Chapter 3 - The Mafia Boss Discovered Her Mother Had Been Hidden by His Deadliest Rival—Then Her Sister Betrayed Her Again for a Share of the FortuneVictor Moretti was sixty-two.
A former associate of Leo's father.
A man whose businesses stretched from Chicago to New York.
He owned warehouses, private clinics, and several companies that existed mostly on paper.
He also had a reputation for making problems disappear.
Maeve sat beside Leo as Margaret Chen explained the connection.
Her hands trembled.
“Why would he take my mother?”
Margaret looked at her.
“We believe Evelyn discovered financial misconduct involving Moretti and your father's company.”
Maeve stared.
“What kind?”
“Fraudulent shipping invoices. Undisclosed payments. Money moving through companies that didn't provide the services they billed for.”
Maeve felt sick.
Her mother had been an accountant before founding Sullivan Floral Distribution.
She had been meticulous.
Honest.
And stubborn.
If she discovered something wrong, she would have investigated.
Even if it put her in danger.
Maeve looked toward Leo.
“Did your father know?”
He hesitated.
“Possibly.”
She studied him.
“Leo.”
He met her eyes.
“I won't lie to you.”
She swallowed.
“Then tell me.”
Leo took a breath.
“My father had business dealings with Moretti. Some were legitimate. Others weren't.”
Maeve looked down.
He continued.
“When I took over, I ended most of those relationships.”
She nodded slowly.
“And Moretti?”
“He didn't appreciate it.”
Silence.
Maeve felt the weight of the situation.
Her mother.
Her father.
The trust.
The company.
Moretti.
Leo.
Everything was connected.
And she was standing in the middle.
The first breakthrough came from a former employee of Moretti's private clinic.
Her name was Anna Reyes.
She had worked there as a nurse for eleven years.
Now retired, she agreed to meet with investigators.
Maeve sat beside Margaret Chen in a conference room.
Leo remained near the door.
Anna looked nervous.
She held a cup of tea with both hands.
“I remember the woman.”
Maeve stopped breathing.
“Evelyn?”
Anna nodded.
“She was admitted under the name Eleanor Shaw.”
Maeve felt tears rise.
“What happened to her?”
Anna hesitated.
“She was frightened.”
Maeve swallowed.
“Of what?”
Anna looked down.
“She kept asking about her daughters.”
Silence.
Maeve began crying.
Anna continued.
“She said she had two girls. Caroline and Maeve.”
Maeve covered her mouth.
Her mother had remembered them.
Had asked for them.
Had wanted to come home.
Anna's eyes filled.
“She carried a photograph.”
Maeve looked up.
“What photograph?”
Anna reached into her handbag.
She removed a small envelope.
Inside was a faded picture.
Two little girls.
One with dark curls.
One with lighter hair.
Standing beside a Christmas tree.
Maeve recognized it immediately.
She was eight.
Caroline was twelve.
Their mother had taken the photograph on Christmas morning.
Maeve began sobbing.
Anna handed it to her.
“She asked me to keep it safe.”
Maeve held the picture against her chest.
For fifteen years, she had believed her mother died.
Now she knew Evelyn had spent years thinking about her daughters.
Waiting.
Hoping.
And someone had kept them apart.
Anna explained that Evelyn remained at the clinic for several years.
Then she was transferred.
The records were incomplete.
But Anna remembered the destination.
A private residence outside Madison, Wisconsin.
Owned by a company connected to Moretti.
Maeve looked toward Leo.
He nodded.
“We'll give the information to the investigators.”
She swallowed.
“Do you think she's still there?”
Leo's expression softened.
“I don't know.”
Maeve looked down.
For the first time, she allowed herself to imagine seeing her mother again.
Not as a memory.
Not as a photograph.
But alive.
She imagined hearing her voice.
Feeling her arms around her.
Telling her everything that had happened.
Then fear returned.
What if they were too late?
What if Evelyn had died years ago?
Maeve closed her eyes.
Leo reached for her hand.
She allowed him to hold it.
Meanwhile, Caroline Sullivan was furious.
The trust investigation had frozen several accounts.
Her credit cards were being reviewed.
Her apartment lease was suddenly a problem.
And her father had stopped answering her calls.
She sat in a private lounge with a glass of wine.
Across from her sat Victor Moretti.
He wore a dark suit.
His silver hair was neatly combed.
His smile was charming.
And his eyes were cold.
“Your sister is becoming troublesome,” he said.
Caroline rolled her eyes.
“Maeve has always been troublesome.”
Moretti smiled.
“Not like this.”
She leaned forward.
“What do you want?”
He placed a folder on the table.
“Your cooperation.”
Caroline frowned.
“With what?”
“Information.”
She laughed.
“About Maeve?”
“About Leo Rossi.”
Caroline's expression changed.
“What about him?”
Moretti smiled.
“Your sister has his attention.”
Caroline looked away.
Jealousy burned.
For years, Maeve had been the invisible daughter.
The dependable one.
The boring one.
Caroline had been the beautiful sister.
The charming sister.
The one who received compliments.
Now Leo Rossi was looking at Maeve.
And Caroline couldn't bear it.
She leaned forward.
“What do I get?”
Moretti smiled.
“A chance to keep your lifestyle.”
Caroline hesitated.
Then nodded.
“Fine.”
Two days later, Maeve received a message from Caroline.
WE NEED TO TALK.
Maeve stared at it.
She almost ignored it.
Then another message appeared.
IT'S ABOUT MOM.
Maeve felt cold.
She called immediately.
Caroline answered.
“Maeve.”
“What do you know?”
Her sister hesitated.
“Meet me.”
“Where?”
“At the old greenhouse.”
Maeve frowned.
The greenhouse belonged to their mother.
It stood on the edge of a property the family had sold years earlier.
Maeve hadn't visited since Evelyn's funeral.
“Why there?”
Caroline's voice softened.
“Because Mom used to take us there.”
Maeve swallowed.
For a moment, she remembered childhood.
Warm glass walls.
The smell of roses.
Her mother's laughter.
Caroline helping her plant seeds.
Before jealousy and bitterness had taken over.
Maeve nodded.
“Okay.”
Leo found her preparing to leave.
“Where are you going?”
Maeve hesitated.
“Caroline wants to talk.”
His expression changed.
“Where?”
“The greenhouse.”
Leo frowned.
“Why?”
“She says it's about Mom.”
He studied her.
“Maeve.”
She looked at him.
“I know.”
He continued.
“Your sister has been hostile. And Moretti knows you're investigating him.”
Maeve crossed her arms.
“I can't ignore her if she knows something.”
Leo nodded slowly.
“Then don't go alone.”
She looked at him.
“I wasn't planning to.”
He smiled faintly.
“Good.”
The greenhouse was abandoned.
Its glass walls were cracked.
Vines climbed through broken panels.
The air smelled of wet earth and old wood.
Maeve arrived with Leo and two investigators.
Caroline stood near the center aisle.
She looked surprised when she saw them.
“Maeve.”
Maeve stopped.
“Where's Mom?”
Caroline hesitated.
“What?”
“You said this was about Mom.”
Caroline looked toward Leo.
Her expression changed.
Then she laughed nervously.
“I didn't expect you to bring an audience.”
Maeve's stomach tightened.
“Caroline.”
Her sister looked away.
Then footsteps sounded behind the greenhouse.
Leo turned immediately.
Several men appeared near the entrance.
One held a phone.
Another blocked the path.
Maeve felt cold.
Caroline stepped backward.
“I'm sorry.”
Maeve stared.
“What?”
Caroline's eyes filled.
“I didn't know they'd come with weapons.”
Silence.
Leo moved in front of Maeve.
His voice hardened.
“Caroline, get behind us.”
She froze.
The men approached.
Then a voice sounded from the doorway.
“Leo.”
Victor Moretti stepped inside.
He smiled.
“It's been a long time.”
Leo's expression went completely still.
“Victor.”
Moretti looked toward Maeve.
“So this is Evelyn's daughter.”
Maeve felt sick.
“Where is my mother?”
Moretti smiled.
“Alive.”
Her heart stopped.
“What?”
He nodded.
“For now.”
Leo's jaw tightened.
“Don't.”
Moretti looked amused.
“Don't what?”
“Threaten her.”
Moretti laughed softly.
“Still playing the hero.”
Leo stepped closer.
“Let the women leave.”
Moretti's smile faded.
“Not until we discuss business.”
Maeve stared at him.
“What business?”
Moretti looked at her.
“Your inheritance.”
Silence.
He continued.
“Your mother left behind more than a floral company.”
Maeve felt cold.
“What?”
Moretti smiled.
“She left behind evidence.”
And suddenly, Maeve understood.
Her mother hadn't been hidden because of money alone.
She had been hidden because she knew something powerful men were willing to destroy families to conceal.
The confrontation ended when police arrived.
Leo had alerted them before entering the greenhouse.
Moretti's men were detained.
Caroline collapsed into tears.
Moretti was arrested.
But before officers led him away, he looked at Maeve.
“You think this ends with me?”
She stared at him.
He smiled.
“Ask your father what he signed.”
Then he was gone.
Maeve stood in the ruined greenhouse, trembling.
Leo approached.
“Are you hurt?”
She shook her head.
Then looked toward Caroline.
Her sister sat on a broken bench, crying.
Maeve approached slowly.
“Why?”
Caroline looked up.
Her mascara had streaked down her cheeks.
“I needed money.”
Maeve stared.
Caroline continued.
“Daddy froze everything. I couldn't pay my bills.”
Maeve felt something inside her break.
“So you sold me out?”
Caroline began sobbing.
“I didn't think they'd hurt you.”
Maeve shook her head.
“You never think about what happens to me.”
Caroline looked down.
Maeve continued.
“You laughed when people humiliated me. You took credit for my work. You spent money that may have belonged to me.”
Her voice broke.
“And when I finally had a chance to find Mom, you helped the man who kept her away.”
Caroline began crying harder.
Maeve looked at her.
For years, she had wanted her sister to love her.
Now she understood that love couldn't be begged into existence.
She stepped backward.
“I hope you get help, Caroline.”
Her sister looked up.
“Maeve.”
But Maeve turned away.
She walked toward Leo.
And for the first time, she didn't look back.
That evening, investigators recovered documents from Moretti's office.
Among them was a signed agreement.
Richard Sullivan had transferred control of several accounts to Moretti.
In exchange, Moretti had promised to keep Evelyn hidden.
Maeve stared at the signature.
Her father's.
The man who had raised her.
The man who had told her to work harder.
The man who had watched Caroline humiliate her.
He had signed away her mother's freedom.
Maeve closed her eyes.
Then asked the question she feared most.
“Where is she?”
Margaret Chen looked up.
“We have an address.”
Maeve stopped breathing.
“Is she alive?”
Margaret hesitated.
Then smiled gently.
“We believe so.”
May you like
Maeve began crying.
Because after fifteen years, she might finally get to ask her mother why she never came home.
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