Chapter 4 - The Donor Who Saw Everything
Her name was Evelyn Morello.
Victor's mother.
Owen's grandmother.
And the next morning she arrived at the hospital carrying balloons.
Valentina nearly laughed at the absurdity.
Evelyn entered Owen's room dressed impeccably in cream.
“My poor darling.”
She approached the bed.
Valentina stepped between them.
“Don't.”
Evelyn stopped.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me.”
Victor's mother looked wounded.
“I came to see my grandson.”
“You came to test him yesterday.”
Silence.
Evelyn's expression barely moved.
That control confirmed everything.
“Who told you that?”
“Interesting question.”
Valentina closed the door.
“Not ‘What are you talking about?’ Not ‘That's insane.’ You asked who told me.”
Evelyn set the balloons down.
“You're upset.”
“My son almost died.”
“He didn't.”
“That's your defense?”
“No.”
Evelyn looked toward Owen.
“My defense is that what Celeste did was never authorized.”
“So there was an authorized version?”
Evelyn said nothing.
Valentina took out her phone.
“I have the recording.”
That did it.
Only slightly.
But Valentina saw Evelyn's pupils change.
“Give it to me.”
“No.”
“You don't understand what you have.”
“Then explain it.”
Evelyn glanced at the sleeping boy.
“Not here.”
“Everything is here now.”
“Valentina.”
“No more private rooms. No more family secrets. No more telling me I'm too emotional to understand.”
Evelyn studied her daughter-in-law.
Then she sat.
“The Morello organization is changing.”
“I don't care.”
“You will.”
“No. I care about him.”
She pointed toward Owen.
“Everything else is secondary.”
“That is precisely why Salvatore favors you.”
Valentina stared.
“I don't want Salvatore's position.”
“Power rarely asks what you want.”
“Then power can find somebody else.”
Evelyn smiled sadly.
“I once said exactly that.”
For the first time, Valentina saw something human behind the woman's perfect composure.
“What happened?”
“I married Victor's father.”
Evelyn looked at her hands.
“And discovered that refusing to participate doesn't mean you're free from the consequences.”
Valentina didn't soften.
“Why Owen?”
“To force a choice.”
“What choice?”
“Victor was told that if something happened during the reception, he had to maintain control of you.”
“While my child was drowning?”
“No. Owen was supposed to be taken into another room. You would be told he'd been injured. Nothing physical was supposed to happen.”
Valentina's anger sharpened.
“That's still monstrous.”
“Yes.”
The admission surprised her.
“Then why participate?”
“Because Victor has become dangerous.”
Valentina said nothing.
Evelyn continued.
“He wants Salvatore's authority. Salvatore believes Victor values power more than family.”
“And yesterday proved it.”
“Yes.”
Valentina's voice became cold.
“You used my son to prove something I could have told you for free.”
Evelyn accepted the accusation.
“Celeste changed the plan.”
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
“I don't believe you.”
“You shouldn't.”
Valentina blinked.
Evelyn met her eyes.
“You shouldn't believe anyone right now. Including me.”
Then she stood.
“Arthur gave you the footage.”
Valentina didn't answer.
“Protect him.”
“Why?”
“Because Victor knows someone copied it.”
Evelyn walked toward the door.
Valentina stopped her.
“What aren't you telling me?”
Evelyn turned.
“Celeste didn't improvise.”
“What?”
“She received different instructions.”
“From whom?”
“That is what you need to discover.”
The door opened.
Evelyn paused.
“And do it before Victor does.”
After she left, Valentina immediately called Arthur.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
A third time.
Voicemail.
She checked the hallway.
Something felt wrong.
Then her phone vibrated.
Arthur.
Not a call.
A photograph.
It showed the conservatory pond.
Taken that morning.
Beneath it were six words:
LOOK UNDER THE THIRD STONE LION.
Valentina stared at the message.
Then another appeared.
DON'T TRUST THE SECURITY RECORDING ALONE.
A third:
SOMEONE WANTED YOU TO SEE IT.
Valentina's blood went cold.
She looked at the memory card.
Until that moment, she had believed the recording was evidence.
Now she considered another possibility.
May you like
It might have been bait.
And if someone had deliberately left Valentina a trail, the question was no longer merely who had ordered Celeste to push Owen—it was why they desperately wanted Valentina to uncover the answer.
