Chapter 8 - The Man Who Kept Their Secrets
The man standing in the doorway looked older than I expected.
But not weak.
Not harmless.
There was something about the way he stood that made the entire room change.
Like everyone else was waiting for him to speak.
Dominic stared at him.
His face had lost all emotion.
And somehow, that scared me more than anger.
"Victor."
The name left Dominic’s mouth quietly.
The older man looked at him.
"Hello, Dominic."
Nobody moved.
The woman who claimed to be my mother stepped backward.
Evelyn looked away.
And that was when I understood.
Everyone knew him.
Everyone except me.
"Who is he?"
My voice broke the silence.
Dominic didn’t answer.
The man did.
"My name is Victor Hale."
He held the folder in his hand.
"I was your grandfather’s attorney."
My stomach tightened.
Of course.
Another person connected to the Valente family.
Another person who knew the truth while I lived my entire life in the dark.
Victor looked at the woman beside me.
"Clara."
The way he said my name made my skin crawl.
Not because it was threatening.
Because it sounded like he had known me for years.
"You were just a child when I last saw you."
I stared at him.
"You saw me?"
He nodded.
"Once."
"When?"
He looked at the photograph album.
"The night your mother disappeared."
The room went silent.
My mother closed her eyes.
Like she had been hoping that night would never be spoken about again.
I stepped closer.
"What happened that night?"
Victor looked at Dominic.
Then at my mother.
Then back at me.
"It was the night everything changed."
Dominic’s voice became cold.
"You knew."
Victor didn’t deny it.
"Yes."
The answer was immediate.
Too immediate.
Dominic looked away.
"You knew Clara existed."
"Yes."
"You knew Isabella existed."
"Yes."
His jaw tightened.
"And you said nothing."
Victor sighed.
"I was trying to keep them alive."
The words stopped everyone.
I frowned.
"Keep us alive?"
Victor opened the folder.
Inside were documents.
Old records.
Photographs.
Names.
Dates.
Evidence.
"I need you to understand something."
He looked at me.
"Your grandfather was not afraid of losing money."
He placed a document on the table.
"He was afraid of losing control."
I picked it up.
The paper was a birth certificate.
But the name was different.
Not Clara.
Not Isabella.
A different identity.
My hands shook.
"What is this?"
Victor answered quietly.
"Your mother created new identities for both of you."
I looked at my mother.
"Why?"
She looked broken.
"Because she knew someone was coming for you."
"Who?"
Nobody answered.
Then Dominic spoke.
"My uncle."
Everyone turned.
Richard.
Victor looked down.
"Yes."
The name filled the room.
I remembered Richard standing at the door.
The confidence.
The certainty.
The way he acted like he owned every secret in the house.
"He knew about us?"
Victor nodded.
"He always knew."
My mother stepped forward.
"Richard was the one who convinced your grandfather that children were weaknesses."
My blood ran cold.
"He wanted to erase us."
Victor nodded.
"Not erase."
A pause.
"Control."
I looked at Dominic.
"And you?"
He looked at me.
"What about you?"
His expression changed.
"I was a child."
"I know."
My voice softened.
"But you grew up in this family."
He didn’t argue.
Because it was true.
Victor placed another document on the table.
"This is why I came tonight."
Dominic looked at him.
"What is it?"
"The final page of your father’s will."
Nobody spoke.
"Final page?"
Victor nodded.
"Your grandfather left instructions that were hidden from everyone."
He opened the folder.
"Even Richard."
That got everyone’s attention.
"What instructions?"
Victor looked at Dominic.
"To protect his children."
The room froze.
"Children?"
Dominic whispered.
Victor looked at me.
Then at Dominic.
"Your father had two sons."
Dominic’s face changed.
"No."
Victor continued.
"The second one was hidden."
I felt confused.
"Second son?"
My mother looked at the floor.
Then I realized.
This was not about me.
Not about Isabella.
There was another secret.
Another child.
Dominic stepped backward.
"Who?"
Victor didn’t answer.
Instead, he handed him a photograph.
Dominic looked at it.
And the color disappeared from his face.
I moved closer.
"What is it?"
He didn’t respond.
I reached for the photograph.
But Dominic pulled it away.
For the first time, he looked afraid of me seeing something.
"Dominic."
He slowly handed it over.
I looked down.
The picture showed a young man.
Maybe a few years older than Dominic.
Standing beside Dominic’s father.
On the back was a handwritten name.
Alexander Valente.
My eyes moved to Dominic.
"Who is he?"
Dominic whispered:
"My brother."
The room went silent.
"But everyone said you were an only child."
"I was."
He stared at the photograph.
"That’s what I was told."
Victor looked at him.
"Because your father wanted it that way."
I felt overwhelmed.
Every answer created another question.
Every secret opened another door.
My mother touched my arm.
"Clara."
I looked at her.
"There’s something else."
I almost laughed.
Of course there was.
There was always something else.
"What now?"
She looked toward the photograph of Alexander.
"Your sister Isabella wasn’t the only child your grandfather hid."
My heart sank.
"What does that mean?"
Victor answered.
"It means your family tree has one more branch."
Dominic stared at him.
"Where is he?"
Victor hesitated.
And that hesitation terrified me.
"Victor."
The older man looked at Dominic.
"He’s been closer than you think."
Nobody moved.
"What are you saying?"
Victor slowly closed the folder.
"Alexander never disappeared."
Dominic’s face changed.
"Then where is he?"
Victor looked toward the hallway.
Toward the room where the hidden documents had been found.
Then he said:
"He has been living under another name."
My mother suddenly grabbed my hand.
"Clara."
I looked at her.
Her eyes were filled with fear.
"Whatever happens next..."
She stopped.
The sound of a phone ringing interrupted her.
Everyone froze.
Not because of the sound.
Because the phone was coming from the study.
Dominic looked toward the room.
"No one is in there."
The ringing continued.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Victor’s face turned pale.
"I thought it was destroyed."
Dominic walked slowly toward the study.
"What?"
Victor whispered:
"The phone that only one person could call."
Dominic reached the doorway.
The ringing stopped.
Then the screen lit up.
A name appeared.
A name nobody had seen in twenty years.
Dominic stared at it.
May you like
And whispered:
"Alexander."
