The Mafia Boss’s Secret Heir

Part 2 — The Truth Behind His Marriage

For three years, Dante Moretti had controlled every corner of Chicago’s criminal underworld.

He had never begged anyone for anything.

Until he discovered he had a son.

“Elena blocked your number?” his right-hand man, Marco, asked carefully.

Dante stood in his private office, staring at the photograph taken by one of his men at the airport.

It showed a little boy holding a toy car.

Gray eyes. Dark hair. A familiar expression.

His son.

“Find out where she’s staying,” Dante ordered.

“We already know. She’s at the Lakeshore Hotel with her friend.”

“Then prepare the car.”

Marco hesitated.

“Boss, what about Mrs. Moretti?”

Dante’s expression turned cold.

“Don’t mention Victoria.”

For the first time in three years, he had no interest in his wife.

Meanwhile, I was sitting in the hotel room, watching Leo eat his chocolate cookies.

“Mommy, can we go see the big lake tomorrow?”

I smiled.

“Of course, sweetheart.”

Then someone knocked.

Mia opened the door before I could stop her.

Three men in black suits stood outside.

And behind them was Dante.

My blood turned cold.

“Elena.”

I immediately stood up and pulled Leo behind me.

“You have no right to come here.”

Dante looked at me, then at the little boy hiding behind my legs.

“Please. Just let me talk to him.”

“No.”

Leo peeked around my dress.

“Mommy, it’s the man from the airport.”

Dante slowly crouched.

“Hello, little man.”

Leo stared at him.

“Why do you have my eyes?”

Dante’s face crumbled.

He looked as though those six words had struck him harder than any bullet.

“Because,” he whispered, “I think we share something very special.”

I grabbed Leo’s hand.

“That’s enough. We’re leaving.”

“Elena, wait!”

I turned toward him.

“You married my sister. You made your choice. Don’t come here pretending you suddenly care about us.”

Dante stood silently for several seconds.

Then he said something I never expected.

“I didn’t marry Victoria because I loved her.”

I laughed bitterly.

“Then why did you?”

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“Because she threatened your life.”

My smile disappeared.

Dante took a step closer.

“Three years ago, Victoria discovered that my enemies had identified you as my greatest weakness. She offered me a deal. If I married her and publicly ended my relationship with you, she would make sure you were never targeted.”

I shook my head.

“That’s ridiculous.”

“I refused at first. But then she showed me photographs of you leaving our apartment. Her people had been following you.”

He pulled a small envelope from his coat.

Inside were photographs of me, taken without my knowledge.

Some showed me entering my workplace.

Others showed me walking home alone.

And one showed me standing outside a hospital.

My hands began trembling.

“She told me that if I didn’t marry her, you would disappear,” Dante continued. “I thought marrying her would keep you safe.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because Victoria had someone inside my organization. I couldn’t risk you knowing anything.”

I stared at him.

“You could have trusted me.”

His eyes lowered.

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“I know.”

For eight years, I had wanted an explanation.

Now that I finally had one, it didn’t erase the pain.

“You should have given me the choice, Dante.”

“I know, Elena.”

He looked at Leo again.

“Does he know who I am?”

“No. And I want it to stay that way until I decide otherwise.”

Dante nodded slowly.

“I won’t force you. But I need a DNA test.”

“No.”

“Not to take him away. I just need to know.”

I looked at Leo, who was now holding his little toy car against his chest.

Finally, I whispered:

“One test. Nothing more.”

Dante closed his eyes briefly.

“Thank you.”

But before he could say anything else, his phone rang.

He answered.

A voice shouted from the other end.

“Boss! We have a problem. Victoria knows Elena is back in Chicago.”

Dante’s expression changed.

“What did she do?”

There was a pause.

Then Marco spoke again.

“She just sent someone to the hotel.”

Dante looked at me.

“Elena, take Leo and get behind me.”

At that moment, the hotel room lights went out.

And someone began pounding on the door.