Chapter 3 - Nadia Learned Her Dead Father Had Helped Hide the Truth About Renzo’s Father—Then Isabella Returned With an Offer That Could Destroy the Twins’ FutureMichael Hart had not simply worked for Coletti family.
He had been accountant.
Confidential.
Trusted.
For twenty-one years he tracked money nobody else saw.
Nadia remembered father differently.
Cheap reading glasses.
Sunday pancakes.
Hospital bills.
Man who apologized whenever he couldn't afford birthday gift.
Not Mafia accountant.
“He lied to me.”
Renzo sat across from her.
“So did my father.”
Nadia had been discharged into apartment arranged by federal protection.
Not Renzo estate.
Her choice.
Renzo respected it.
Mostly.
There were still two guards downstairs.
“I said no army.”
“Two men isn't army.”
“It is if they're armed.”
“They are drivers.”
“With shoulder holsters.”
“Chicago traffic is unpredictable.”
She stared.
He surrendered.
“I'll reduce to one.”
“Zero.”
“One.”
“Zero.”
“Nadia.”
“Renzo.”
They compromised at one unarmed security specialist in lobby.
Progress.
Michael's records were hidden inside old storage unit Nadia inherited.
They searched together.
Boxes.
Tax forms.
Family photographs.
Hospital statements.
Then Renzo found false bottom in desk.
Ledger.
Michael's handwriting.
It documented payments between Coletti and Romano families.
Six years earlier Vittorio Romano had secretly financed faction inside Coletti organization.
Goal:
Kill Renzo's father.
Install controllable successor.
But intended successor wasn't Renzo.
It was Renzo's younger brother, Luca.
Nadia looked up.
“The brother whose anniversary was masquerade night?”
“Yes.”
“What happened to him?”
“Car bombing four months after my father.”
Nadia read.
Michael believed Vittorio killed Luca too after realizing he couldn't control him.
That left Renzo.
Vittorio changed strategy.
Alliance.
Marriage.
Isabella.
“They were going to marry you into family they tried destroying.”
Renzo's face became stone.
“Apparently.”
Nadia found final note.
If anything happens to me, Nadia must never know. Keep her outside. She deserves ordinary life.
She cried.
Father had died of kidney failure two years earlier.
Not murdered.
At least records suggested natural.
He had carried secrets until death.
Renzo sat beside her.
“Can I?”
She nodded.
He held her.
Not Mafia Boss.
Just man.
“I hate secrets,” she whispered.
“So do I.”
“You live on them.”
“Maybe that's problem.”
Phone rang.
Unknown number.
Nadia answered before Renzo could stop her.
Isabella.
“Nadia.”
Her body stiffened.
Renzo reached for phone.
She shook head.
“What do you want?”
“To talk.”
“You kidnapped me.”
“My father ordered it.”
“You participated.”
“Yes.”
“Why should I believe anything?”
“Because my father plans to kill Renzo before your children are born.”
Renzo heard.
His expression didn't change.
Isabella continued.
“And when Renzo dies, he'll use twins as leverage to take Coletti organization.”
“Why tell me?”
“Because my father plans to kill me too.”
Silence.
“He knows warehouse cameras survived.”
Nadia looked at Renzo.
“Where are you?”
“St. Agnes Church.”
Renzo mouthed no.
Nadia ignored.
“Stay there.”
They met under federal surveillance.
Isabella looked different.
No makeup.
Bruised cheek.
Fear.
Renzo remained ten feet away.
“If this is trap—”
“It isn't.”
Isabella looked at Nadia.
“I knew you were pregnant before Renzo did.”
“We established that.”
“I didn't know babies were his until my father told me.”
Nadia frowned.
“How did he know?”
“He had masquerade footage.”
Renzo went cold.
“How?”
“Someone inside your security gave it to him.”
Matteo?
No.
Renzo refused assumption.
“Who?”
Isabella handed phone.
Messages.
Payments.
Name.
Anthony DeSantis.
Matteo's younger brother.
Renzo stared.
Anthony had overseen estate surveillance.
Trusted.
Family.
Again.
Always family.
Isabella said:
“My father ordered Anthony to erase footage. He kept copy as insurance.”
“Why?”
“He knew twins could replace me.”
Nadia understood political logic.
If Renzo married Isabella, Romano influence entered Coletti succession.
But if Renzo had biological heirs with Nadia, alliance became less essential.
Vittorio wanted babies controlled.
Maybe raised under Romano influence after Renzo's death.
“Monster.”
Isabella laughed bitterly.
“You just noticed?”
Nadia looked at her.
“You still helped him.”
“Yes.”
No excuse.
“I was raised believing obedience kept me alive.”
Isabella's eyes filled.
“That explains me. It doesn't absolve me.”
Renzo looked at Nadia.
Same principle.
Explanation wasn't absolution.
Interesting how truth repeated.
Isabella agreed testify.
Federal prosecutors prepared case.
Anthony arrested.
Vittorio fled New York.
Then Nadia went into labor six weeks early.
At 2:14 a.m.
Water broke.
Renzo was in meeting with prosecutors.
She called.
He answered first ring.
“What's wrong?”
“I think they're coming.”
Silence.
Then:
“I'm coming.”
“No speeding.”
“Nadia—”
“No speeding.”
“Fine.”
He arrived twelve minutes later.
She checked distance.
“You sped.”
“No proof.”
Contractions intensified.
Twins premature but viable.
Renzo stood beside bed.
Nadia crushed his hand.
“You did this!”
Doctor laughed.
Renzo looked terrified.
“I acknowledge responsibility.”
“Shut up.”
“Yes.”
Hours.
Pain.
Fear.
Then first cry.
Boy.
Small.
Furious.
Perfect.
Nadia sobbed.
Renzo cried openly.
Second baby came three minutes later.
Girl.
Quieter.
Then alarming silence.
Doctors moved quickly.
Renzo's face drained.
“What happened?”
Baby girl struggled breathing.
NICU team intervened.
Nadia panicked.
“What's wrong?”
Doctor reassured.
Premature lungs.
They carried her away.
Nadia broke.
Renzo leaned close.
“She's alive.”
“Go.”
“What?”
“Go with her.”
“I won't leave you.”
“Our son is here. Go with daughter.”
He hesitated.
Then obeyed.
Hours later Nadia saw him through NICU glass.
Renzo Coletti stood beside incubator.
Huge hands against plastic.
Tiny daughter inside.
No guns.
No empire.
No power useful.
Only father.
Nadia watched him whisper something.
Later asked.
“What did you say?”
“That she doesn't owe family anything.”
Nadia cried.
They named boy Michael.
After Nadia's father.
Girl Elena.
After Renzo's mother.
Not heirs.
Children.
Three days later federal agents arrested Vittorio Romano attempting cross Canadian border.
Isabella entered witness protection pending trial.
Anthony pleaded guilty.
The conspiracy collapsed.
Nadia thought danger over.
Then Renzo received package.
Inside:
A photograph of twins through NICU window.
Taken yesterday.
Message:
ROMANO WASN'T THE ONLY ONE WHO WANTED COLETTI HEIRS.
Renzo looked at hospital hallway.
Someone inside had taken photo.
May you like
The threat was not outside.
It was standing close enough to watch his children breathe.
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