And the man who had spent the last three years convincing the family that Isabella's death was an unfortunate accident.
***
Three years earlier, the Moretti family had been a very different household.
Alessandro's wife, Sofia, had been alive.
His daughter Isabella had been preparing to marry a young architect named Daniel Hayes.
And Lorenzo had been the most trusted member of the family after Alessandro himself.
The Moretti empire had been built on loyalty.
Alessandro believed loyalty was the only currency that could not be counterfeited.
He had made Lorenzo his second-in-command after his younger brother died.
He had given him access to the family business, introduced him to influential partners, and trusted him with responsibilities that even Marco Bellini was not permitted to handle.
But Lorenzo had never been satisfied.
He had grown up watching Alessandro receive respect without asking for it.
He had watched his own father live and die in the shadow of a more successful brother.
And he had spent his entire adult life believing that the Moretti name belonged to him just as much as it belonged to Alessandro.
When Isabella announced her engagement to Daniel, Lorenzo saw an opportunity.
Daniel was an outsider.
He had no family connections, no political influence, and no interest in the criminal world.
He wanted to build hospitals.
He wanted to marry Isabella.
He wanted to give their future child an ordinary life.
To Lorenzo, that was dangerous.
An ordinary life meant Isabella might eventually reject the family.
And if Isabella rejected the family, she might inherit the part of the Moretti fortune Alessandro had quietly reserved for her.
Lorenzo could not allow that.
So he began telling Alessandro that Daniel was asking questions.
That he was meeting people behind the family's back.
That he intended to take Isabella away and expose the business.
Some of the claims were fabricated.
Others were carefully distorted.
Alessandro, who had learned to distrust outsiders, began to believe him.
He forbade the marriage.
Isabella refused to obey.
Their final argument took place in Alessandro's study.
She stood in front of his desk, holding a small envelope containing the first ultrasound photograph of her unborn child.
"You're making a mistake, Papa."
Alessandro did not look up.
"I am protecting you."
"From Daniel?"
"From a man who doesn't understand what it means to belong to this family."
"He understands me better than you do."
That sentence had struck harder than Isabella intended.
Alessandro finally looked at her.
"You think love is enough?"
"No. But I think fear is a terrible reason to live."
He pushed his chair back.
"You are my daughter."
"Then trust me."
He said nothing.
Isabella placed the envelope on his desk.
"I wanted you to be the first person to know that you're going to be a grandfather."
For a moment, Alessandro's expression softened.
Then pride returned.
"Leave the envelope."
Isabella stared at him.
"That's all?"
"Isabella."
"No, Papa. That's all you ever do. You give orders. You expect people to obey. And when someone asks you to love them without conditions, you act as if they're asking you to surrender your kingdom."
She turned toward the door.
"One day, you'll understand what you've lost."
Alessandro remained seated.
He did not follow her.
Three weeks later, Isabella's car was found near a river.
The vehicle had gone through a barrier during a storm.
Daniel was missing.
Isabella was declared dead.
The unborn child was presumed lost.
Alessandro had never seen a body.
Lorenzo told him there had been nothing left to recover.
The Don attended a private funeral.
He placed a white rose on an empty grave.
And after that day, he never spoke his daughter's name in public again.
***
Now, three years later, her daughter was standing in front of him.
Alive.
Small.
Terrified.
Alessandro crouched until his eyes were level with hers.
"What is your name, little star?"
"Amelia."
"Amelia Moretti?"
The girl shook her head.
"Amelia Hayes."
He looked at her for a long moment.
Then he nodded.
"Of course."
His voice softened.
"Your father's name."
Amelia smiled faintly.
"Mama said I should keep it."
Alessandro felt something tighten in his chest.
"She was right."
He looked toward Marco.
"Take Amelia somewhere comfortable. Have someone bring her something to eat. And make sure she is never left alone."
The girl immediately tightened her grip.
"Don't go."
Alessandro stopped.
He looked down at her small hand.
"I need to speak to some people."
"Are you going to leave?"
He considered the question.
Then he removed his expensive wristwatch and placed it in her palm.
"Keep this."
She examined it.
"Why?"
"So you'll know I am coming back."
Amelia looked at the watch.
Then she looked at him.
"Promise?"
Alessandro bent down and kissed her forehead.
"On your mother's memory."
Marco approached gently.
"Come with me, sweetheart. I'll show you a beautiful room."
Amelia hesitated.
Alessandro released her hand reluctantly.
Marco guided her toward the side corridor.
Before disappearing, the girl turned around.
"Grandpa?"
"Yes?"
"Don't let Mrs. Vivienne take my papers."
Alessandro looked at the floor.
"Nobody is taking anything from you."
Amelia nodded and followed Marco.
The moment she disappeared, Alessandro's expression became cold.
He turned toward Vivienne.
"Explain."
Vivienne lifted her chin.
"I have already explained. She was making a mess. I was trying to prevent embarrassment."
"You touched my granddaughter?"
"I merely corrected her behavior."
"Did you make her kneel on the floor?"
Vivienne hesitated.
The silence was enough.
Alessandro glanced toward the guests.
"Does anyone here know what happened?"
Nobody moved.
Then an elderly waiter stepped forward.
His name was Thomas Reed.
He had worked at the Moretti residence for twenty-seven years.
"Don Moretti."
Alessandro turned.
"Speak."
Thomas swallowed.
"The child arrived with a woman from the staff. She had been waiting near the entrance for almost an hour."
"Why wasn't I informed?"
"Mrs. Laurent instructed the reception team not to disturb you."
Vivienne immediately interrupted.
"That is ridiculous."
Thomas continued.
"The little girl said she had an appointment with you. She showed the staff a photograph of her mother. Mrs. Laurent saw it and became upset."
Alessandro looked at Vivienne.
"Why?"
Vivienne's eyes moved toward Lorenzo.
It was brief.
But Alessandro noticed.
Thomas lowered his voice.
"She told the child that her mother was dead and that she had no place in this family."
A glass slipped from someone's hand.
It struck the floor.
Alessandro did not look away from Vivienne.
"Is that true?"
Vivienne's lips parted.
"Alessandro, you must understand—"
"Is it true?"
She lowered her voice.
"I was protecting the family's reputation."
He stared at her.
"From a five-year-old girl?"
Vivienne's composure finally broke.
"From the consequences of Isabella's mistakes."
The room became completely still.
Alessandro placed the photograph carefully inside his jacket.
Then he turned toward Marco's empty position.
But Marco was already returning.
He had left Amelia with a trusted housekeeper.
The security chief stopped beside Alessandro.
"Don, there's something you should know."
"What?"
"The woman who brought Amelia here is waiting outside. She insists on speaking with you."
"Bring her in."
Marco hesitated.
"She says she has something that belongs to Isabella."
Alessandro's eyes narrowed.
"Bring her."
A few moments later, the ballroom doors opened.
An older woman entered.
She wore a simple gray coat, and her hands were trembling.
Alessandro recognized her immediately.
Rosa.
Isabella's former nanny.
She had disappeared shortly after the funeral.