Chapter 12 - The Man Who Knew Lily's NameDominic moved his family before sunrise.
They left Manhattan through a private exit.
Three vehicles.
Two decoys.
Four security men.
Evelyn sat beside Lily in the middle car.
Dominic followed behind.
For hours, nobody spoke.
Finally Lily asked:
“Are we running away?”
Evelyn looked at her.
“No.”
“Then why are we hiding?”
“Because your father wants to keep you safe.”
Lily looked through the window.
“From who?”
Evelyn hesitated.
“People from his past.”
Lily sighed.
“Everyone is always from Dad's past.”
Evelyn almost smiled.
Then her phone rang.
It was Dominic.
“Pull over.”
“What happened?”
“Just pull over.”
The convoy stopped beneath an overpass.
Dominic approached their vehicle.
His expression was pale.
“What is it?”
He held up his phone.
A photograph.
Lily leaving school.
Taken three days earlier.
Then another.
Lily at a café.
Another.
Lily walking beside Evelyn.
And another.
Lily standing beside Dominic at Moretti Plaza.
“They've been watching her for months.”
Lily stared at the photographs.
“How?”
Dominic crouched beside her.
“I don't know.”
She looked into his eyes.
“You promised nobody would ever hurt me.”
Dominic's jaw tightened.
“I know.”
“You promised.”
“I remember.”
“Then don't just hide me.”
Dominic went silent.
Lily's voice became stronger.
“Find them.”
Evelyn looked at her daughter.
For the first time, she saw something familiar in Lily.
Not Dominic's temper.
Not Evelyn's caution.
Something else.
Courage.
Dominic stood.
He looked at Marco.
“Get every camera around Lily's school.”
Marco nodded.
“Every phone record.”
“Yes.”
“Every person who accessed her school records.”
“Yes.”
“Every employee.”
“Yes.”
Dominic turned.
“And find out who Daniel Moretti was working with.”
Marco's expression changed.
“You think Daniel is alive?”
“I don't know.”
That afternoon, they arrived at a private estate outside Connecticut.
Lily was given a bedroom.
Security surrounded the property.
But she couldn't sleep.
At midnight, she heard footsteps.
She opened the door.
A man stood at the end of the hallway.
Lily froze.
“Dad?”
The man turned.
It wasn't Dominic.
It was an older man with gray hair.
He smiled.
“Lily Carter.”
Her heart stopped.
“How do you know my name?”
The man stepped closer.
“Because I knew your father before he became Dominic Moretti.”
Lily backed away.
“Who are you?”
“My name is Daniel.”
Her eyes widened.
“Daniel Moretti?”
The man's smile disappeared.
“Your father told you about me?”
“No.”
“Good.”
He looked toward the staircase.
“Because if Dominic knows I'm here, he'll kill me.”
Lily whispered:
“Why?”
Daniel looked at her.
“Because I am the reason your grandfather died.”
Then the hallway lights turned on.
Dominic stood at the staircase.
His face had gone completely still.
“Daniel.”
The older man turned.
“Hello, nephew.”
Dominic's voice was almost a whisper.
“You're supposed to be dead.”
May you like
Daniel smiled sadly.
“So was your father.”
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