Chapter 9 - The Man Who Called Himself Her Father
His name was Gabriel Alvarez.
Thirty-five.
Construction worker.
No criminal record beyond a minor arrest twelve years earlier.
He claimed Lucía had left him before Valentina was born.
Gabriel had recently learned Lucía was dead and Valentina had been found.
Dominic immediately distrusted him.
Valentina didn't recognize the photograph.
Rebecca warned Dominic not to interfere.
So naturally Dominic investigated everything.
Marco returned twenty-four hours later.
"He's telling the truth about knowing Lucía."
"Father?"
"DNA test pending."
"What does he want?"
"Possibly Valentina."
"Possibly?"
Marco placed financial records on the table.
"He's deeply in debt."
Dominic's face hardened.
"How much?"
"Enough that forty million dollars in restored Moretti funds might look interesting."
Because Valentina was Lucía's legal heir to certain whistleblower compensation claims, her financial future had suddenly become substantial.
Dominic understood.
"He's after money."
"Maybe."
"Maybe?"
Marco crossed his arms.
"Dom, sometimes people can be poor and still want their children."
Dominic glared.
"Whose side are you on?"
"Valentina's."
That ended the argument.
The DNA test confirmed Gabriel was her biological father.
Valentina met him in Rebecca's office.
Dominic waited outside.
It was the longest forty minutes of his life.
When Valentina emerged, she looked confused.
Gabriel followed.
He had kind eyes.
Dominic hated that.
Gabriel extended his hand.
"Mr. Moretti."
Dominic didn't take it.
Gabriel withdrew.
"I know what you think."
"You don't."
"You think I abandoned her."
"Did you?"
"I didn't know Lucía was pregnant until years later."
"And when you found out?"
"She was hiding."
"You could have searched."
"I did."
"Not very well."
Gabriel's jaw tightened.
"Easy to judge with unlimited resources."
Dominic stepped closer.
"She slept on sidewalks."
"I know."
"She was hungry."
"I know."
"You don't get to arrive now and say you know."
Gabriel looked past him toward Valentina.
"No. I don't."
The anger disappeared from his voice.
"I missed seven years."
Dominic saw genuine grief.
That complicated everything.
Over several supervised meetings Gabriel proved patient.
He never forced Valentina to call him Dad.
He answered questions honestly.
He told stories about Lucía when she was younger.
Valentina laughed at some.
Dominic found himself resenting every laugh.
Rosa confronted him.
"You're jealous."
"I am not."
"You are behaving like a divorced husband."
"He's a stranger."
"So were you."
Dominic stopped.
Rosa continued folding laundry.
"The question is not whether losing her hurts you."
Dominic's face tightened.
"The question is what is best for her."
Dominic hated when Rosa was right.
At the next meeting he spoke privately with Gabriel.
"What do you want?"
"My daughter."
"Why now?"
"Because now I know she exists."
Dominic studied him.
"And the money?"
Gabriel laughed.
"You think I haven't been offered money already?"
"By whom?"
Gabriel looked surprised.
"A lawyer."
"What lawyer?"
"Said he represented a family interest."
Dominic's instincts awakened.
"Name."
Gabriel produced a card.
The lawyer worked for Victor Sarto's defense team.
Dominic understood instantly.
Victor wanted Valentina under the control of someone financially vulnerable.
Gabriel had been approached.
"What did they offer?"
"Two hundred thousand."
"For what?"
"Withdraw Valentina from your home. Move out of state."
"What did you say?"
Gabriel met his eyes.
"I said no."
Dominic stared.
"Why?"
"Because anybody offering me two hundred thousand to move a seven-year-old child is probably someone she should never be near."
For the first time Dominic respected him.
He extended his hand.
Gabriel shook it.
"Protect her," Dominic said.
Gabriel answered, "That's what I'm trying to do."
The guardianship hearing became unexpectedly emotional.
Rebecca testified that Dominic's home had provided stability but that his health remained uncertain.
Gabriel asked for gradual reunification rather than immediate custody.
Dominic surprised everyone.
"I support that."
Valentina looked toward him.
Dominic continued.
"If Gabriel is her father and he is safe, she deserves the chance to know him."
The judge stared.
"Mr. Moretti, are you withdrawing your petition?"
"No."
A few people smiled.
Dominic clarified.
"I am saying she should not have to choose today."
The judge ordered temporary shared guardianship arrangements involving Rosa, Dominic, and supervised contact with Gabriel while evaluation continued.
Outside, Valentina grabbed Dominic's sleeve.
"You don't want me?"
He crouched.
"This isn't about what I want."
"Then what?"
"You deserve everybody who loves you."
She looked toward Gabriel.
"Can I have two dads?"
Dominic nearly lost his composure.
"That sounds expensive."
Valentina laughed.
Gabriel did too.
For one brief moment, the future seemed possible.
Then Marco received a message.
Victor Sarto had escaped federal transport.
Dominic's expression changed.
"How?"
"Inside help."
"Where's Aleandro?"
"Still in federal custody."
Dominic looked toward Valentina.
Victor had lost everything.
Money.
Freedom.
Power.
And he blamed one little girl and the dying man who had protected her.
Dominic ordered security doubled.
But Victor wasn't coming for Valentina first.
That night, Dr. Enrico Falcone left his clinic.
He never reached his car.
And by midnight Dominic received a photograph of his doctor tied to a chair.
Beneath it was one sentence.
May you like
Stop the trial, or the doctor dies.
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