Page 11 of Die for You

Which is why I’m sitting at Aldo’s desk, snooping through his laptop.

I need to play catch-up and fast because our leadershipwillbe challenged. And when the time comes, Bria and I must be ready.

I’ve found Aldo’s suppliers—both legal and illegal—and contacted them to organize a meeting to ensure they know who I am and what will happen if they fuck me over. Aldo’s crystal ruse was fucking genius, and I plan on carrying on with his brilliance.

I’ve called a meeting tonight with Aldo’s men.

Although they pledged their allegiance to me, I know there is talk of a coup. I’m also certain some men have jumped ship and are now on Gianna’s side. These are the men I plan to make an example of.

With the important bases covered, I am left with the folder namedBellezza.

I know this is everything Aldo has on Valentina. It touches me that he calls her such a name, while her mother instead encouraged her first kill when she was merely a child.

I move the cursor over to the file and click on it.

The hundreds of files and images load, and it’s like a spinning top of Valentina’s life flashing before me. I get lost in her eyes, the sad eyes of Valentina as a child, of when I met her. I think of the atrocities of what was done to her, and although it’s not an excuse, I understand why she’s wired the way she is.

She’s been taught nothing but hate. But then I think of the love she showed for Cat and me, demonstrating she isn’t all bad. That is why I fight for her even when she doesn’t defend herself.

Once the files stop loading, I click on the one dated the year she was born. When I do and see a baby, bundled in a pink fleece blanket with soft dark hair, I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I need to compose myself.

How could Gianna do this to her?

She was an innocent child. It’s nature versus nurture because Gianna made her this way. I have no doubt that, born to different parents, Valentina would have flourished and not been plagued with the demons that eat away at her soul.

I open my eyes and continue my search.

What shocks me, however, is that Aldo seemed to believe that Valentina’s father, serial killer Patrick O’Loughlin, was not actually her father. Aldo knew who her mother was, but it seemed he was on the hunt for Valentina’s biological father, as this would help him convince Valentina of the truth.

All I have is a name: Francesco.

But who is he?

I see the family tree he had pieced together and notice a Sister Margarette. This was Valentina’s supposed mother, which we know is bullshit. However, it appears that there is indeed a Sister Margarette who was friends with Gianna.

I have the photo evidence to prove it.

Sister Margarettewasa sister at the orphanage, which explains Father Merry’s obsession with Valentina. Father Merry clearly had a hard-on for Sister Margarette. So Gianna dropped Valentina off at the orphanage doors, pretending that Valentina was Sister Margarette and Patrick’s daughter because it appears the sister did fall for the serial killer, but she never had his child.

Gianna exploited the sister’s immorality to cover her ass and abandoned Valentina, but why?

Why didn’t she want Valentina?

Was she doing it to save her own skin?

Or could it be perhaps she was doing it to save Valentina?

Valentina’s entire life has been a lie.

And I finally have the evidence to prove it. Perhaps no blood needs to be spilled between Valentina and me after all.

I have this proof in front of me, and I also have the whereabouts of Margarette—Orchard Parks State Hospital.

No doubt, she was put in here by Gianna to cover the truth, and because of Margarette’s sins, she went willingly as penance.

Valentina would have gone to see Margarette, believing this was her mother. So why didn’t Margarette tell the truth?

I suppose there’s only one way to find out.