Chapter 5

Vincent's eyes fluttered open slowly. He grimaced as he tried to comprehend his surroundings, struggling to sit up on the bed he was lying on.

“Sir, you are badly injured. Don’t stress yourself up,” said a man who wore an expression of concern. He was seated in a chair close to Vincent’s bed. Why was this man calling him? And why was this man calling him, sir? Vincent mused.

" Who are you? Where am I?" Vincent's brow furrowed in confusion, finally managing to sit upright as he turned towards the man who addressed him. A crisp black suit adorned the man.

" I remember being in prison, how did I get here? Is this Alessandro's doing again,” Vincent questioned, as if trying to point out something.

"I apologize for not introducing myself sooner. I'm Luca Marchetti, your late father's butler," the man disclosed with a stern gaze on Vincent, whose face turned into a confused expression.

" Father? You mean?..., I have been an orphan all through my life. I don't even have a vivid description of who you call my father?,"Vincent replied, still struggling to wrap his head around the information.

Luca face turned pale immediately, a hint of sadness creeping into his eyes. " You won't know. It happened a long time ago."

"What are you talking about?" Vincent pressed, feigning a confused look.

" About twenty years ago, your parents, Alberto Moretti and Emiliano Moretti, were involved in a fatal car accident on their way back from a family event. You were also in the vehicle but disappeared without a trace." Luca’s voice was steady, but his eyes glistened with unshed tears. "After that accident occurred, only your parents’ bodies were found lying lifelessly at the scene. No one knows how you survive or where you went. When your body wasn’t found, I refused to believe you had perished. Since that day, I’ve been searching tirelessly for the missing heir of the Moretti family, "Luca narrated, pulling out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiping at his glistening eyes.

"I grew up in an orphanage. I have no memories of this. How can you be so sure I’m this heir you’re looking for?" Vincent queried. He couldn't bring himself to believe that he had a family once, having lived a life without them.

"You truly are the rightful heir of the Moretti family heavy sigh escaped Luca's lips as he gave Vincent a stern yet pitiful glare.

"This is something to refute your belief. I hope the evidence I present convinces you," Luca stated with confidence, as he handed Vincent a leather-bound folder. "Inside the folder, you’ll find your birth certificate, which clearly states your name as Vincenzo Moretti. And there are also photographs included of you as a child, with your parents,"he explained.

"How can I be sure that these aren't forged?" he asked skeptically. “You expect me to believe all this just like that?” Vincent chuckled incredulously, dismissing the folder to the side of his hospital bed.

"Convincing a Moretti was never going to be easy," Luca lamented, running a hand through his grey hair in frustration. " Is there anyone outside?" he called out in a loud voice.

"Yes, sir," a man entered the room, dressed in an all-black suit that paled in comparison to the one Luca wore. He was clearly a bodyguard.

"Get me the doctor," Luca instructed

"Right away, sir." The bodyguard bowed and quickly left to fulfil his task. A few minutes later, he returned with the doctor in tow.

"Are the test results ready, doctor?" Luca inquired as he turned to face him.

"Ye...." The doctor started to answer before being interrupted by Vincent's questioning gaze.

"What test results?" Vincent interjected, still wearing his confused expression.

"Oh, sorry for not notifying you beforehand," Luca apologized, giving Vincent an apologetic look. "We conducted a DNA test to prove that you are the true heir of the most influential Italian family in all of Italy. While you were unconscious, the doctor took a sample of your blood and compared it with a sample we had from your late parents."

"Ooh!" Vincent blinked in surprise. "And... did the test confirm that I am indeed the heir of the Moretti family?" he questioned tentatively, still unsure if he could believe this man's words.

“The test results are ready and confirm beyond any doubt that you are the biological son of Alberto and Emiliano Moretti. The match is conclusive,” the doctor announced with certainty and left the room afterwards.

A smile spread across Luca's face at the confirmation. "I was right all along," he laughed with joy. "You truly are Vincenzo Moretti, the heir of the master I served."

Immediately, Vincent felt chills run down his spine. Is it possible that he is truly the long-lost heir of this powerful family? What he had initially dismissed as a joke was now becoming a frightening reality. He reached for the folder, which he had initially dismissed at his bedside, and quickly opened it. The first thing he saw was a photograph of a smiling couple with a young boy between them. His breath caught in his throat as he felt a strange familiarity, a connection he couldn’t explain, tears welling up in his eyes at the sight of photos of him and his late parents. The connection was undeniable.

“Argh!" Vincent shouted, clutching his head as memories flooded his mind. These were really his biological parents, and all the evidence in front of him proved it - the birth certificate, the DNA test results, and the photos. He was indeed the lost heir who had now been found.

"Easy there, young master," Luca said gently, standing up to adjust Vincent's position on the hospital bed, making him more comfortable. "Don't think about it too much for now. With time, you will come to accept it," the butler added.

Vincent let out a heavy sigh as he attempted to process everything that had just been revealed to him. "How did you manage to find me?" he finally asked, meeting Luca's smiling gaze.

"I received a tip-off that you were somewhere in New York and also came across a published article that led me to you, young master," Luca explained, maintaining the stern gaze.

"Is the 'young master' really necessary?" Vincent muttered while Luca chuckled softly but didn’t answer, and surprisingly, Vincent didn't seem bothered by the lack of response.

After a pause, Vincent broke the silence again. "How long have I been here?"

"Three days, sir. You were unconscious for three whole days. According to the doctor, it will take a few more days for you to fully recover if you follow the prescribed medication. And by tomorrow, you will be discharged from the hospital," Luca revealed with a slight sigh. "Earlier, you mentioned something about this being the work of... what was his name again?" Luca continued as he stood up from his chair and paced around the room.

"Alessandro, " Vincent spat out bitterly.

"Ah yes, Alessandro," Luca repeated. "Was he the reason you were locked up in that penitentiary?"

"Yes. He was the one who made my life into a living hell. He took everything from me. If you hadn’t intervened, who knows how long he would have kept me locked away in that firepit they call prison," Vincent seethed, clenching his fists tightly. His face twisted into an angry expression at the mere thought of Alessandro.

“I’m deeply sorry you had to endure such hardship when you lived as Vincent,” Luca said sympathetically, bowing his head slightly. "I deserve to be punished for not realizing you sooner. I’m truly sorry."

Vincent nodded solemnly.

"How did you manage to secure my release?" Vincent asked, genuinely curious.

Luca feigned a smile and returned to his seat. "That's the power of the Moretti family."

“How much power does the Moretti family hold?" Vincent inquired.

"The Moretti family holds more power than you can imagine. The family is one of the wealthiest and most influential families in all of Italy, with immense wealth from various sectors. That's why we needed to find the true heir who would handle and manage the fortune properly. Your inheritance, valued at a trillion dollars, is waiting for you," Luca disclosed, causing Vincent's jaw to drop in shock.