Chapter 8 - The Place Where Everything Began
The abandoned warehouse stood exactly where the message said it would.
Three years ago.
This was where Matteo Moretti supposedly died.
The place where Luca had lost his brother.
The place where every answer had disappeared.
And now, the same place was holding the only person Luca cared about finding.
Emma.
Luca stepped out of his car.
Alone.
Just like the note demanded.
The old building was silent.
Too silent.
He knew better than to trust silence.
Especially here.
Especially tonight.
His hand remained close to his weapon as he walked toward the entrance.
Behind him, hidden far away, Matteo watched through binoculars.
He had followed.
Of course he had.
Luca knew he would.
They had spent years apart.
But some things between brothers never changed.
Matteo still couldn't stay away when Luca was walking into danger.
Mia was with him.
Her face was pale.
"He told you to come alone."
Matteo lowered the binoculars.
"I know."
"Then why are we here?"
"Because Luca always goes into traps."
Mia looked at him.
"And you always follow him."
Matteo didn't answer.
Because she was right.
The warehouse door opened slowly.
Luca walked inside.
The smell hit him first.
Dust.
Old metal.
Rainwater.
Memories.
He remembered this place.
The night everything ended.
The night he found Matteo's abandoned car.
The night people told him his brother was gone.
But now he knew.
That night had been a lie.
A carefully designed lie.
"Emma."
His voice echoed.
No answer.
He walked deeper.
The lights above flickered.
Then turned on.
One by one.
Like someone was guiding him.
Luca stopped.
In the center of the warehouse was a small wooden chair.
On it sat Emma's stuffed rabbit.
His expression changed.
The rabbit.
The same one she carried everywhere.
The same one she held when she was scared.
He slowly approached.
Underneath the rabbit was another note.
Luca picked it up.
You always wanted the truth.
A pause.
Now you will see why Matteo disappeared.
The lights suddenly changed.
A screen on the far wall turned on.
Luca looked up.
A video began playing.
The footage was old.
Grainy.
Security camera footage.
The date appeared.
Three years ago.
The night Matteo died.
Luca stepped closer.
The camera showed the warehouse.
The same warehouse.
A younger version of Matteo walked inside.
Alive.
Following someone.
Luca watched carefully.
Then the person Matteo was meeting stepped into view.
Luca froze.
Because he knew him.
Not from the past.
From the present.
The man who had betrayed him.
Adrian Vale.
The video continued.
Matteo and Adrian argued.
No sound.
Only movement.
Then Matteo handed Adrian something.
A file.
A small black folder.
The same kind of folder that had disappeared from Luca's office three years ago.
Luca's eyes narrowed.
What was inside?
The video jumped.
Another person appeared.
A woman.
Elena Romano.
Alive.
Luca stopped breathing.
She looked terrified.
She was holding something.
A baby.
Emma.
The video continued.
Elena gave the baby to Matteo.
Then she turned toward Adrian.
And Adrian raised a weapon.
Luca stepped back.
"No."
The screen froze.
The image stayed on Elena.
The woman who was supposed to be dead.
The woman who saved Emma.
The woman who disappeared.
Then a voice came from the darkness.
"You finally understand."
Luca turned.
A man stepped out.
Adrian.
Alive.
Calm.
Almost relaxed.
"You."
Adrian smiled.
"You always were slow when emotions got involved."
Luca's face hardened.
"Where is Emma?"
Adrian looked at the screen.
"Still asking the wrong question."
Luca moved forward.
"You kidnapped a child."
"No."
Adrian shook his head.
"I saved her."
The answer disgusted Luca.
"From what?"
Adrian looked directly at him.
"From you."
Silence.
Luca almost laughed.
"Explain."
Adrian walked closer.
"You think Matteo disappeared because someone wanted him dead?"
"Didn't they?"
"No."
Adrian looked at the frozen image of Elena holding Emma.
"Matteo disappeared because he found out what your family had done."
Luca's expression changed.
"My family?"
Adrian smiled.
"Your father."
The words hit.
Luca said nothing.
Everyone knew his father had built the foundation of the Moretti empire.
Everyone knew he had been ruthless.
But nobody talked about the years before Luca took control.
"What did my father do?"
Adrian stepped closer.
"He made a deal."
"With who?"
"The Romano family."
Luca stared.
Adrian continued.
"Years ago, your father and the Romanos created an alliance."
"For business?"
Adrian laughed.
"No."
The warehouse became colder.
"For power."
Luca felt his chest tighten.
"And Emma?"
Adrian looked toward the screen.
"Emma was born because of that alliance."
Luca's eyes narrowed.
"That's impossible."
"Is it?"
Adrian took out his phone.
He showed Luca an old document.
A birth record.
A contract.
Names.
Dates.
Luca read it.
Then stopped.
Because one name appeared.
The name of the person connected to Emma's birth.
Not Matteo.
Not anyone Luca expected.
His own family.
Adrian watched his reaction.
"Now you understand why they wanted her."
Luca lowered the phone.
"No."
"Yes."
"Emma is a child."
"Emma is proof."
Luca looked at him.
"Proof of what?"
Adrian didn't answer.
Instead, he looked toward the warehouse entrance.
Then smiled.
"Ask her."
Luca turned.
The door opened.
Mia walked inside.
And she wasn't alone.
She was holding Emma.
The little girl looked safe.
But Mia's face was broken.
Like she had finally reached the end of a road she had been running from for years.
Luca stared.
"Mia."
She looked at him.
"I'm sorry."
The words immediately worried him.
"Why?"
She held Emma tighter.
"Because I lied about why I ran."
Luca stepped forward.
"Tell me the truth."
Mia looked at Adrian.
Then at Matteo, who had just entered behind her.
Everyone was there.
Everyone who knew.
Everyone except Luca.
Finally, Mia whispered:
"Emma wasn't the only child born from that agreement."
Luca froze.
"What?"
Mia's eyes filled with tears.
"There was another child."
A long silence.
"And that child..."
May you like
She looked directly at Luca.
"...was you."
