Chapter 10 - The Man Who Started the War
The hallway was silent.
Too silent.
Shadow stood facing the door.
His entire body was tense.
Not afraid.
Ready.
Everyone in the room understood what that meant.
Someone was outside.
Someone who shouldn't have been there.
Luca whispered the name again.
"Adrian Bellini."
The name meant nothing to me.
But the reaction around me did.
My father looked like he had seen a ghost.
Elena stepped backward.
And Victor...
Victor smiled.
That was the strangest part.
The man who had spent years hiding.
The man who had controlled secrets from the shadows.
He looked almost relieved.
I noticed.
"Who is Adrian Bellini?"
Nobody answered.
The door handle moved.
Slowly.
Everyone raised their weapons.
I looked at Luca.
"Tell me."
He didn't take his eyes off the door.
"Adrian was your father's closest friend."
A pause.
"Before me."
I looked at Giovanni.
My father didn't deny it.
"Then why did he say he killed my family?"
Luca's face hardened.
"Because he did."
The words landed heavily.
The door handle stopped moving.
The person outside was listening.
Waiting.
I walked closer.
"Open the door."
My father immediately grabbed my arm.
"No."
I looked at him.
"After everything tonight, you're still trying to protect me?"
His hand slowly released.
"I know what he is."
"Then tell me."
My father's eyes stayed on the door.
"Adrian Bellini was the reason I disappeared."
The room froze.
"He was the reason Elena had to hide."
A pause.
"He was the reason Daniel died."
Elena closed her eyes.
I looked at Luca.
"You knew?"
He nodded.
"I spent years trying to find him."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because Adrian wanted you to know."
I frowned.
"What?"
Luca looked at me.
"He wanted you angry."
A pause.
"He wanted you to make mistakes."
The door handle moved again.
This time harder.
Shadow growled.
I raised my hand.
Everyone stopped.
I wanted to see who was on the other side.
I wanted to see the person who had destroyed my life.
The lock clicked.
Once.
Twice.
Then the door opened.
A man stood there.
Older.
Gray hair.
Calm expression.
Wearing an expensive black suit.
He didn't look like a killer.
That was what made him dangerous.
The most dangerous people rarely looked dangerous.
He looked at me.
And smiled.
"Alessandro."
I stared at him.
"Adrian Bellini."
He nodded.
"Finally."
Nobody moved.
Not even him.
It was like he had been waiting years for this exact moment.
"You look like your father."
My jaw tightened.
"You killed him."
Adrian looked at Giovanni.
Then back at me.
"Your father made choices."
"That's not an answer."
"No."
He smiled slightly.
"It's the truth."
I took one step forward.
"You destroyed my family."
He tilted his head.
"Did I?"
The question annoyed me.
Because people who lied always asked questions instead of giving answers.
Adrian walked into the room.
Nobody stopped him.
Not because we trusted him.
Because we wanted him to talk.
"I know what Victor told you."
He looked at my uncle.
"I know what Isabella told you."
Then he looked at Luca.
"And I know what he tried to hide."
Luca's expression changed.
"What did you do?"
Adrian smiled.
"Still protecting him?"
I looked at Luca.
"What is he talking about?"
Luca said nothing.
That silence returned.
The same silence that had followed every secret.
I was tired of silence.
"Answer me."
Luca finally spoke.
"I wasn't the only one working with your father."
A pause.
"I was protecting you."
"From who?"
His eyes moved toward Adrian.
"From him."
Adrian laughed softly.
"You still tell yourself that story."
He looked at me.
"Alessandro, do you really believe everyone around you was trying to save you?"
I didn't answer.
Because the truth was...
I didn't know anymore.
Adrian continued.
"Your father built an empire."
"Yes."
"He built enemies."
"Yes."
"He built you."
A pause.
"And that was his biggest mistake."
My expression hardened.
"Why?"
Adrian stepped closer.
"Because you were never supposed to inherit anything."
I stared at him.
"What does that mean?"
He looked at Elena.
Then at Giovanni.
Then at me.
"Your father didn't choose you because you were his son."
The room went quiet.
"He chose you because of who your real father was."
I felt the air leave my lungs.
Daniel Russo.
Again.
The name that followed me.
The name I barely knew.
Adrian continued.
"Daniel wasn't just a man who fought the Order."
"He was the man who created it."
Nobody moved.
I looked at Elena.
Her face changed.
Not surprise.
Pain.
"You knew."
She whispered.
"Yes."
I looked at Adrian.
"You expect me to believe that?"
He smiled.
"I expect you to watch."
He pulled out a small device.
A projector.
He placed it on the table.
A video began.
The image was old.
A younger Daniel Russo appeared.
Standing beside my father.
And beside him...
Adrian.
Three men.
Three founders.
Three people connected to my entire life.
Daniel spoke.
"The child must never know."
My blood went cold.
The video continued.
Giovanni's younger voice answered.
"He deserves a normal life."
Adrian looked at the camera.
"Normal doesn't exist anymore."
The video stopped.
Adrian looked at me.
"Your father stole you from the truth."
A pause.
"Daniel tried to hide you from the Order."
Another pause.
"And I tried to finish what they started."
My hand tightened.
"What did they start?"
Adrian didn't answer.
Instead, he looked at Shadow.
The dog suddenly became alert.
Adrian smiled.
"That dog was never just carrying messages."
He stepped closer.
"He was carrying the final piece."
I looked at Shadow.
The dog backed away.
For the first time since I found him...
He looked afraid.
Adrian reached into his coat.
He removed a small object.
A key.
Old.
Metal.
Engraved with a number.
My heart stopped.
Because I knew that number.
Everyone did.
The box.
The letter.
The secrets.
Adrian placed the key on the table.
"Your father hid the truth."
A pause.
"Your mother protected it."
Another pause.
"Isabella found it."
He looked at me.
"But only one person can unlock it."
The room became silent.
I stared at the key.
"Who?"
Adrian smiled.
Then the lights suddenly flickered.
The old phone inside Shadow's collar vibrated.
Everyone froze.
I slowly reached down.
The screen lit up.
One new message.
This time, there was no photograph.
No warning.
Only four words.
"Open box 317 now."
I looked at the key.
Then at Adrian.
May you like
Then at the locked study behind him.
Because the door was already opening from the inside.
