CHAPTER 3 – THE SECRET BEHIND THE MORETTI EMPIRE (next)
The Moretti name was built on secrets.
Every empire had a foundation.
Some were built on innovation.
Some on wealth.
Some on generations of hard work.
But the Moretti empire was built on something far more dangerous.
Silence.
For decades, people believed Luca Moretti inherited power from his father.
They were wrong.
Luca inherited a war.
A war that started long before he was born.
A war that had taken almost everything from him.
And now…
Ava Bennett had unknowingly stepped into the middle of it.
The Moretti penthouse sat above Chicago like a fortress.
Glass walls.
Private elevators.
Armed security.
A view of the city that most people would never see.
But Luca never saw it as luxury.
He saw it as distance.
The higher you climbed…
The fewer people could reach you.
That was the rule he had lived by.
Until Ava.
Luca stood in front of the window, holding the old photograph Matteo had found among his father’s belongings.
A young woman smiled from the picture.
His mother.
Elena Moretti.
The only person who had ever loved him without fear.
The only person who never cared about the Moretti name.
She only cared about the boy underneath it.
Luca remembered her voice.
“Power doesn’t make a man strong, Luca. The choices he makes when nobody is watching do.”
He had forgotten that lesson.
For years.
Until a nurse standing in the rain reminded him.
“Boss.”
Matteo’s voice pulled him back.
Luca placed the photograph down.
“What did you find?”
Matteo walked into the room carrying another file.
“The Hale family has been moving against us for months.”
Luca opened the folder.
Financial transactions.
Private meetings.
Names.
Dates.
“They’re trying to destroy our businesses.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Matteo hesitated.
“Because they know something.”
Luca looked up.
“What?”
Matteo lowered his voice.
“The truth about your father.”
The room became silent.
Even Matteo rarely mentioned Carlo Moretti.
Luca’s father.
The man whose name created fear across Chicago.
The man who taught Luca everything about power.
And the man Luca spent years trying to forget.
“What truth?”
Matteo looked uncomfortable.
“Your father wasn’t killed by enemies.”
Luca’s expression hardened.
“What are you saying?”
“He was betrayed.”
A cold feeling moved through Luca.
“By who?”
Matteo didn’t answer immediately.
That was the answer itself.
Luca stepped closer.
“Say it.”
Matteo swallowed.
“Someone inside the Moretti family.”
For years, Luca believed his father died because someone wanted the empire.
Now he realized something worse.
Someone wanted the family destroyed from the inside.
Across the city, Ava Bennett was trying to rebuild her life.
She stopped checking her phone.
Stopped waiting for Ethan’s messages.
Stopped wondering if he regretted losing her.
Because every time she thought about him, she remembered the same thing.
He had looked her in the eyes for three years…
And still lied.
The hardest part wasn’t losing Ethan.
It was realizing she had loved an illusion.
Ava sat in the hospital cafeteria during her lunch break when Rachel placed a coffee beside her.
“You’re thinking too much.”
Ava smiled slightly.
“Is that obvious?”
“To me? Yes.”
Ava looked down at her coffee.
“I don’t understand how someone can say they love you and then decide you’re not enough.”
Rachel leaned back.
“Because some people don’t love people. They love what people provide.”
Ava stayed quiet.
Then Rachel noticed something.
“You never told me about the flowers.”
Ava looked away.
“There’s nothing to tell.”
“White roses from a billionaire mafia guy?”
“He’s not my friend.”
Rachel raised an eyebrow.
“You saved his life.”
“I was doing my job.”
“Your job doesn’t usually involve saving mysterious billionaires from crashed cars.”
Ava almost smiled.
Almost.
Then her phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered cautiously.
“Hello?”
A deep voice spoke.
“Ava Bennett.”
She froze.
She recognized it.
Luca.
“Mr. Moretti?”
“Yes.”
There was a pause.
A strange silence.
Like neither of them knew what to say.
“I wanted to thank you personally.”
“You already sent flowers.”
“Flowers were not enough.”
Ava looked around.
“Why are you calling me?”
Because she was curious.
Because she was cautious.
Because something about him made her feel like there was an entire story hidden behind every word.
“I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
That surprised her.
Not because he asked.
Because he sounded sincere.
“I’m fine.”
A pause.
“Are you?”
Ava’s fingers tightened around the phone.
Nobody had asked her that.
Not really.
Not since Ethan.
“I said I’m fine.”
Luca heard the lie.
He had built an empire by recognizing lies.
But he didn’t push.
“Very well.”
Another silence.
Then:
“Be careful, Ava.”
Her expression changed.
“Why?”
“Because not everyone who smiles at you wishes you well.”
The call ended.
Ava stared at the phone.
She had no idea why…
But she believed him.
That evening, Luca met with someone he trusted more than anyone.
His younger sister.
Isabella Moretti.
Unlike Luca, Isabella never wanted power.
She hated the world they were born into.
She hated the violence.
The secrets.
The fear.
“You’re worried about her.”
Luca looked at his sister.
“I’m not.”
Isabella smiled.
“You are.”
“I’m protecting her.”
“Why?”
Luca didn’t answer.
Because he didn’t know.
He had protected business partners.
Employees.
Family members.
But Ava was different.
She didn’t belong to his world.
She didn’t ask for anything.
She didn’t even know who he truly was.
“She looked at me like I was human.”
Isabella’s expression softened.
“Luca…”
He looked away.
“Don’t.”
“You haven’t let anyone see that part of you since Mom died.”
“She doesn’t need to know.”
“Maybe you need someone to know.”
Luca said nothing.
Because the truth was uncomfortable.
He was afraid.
Not of enemies.
Not of losing power.
Not of death.
He was afraid that Ava Bennett could become the one thing he couldn’t control.
The one person who could hurt him.
The next morning, Ava arrived at work and immediately knew something was wrong.
Two men stood near the hospital entrance.
Watching.
Waiting.
She recognized one.
Ethan’s friend from the restaurant.
Her stomach tightened.
She turned around.
But it was too late.
“Ava.”
Ethan’s voice stopped her.
She closed her eyes.
Not again.
She turned.
“What do you want?”
Ethan looked different.
Less confident.
More nervous.
“I need to explain.”
“No.”
“Ava, please.”
She stared at him.
“You don’t get to ask for my understanding after humiliating me.”
His face fell.
“I made a mistake.”
The words almost made her laugh.
“A mistake?”
“Yes.”
“You didn’t accidentally say those things.”
Ethan lowered his voice.
“There are things you don’t know.”
“Then tell me.”
He looked around.
Fear flashed across his face.
Ava noticed.
“What are you afraid of?”
Ethan didn’t answer.
That scared her more.
“Who is she?”
Ava asked.
“Victoria?”
His silence confirmed it.
Ava felt something close to disappointment.
Not heartbreak anymore.
Just clarity.
“You chose her.”
“No.”
“Then what?”
Ethan looked at her.
“I chose survival.”
Ava frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Before he could answer—
A black SUV stopped outside the hospital.
The door opened.
Several men stepped out.
The entire entrance became silent.
Luca Moretti walked inside.
Not rushed.
Not angry.
Just calm.
But everyone felt his presence.
Ethan’s face changed instantly.
Fear.
Real fear.
Luca walked directly toward Ava.
“Are you alright?”
Ava looked between them.
“I’m fine.”
Luca’s eyes moved to Ethan.
And the temperature in the room seemed to drop.
“Mr. Carter.”
Ethan swallowed.
“Mr. Moretti.”
Ava noticed.
They knew each other.
“You know him?”
Luca answered before Ethan could.
“Yes.”
His voice was cold.
“Unfortunately.”
Ethan looked uncomfortable.
“You don’t understand.”
Luca stepped closer.
“No.”
A pause.
“I understand perfectly.”
Ava felt the tension.
Something bigger was happening.
Something she was not supposed to see.
Luca looked at her.
Then his expression softened.
“Come with me.”
Ava frowned.
“What?”
“You’re in danger.”
The words froze her.
“What are you talking about?”
Luca looked at Ethan.
Then back at her.
“The man you loved was never just leaving you.”
Ava felt her heart stop.
“What?”
Luca’s voice lowered.
“He was paid to destroy you.”
That night, Ava sat inside Luca Moretti’s private office.
She should have been afraid.
She should have walked away.
But she needed answers.
Luca placed a folder in front of her.
Inside were documents.
Emails.
Proof.
Ethan’s name.
Victoria Hale’s name.
Money transfers.
Ava covered her mouth.
“No…”
Luca watched her carefully.
“I’m sorry.”
She looked up.
“Why are you showing me this?”
Because he wanted revenge.
Because he wanted justice.
Because he wanted to destroy anyone who hurt her.
But the answer he gave surprised even himself.
“Because you deserve the truth.”
Ava looked at him.
For the first time…
She saw beyond the rumors.
Beyond the fear.
She saw a lonely man.
A man who understood betrayal.
“You know what it feels like.”
Luca’s eyes changed.
“What?”
“To be betrayed.”
The silence between them was heavy.
Because she was right.
He did know.
Better than anyone.
Later that night, Luca stood alone on the balcony.
Matteo approached.
“Boss.”
“What?”
“We found the person who ordered Ethan.”
Luca turned.
“Who?”
Matteo’s expression was serious.
“It wasn’t the Hale family.”
A pause.
“It was someone closer.”
Luca’s eyes narrowed.
“Who?”
Matteo answered:
“Your uncle.”
The man who had raised him.
The man who had protected the family.
The man everyone trusted.
Luca stared into the darkness.
The secret behind the Moretti empire was finally coming to light.
And the person who wanted to destroy him…
Was family.
But Luca did not know the worst part yet.
Because his uncle had not only targeted his empire.
He had discovered Ava Bennett.
And he had decided…
May you like
If Luca Moretti cared about her…
She was the perfect weapon.
