
Victoria opened her eyes.
Helena stared at Daniel’s ring.
“He stopped listening to me.”
“No.”
Victoria’s voice was soft.
“He stopped fearing you.”
Helena shook her head.
“You poisoned him against family.”
“Daniel was your younger brother.”
“He owed me.”
There.
Same disease.
Love as debt.
Daniel’s recording continued.
“If Helena tries to make my death Victoria’s weakness, remind her of Christmas Eve, 1998.”
Helena froze.
Marcus looked at her.
“What happened?”
She said nothing.
Victoria replayed the line.
Christmas Eve, 1998.
One of the older capos went pale.
“I remember.”
Helena turned.
He continued.
“Richard Bellacorte.”
Their father.
“What about him?” Marcus asked.
The capo looked at Helena.
“She locked Daniel outside.”
Silence.
“He was twelve.”
Victoria stared.
The capo continued.
“Daniel contradicted her in front of guests.”
Helena whispered:
“He embarrassed me.”
Even now.
Twenty-eight years later.
Same justification.
The capo looked disgusted.
“It was snowing.”
“He survived.”
And there it was.
Daniel had spent his entire life understanding exactly what Helena did to children who challenged her.
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That was why he had left Victoria so many warnings.
He knew she would eventually do it again.
