Marco Bellini.
He stood beneath the broken archway.
"Giovanni."
The old man closed his eyes.
"You shouldn't have come."
Marco looked at Elena.
"Neither should you."
Elena stepped backward.
"You followed me."
"I was trying to protect you."
"From him?"
Marco glanced toward Giovanni.
"From the truth."
Giovanni reached inside his coat.
Marco immediately raised his weapon.
"Don't."
Elena screamed.
"Stop!"
The church became silent.
Marco kept his weapon trained on Giovanni.
"Give me the envelope."
"No," Giovanni replied.
"Give it to me."
"You have taken enough from this family."
Marco's expression hardened.
"Your family?"
Giovanni looked at Elena.
"Tell her what happened at the villa."
Marco's jaw tightened.
"Don't."
"Tell her who ordered Matteo's death."
Elena looked between them.
"Marco?"
He did not answer.
Giovanni continued.
"Vittorio ordered Matteo killed because he discovered that Vincent Rizzo was stealing from the family accounts. Sofia found the evidence. She tried to expose them both."
Elena's eyes filled.
"And my mother?"
"She was forced to choose between protecting you and protecting Alessandro."
Elena shook her head.
"No."
Giovanni stepped closer.
"She chose you."
The words struck her like a physical blow.
"She took you away because Vittorio threatened to use you against her. She knew that if you remained in the estate, you would eventually become leverage."
Elena looked at Marco.
"Is that true?"
Marco lowered his weapon.
"Yes."
"Did you know my father?"
"Yes."
"Did you know he was killed?"
Marco looked away.
"Yes."
Elena's voice broke.
"And you let my mother believe she had to disappear?"
Marco closed his eyes.
"I was young. I thought I could fix it later."
"Later?"
He looked at her.
"By the time I understood what had happened, Sofia was already gone."
Elena stepped toward him.
"You don't get to call that protection."
Marco lowered his head.
"No."
A sound came from outside.
Engines.
Several cars.
Giovanni looked toward the doors.
"They're here."
Marco turned.
"Who?"
Giovanni's face became pale.
"Vincent."
The lights outside the church flashed.
Then the first gunshot shattered a stained-glass window.
***
Alessandro arrived at the church as the second shot echoed through the building.
His men moved around the entrance.
He stepped out of the car.
"Find Elena."
Two guards rushed inside.
Alessandro followed.
He found Marco standing near the altar, weapon raised.
Giovanni was on the floor.
Elena was crouched behind a stone pillar.
"Elena!"
She looked up.
Alessandro approached.
"Are you hurt?"
She shook her head.
"Your men?"
"Outside."
He turned toward Marco.
"What happened?"
Marco lowered his weapon.
"Vincent."
Alessandro looked at Giovanni.
The old man was breathing, but blood spread across his shoulder.
"Get a doctor."
A guard moved toward him.
Elena reached for Alessandro's arm.
"Wait."
He turned.
"What's wrong?"
"Giovanni told me about my father."
Alessandro looked at Marco.
Then at Elena.
"What did he tell you?"
"That Matteo Moretti was murdered by your father."
Alessandro's face became still.
He looked at Marco.
"Is it true?"
Marco said nothing.
Alessandro's voice lowered.
"Marco."
"Yes."
The word was almost inaudible.
Alessandro stepped backward.
For a moment, he looked as if he had been struck.
"My father ordered it?"
Marco nodded.
"And Vincent?"
"He arranged it."
Alessandro closed his eyes.
The family he had spent his entire life defending was built upon a lie.
The man he had called father had murdered the father of the woman who had saved his life.
And the man he had trusted most had known.
Elena looked at him.
"Did you know?"
"No."
"Would you have told me?"
Alessandro met her eyes.
"Yes."
She studied his face.
Then she looked toward the entrance.
A black sedan had stopped outside.
A man stepped out.
Vincent Rizzo.
He entered the church slowly, clapping his hands.
"Beautiful."
Marco turned his weapon toward him.
Vincent smiled.
"Family reunions. Always emotional."
Alessandro stepped forward.
"Put the weapon down."
Vincent looked amused.
"Still giving orders?"
"Yes."
"Even after everything?"
Alessandro's expression did not change.
"Especially after everything."
Vincent glanced toward Elena.
"Your mother was a difficult woman."
Elena stepped out from behind the pillar.
"Don't speak about her."
Vincent smiled.
"She had a talent for making powerful men uncomfortable."
"You killed my father."
Vincent's smile faded slightly.
"Your father was an obstacle."
"He was a man."
"He was a fool."
Elena moved forward.
Alessandro caught her arm.
"Stay behind me."
Vincent looked at them.
"How touching."
He raised his weapon.
Marco fired first.
The sound exploded through the church.
Vincent fell behind a wooden pew.
Alessandro pulled Elena toward the side entrance.
"Move!"
They ran through the narrow corridor.
Behind them, men shouted.
Another shot struck the stone wall.
Elena stumbled.
Alessandro caught her.
"Keep moving."
They reached the courtyard.
Two guards were waiting beside the car.
One opened the door.
Alessandro pushed Elena inside.
Then he turned.
Marco emerged from the church.
Blood stained his shirt.
"Marco!"
The security chief staggered toward them.
"Go!"
Alessandro looked at him.
"Get in."
"Vincent is still inside."
"Let him go."
Marco shook his head.
"He has the ledger."
Alessandro stopped.
"What?"
"The original ledger. It's in the warehouse."
Alessandro looked toward the church.
Then toward Elena.
She understood.
The truth was still out there.