CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER SEVEN
THE MAN WHO THREATENED HER
Elena had never been afraid of Julian.
She had been afraid of what would happen to him if she told him the truth.
For eight months, that distinction had kept her alive.
Now it was becoming impossible.
Julian stood alone inside the private clinic, still holding his phone.
Three children.
The words repeated inside his head.
Not one.
Not two.
Three.
He called Elena again.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Then a message arrived.
COME TO THE OLD WINERY. ALONE.
Julian knew the place.
The Rossi family had owned it for generations.
It had been abandoned after his grandfather's death.
Nobody went there anymore.
Which meant someone wanted him there.
He drove without telling Marcus.
Without calling the police.
Without informing Richard.
For once, Julian intended to follow the rules of the person who had spent years controlling his family.
He would go alone.
But he would not go unprepared.
The old winery stood beneath the mountains.
Its stone walls were covered with vines.
The windows were broken.
The wooden doors were warped by years of rain.
Julian stepped inside.
“Elena?”
No answer.
He walked deeper.
Then heard footsteps.
He turned.
Elena stood at the end of the corridor.
She wore a dark coat.
Her hair was tied back.
One hand rested over her stomach.
She looked exhausted.
But alive.
Julian walked toward her.
“You said three.”
Elena nodded.
“Three children.”
“Where are they?”
“Safe.”
“Where?”
“I can't tell you.”
Julian stopped.
“Elena.”
“I know.”
“You keep saying you have to protect them.”
“Yes.”
“From whom?”
She looked at him.
Then whispered:
“Victor.”
Julian's expression hardened.
“Victor Hale?”
Elena nodded.
“The man with the scar.”
“Yes.”
“He works for my father.”
“He used to.”
Julian froze.
“Used to?”
Elena looked away.
“He stopped working for Richard years ago.”
“Then who does he work for now?”
She didn't answer.
Julian stepped closer.
“Tell me.”
Elena's eyes filled with tears.
“Victor works for the man who owns your father.”
Julian stared.
“My father doesn't work for anyone.”
“He does.”
“Who?”
Elena swallowed.
“Adrian Voss.”
Julian's blood ran cold.
He knew that name.
Everyone in European finance knew it.
Adrian Voss.
A billionaire who owned private banks, shipping companies, security firms and political lobbying groups.
A man who rarely appeared in public.
A man who had destroyed competitors without ever being formally connected to the destruction.
Julian had met him once.
Six years ago.
At his grandfather's funeral.
Voss had shaken his hand.
Then said:
“You have your grandfather's eyes.”
Julian had thought it was meaningless.
Now he understood.
“Why would Voss care about my family?”
Elena looked at him.
“Because your grandfather stole something from him.”
“What?”
“A fortune.”
Julian frowned.
“My grandfather?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“He created a private trust.”
“The second trust.”
Elena nodded.
“It contained assets Voss had been trying to control for decades.”
Julian's mind raced.
“The trust was designed for my firstborn child.”
“Yes.”
“So Richard has been trying to control the heir.”
“Yes.”
“And Voss?”
“Voss wants the heir dead.”
Julian's face hardened.
“Why?”
“Because if your son reaches eighteen, control of the trust passes to him.”
“How much?”
Elena looked away.
“Enough to destroy Voss.”
Julian swallowed.
“How much?”
“Forty-three billion dollars.”
Silence.
Julian stared at her.
“That can't be real.”
“It is.”
“My grandfather never had that kind of money.”
“He did.”
“Where did it come from?”
Elena hesitated.
“Before your grandfather became legitimate, he worked with Voss's family.”
Julian's expression changed.
“Criminally?”
“Yes.”
“And then he left.”
“He took money with him.”
“How much?”
“Enough to build the Rossi empire.”
Julian stepped backward.
His entire family history had been a lie.
The hotels.
The towers.
The shipping lines.
The wealth.
All of it had roots in something darker.
“And my son inherited it?”
“Legally.”
“That's why Voss wants him.”
“Yes.”
Julian looked at Elena.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because the moment you knew, you became a target.”
“I was already a target.”
“No.”
Elena shook her head.
“Not like this.”
Julian remembered the first time he saw Voss.
Six years ago.
At his grandfather's funeral.
The man had been standing alone.
Gray suit.
Black gloves.
No expression.
He had looked directly at Elena.
Not Julian.
Elena.
Julian had noticed.
But Elena had said nothing.
Now he asked:
“What happened at the funeral?”
Elena's face became pale.
“He approached me.”
“What did he say?”
“He said, 'You are carrying the future of the Rossi family.'”
Julian's eyes widened.
“You were already pregnant.”
“Yes.”
“He knew?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Richard told him.”
Julian closed his eyes.
His father.
Always his father.
“What happened after?”
“He told me I had two choices.”
“What choices?”
“Leave Julian and disappear.”
“Or?”
“He would take the baby.”
Julian's hands clenched.
“He threatened you.”
“He showed me photographs.”
“Of what?”
“Your mother.”
Julian froze.
“My mother?”
“She was being watched.”
“By Voss?”
“Yes.”
“Is she alive?”
Elena hesitated.
“I believe so.”
Julian's heart raced.
“You believe?”
“I saw her.”
“When?”
“Eight months ago.”
Julian stared.
“You saw my mother?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“In Switzerland.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because she told me not to.”
“Why?”
“She said Voss was still watching you.”
Julian shook his head.
“This is insane.”
“No.”
Elena stepped closer.
“This is your family's reality.”
Julian looked at her stomach.
“The baby.”
“What about her?”
“You said three children.”
Elena nodded.
“The baby you're carrying is one.”
“Yes.”
“My son is another.”
“Yes.”
“And the third?”
Elena's face changed.
She looked toward the darkness.
“She is the reason Voss has been searching for me.”
Julian frowned.
“Who is she?”
Elena's eyes filled with tears.
“She is six years old.”
Julian's heart stopped.
“What?”
“The first child wasn't a boy.”
Julian stared.
“But the photograph…”
“I know.”
“You told me our son was alive.”
“He is.”
“Then who is the girl?”
Elena whispered:
“His twin.”
Julian couldn't breathe.
“Twins?”
Elena nodded.
“A boy and a girl.”
“Two babies.”
“Yes.”
“My father took one.”
“Yes.”
“And you hid the other.”
“Yes.”
Julian looked at her in disbelief.
“Where?”
Elena didn't answer.
“Where is our daughter?”
“She is safe.”
“Where?”
“Julian…”
“Tell me.”
Elena closed her eyes.
“She lives with my mother.”
Julian's entire body went numb.
“Elena.”
“She has been protected all these years.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because Richard didn't know she existed.”
Julian stared.
“You hid one child from my father.”
“Yes.”
“And he took the other.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because he believed there was only one.”
Julian understood.
The twin was the secret.
The second child had never appeared in the Rossi records.
That was why Voss had not found her.
That was why Elena had survived.
She had protected the one child nobody knew existed.
Julian's voice broke.
“What is her name?”
Elena smiled through tears.
“Amelia.”
Julian closed his eyes.
“Amelia.”
He repeated it like a prayer.
Then a gunshot exploded outside.
Elena screamed.
Julian grabbed her.
They dropped behind a stone wall.
Another shot.
Glass shattered.
Julian looked toward the entrance.
“Stay here.”
“No.”
“Elena.”
“Don't go.”
“I need to know who it is.”
“No.”
She grabbed his hand.
“He came.”
“Who?”
“The man who threatened me.”
A shadow appeared in the doorway.
Tall.
Gray suit.
Scar across his cheek.
Victor Hale.
He walked slowly into the winery.
“Mrs. Rossi.”
Elena trembled.
Julian stepped in front of her.
“You're not touching her.”
Victor smiled.
“You still don't understand.”
Julian stared at him.
“Voss sent you.”
Victor's expression changed.
“So she told you.”
“Yes.”
Victor looked at Elena.
“You shouldn't have.”
Elena's eyes hardened.
“You've taken enough from my family.”
Victor raised his gun.
“You have no idea what I've taken.”
Julian stepped forward.
“Then tell me.”
Victor looked at him.
“Your father didn't betray you.”
Julian frowned.
“He did.”
“No.”
Victor shook his head.
“Your father was afraid.”
“Of Voss.”
“Yes.”
“And you?”
“I was afraid too.”
Julian stared.
“Then why are you working for him?”
Victor's smile disappeared.
“Because I have no choice.”
“You always have a choice.”
Victor's eyes darkened.
“Do you think I wanted to take your son?”
Julian froze.
“You took him.”
“Yes.”
“Where is he?”
Victor hesitated.
“I don't know.”
Julian's anger exploded.
“You're lying.”
“I gave him to Richard.”
“And Richard gave him to Voss.”
Victor looked away.
“No.”
Julian's heart stopped.
“Then where is my son?”
Victor's voice dropped.
“Your father never gave him to Voss.”
Julian stared.
“Where is he?”
“Safe.”
“Where?”
Victor didn't answer.
Elena suddenly spoke.
“Victor.”
He looked at her.
“You know where he is.”
“Yes.”
“Then tell Julian.”
Victor shook his head.
“If I do, Voss will kill him.”
Julian stepped closer.
“Then help me protect him.”
Victor laughed bitterly.
“You think you can protect your son?”
“Yes.”
“You couldn't even protect Elena.”
Julian flinched.
Victor continued:
“You were asleep while your father moved your wife through the house.”
Julian's expression hardened.
“What?”
“The night Elena disappeared, Richard didn't know she was escaping.”
Julian froze.
“What are you saying?”
“Camila helped her.”
“I know.”
“But Camila wasn't acting alone.”
Julian looked at Elena.
“Who else?”
Victor answered:
“Your mother.”
Silence.
Julian's heart stopped.
“My mother helped Elena escape?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did everyone tell me she was dead?”
“Because Voss needed you to believe it.”
Julian stared.
Everything shifted again.
His mother was alive.
She had helped Elena.
She had protected his daughter.
And perhaps—
she had been protecting his son too.
Julian looked at Victor.
“Where is my mother?”
Victor didn't answer.
Instead, he looked at Elena.
“Tell him.”
Elena shook her head.
“You do it.”
Victor sighed.
Then said:
“She is in the same place as your son.”
Julian's breathing stopped.
“What place?”
Victor looked toward the door.
“Zurich.”
Then the lights went out.
A scream echoed through the winery.
Elena.
Julian turned.
She was gone.
The back door stood open.
Victor was gone too.
Julian ran outside.
Nothing.
Only darkness.
Then his phone vibrated.
A video.
He opened it.
Elena was sitting in a dark room.
Her hands were tied.
Victor stood behind her.
But the person sitting opposite her was the one Julian recognized immediately.
His mother.
Alive.
Older.
Tired.
But alive.
Julian stared at the screen.
His mother looked directly into the camera.
“Julian.”
He couldn't breathe.
“I am sorry.”
Then she turned toward Elena.
“I should have told you the truth.”
Julian's hands shook.
“What truth?”
His mother's voice broke.
“Your father did not create the Rossi empire.”
She paused.
“Your grandfather did.”
“And he didn't steal the money from Adrian Voss.”
Another pause.
“He stole it from the man who created Adrian Voss.”
Julian stared.
His mother continued:
“And that man…”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“…was my father.”
The video ended.
Julian stood alone in the darkness.
The truth was no longer about an inheritance.
It wasn't even about the Rossi family.
It was about a fortune that had been stolen across three generations.
A child who had been hidden.
A daughter no one knew existed.
A mother who had been declared dead.
And a powerful man named Adrian Voss who had spent decades hunting the Rossi bloodline.
Julian looked toward the mountains.
Then whispered:
“I'm coming for you.”
But he didn't know that Elena had left one final clue behind.
Inside the winery, beneath the stone floor, she had hidden a small envelope.
On it were six words:
THE MAN YOU FEAR IS NOT VOSS.
And beneath those words—
a name Julian had never heard before.
MATTEO ROSSI.
His grandfather.
May you like
Alive.
And waiting.
