Chapter 10 - The Man Behind the Deliveries
Lucian survived.
The bullet had struck his shoulder.
By dawn, he was at Mercy General.
Elena stood outside his room with Mateo in her arms.
Her grandfather.
A stranger.
A man who had spent her entire life watching from a distance.
Adrien stood beside her.
“You don’t have to go in.”
“I know.”
She opened the door.
Lucian looked at her.
For several seconds neither spoke.
Then his eyes moved to Mateo.
Tears appeared immediately.
“Camila used to hold you exactly like that.”
Elena’s throat tightened.
“You knew me?”
“I watched you grow.”
“From where?”
“Far enough away that I thought you were safe.”
“You were wrong.”
“Yes.”
No excuses.
Elena sat.
“Why didn’t you come?”
“Because everyone I loved became a target.”
“My mother needed you.”
“I know.”
“She died.”
“I know.”
“Stop saying that like knowing is enough.”
Lucian closed his eyes.
“You sound like her.”
Elena almost left.
Then Mateo opened his eyes.
Lucian stared.
“Those Moretti eyes.”
Elena gave a broken laugh.
“Apparently everyone has an opinion about them.”
Lucian smiled faintly.
“Your grandmother Rosa used to say they made lying impossible.”
“Did they?”
“No. Vittorio lied constantly.”
Adrien, standing in the doorway, almost laughed.
Lucian saw him.
“Adrien.”
“Uncle.”
“Technically this time.”
The strange joke released something.
For one minute, they were not heirs or targets.
Just a damaged family trying to determine how to sit in the same room.
Then Detective Keller arrived.
Lucian’s key had been stolen.
They had identified the thief.
Not Mara.
Marcus.
Adrien stared.
“Impossible.”
Security footage showed him leaving the command center before the shooting.
Another camera captured him near the loading platform.
His phone was off.
He had disappeared.
Miriam refused to believe it.
“My brother wouldn’t.”
Lucian looked less surprised.
“Marcus has spent his life cleaning up other men’s secrets.”
Adrien called him.
No answer.
Then Elena’s phone rang.
Marcus.
She answered.
“Where are you?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Do you have Lucian’s key?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To finish what Vittorio asked me to finish.”
Adrien took the phone.
“My father told you to destroy MRL.”
“Yes.”
“Then why steal the key?”
“Because three keys open Theodore’s master trust.”
“We know.”
“No, Adrien. You know about the money.”
Marcus paused.
“You don’t know what else it opens.”
Lucian sat upright despite his wound.
“Marcus, don’t.”
Adrien looked at him.
“You know.”
Lucian closed his eyes.
Marcus continued.
“The trust contains identity files on everyone Theodore controlled. Witnesses. Children. Families. People who built new lives.”
Elena understood.
Opening it publicly could expose innocent people.
Destroying it could erase evidence needed to prosecute criminals.
There was no simple answer.
“Where are you?” Adrien asked.
“The original MRL archive.”
“Sublevel B?”
“No.”
Marcus gave an address.
Adrien recognized it.
His childhood home.
The Moretti estate.
“My father hid Theodore’s archive under my house?”
“Vittorio built the house over it.”
The call ended.
Adrien looked at Lucian.
“Did you know?”
“Yes.”
“How many secrets are left?”
“One.”
Adrien’s eyes narrowed.
“Tell me now.”
Lucian looked at Elena.
“It belongs to her.”
Elena stiffened.
“What?”
“Your mother didn't die because of Mara.”
Silence.
“Who killed her?”
“No one.”
Elena stared.
“I went to her funeral.”
“You buried a body.”
“Lucian.”
“You did not bury Camila.”
The room went still.
Elena’s voice disappeared.
“My mother is alive?”
Lucian’s eyes filled.
“I don’t know.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“She disappeared the night of the crash. The woman in the car was carrying Camila’s identification.”
“Why?”
“Because Camila discovered someone had been using her name.”
“Who?”
Lucian looked toward the corridor.
Footsteps approached.
A woman stopped outside the half-open door.
Only her shadow was visible.
Lucian whispered, “Her.”
Elena turned.
May you like
The door began opening.
And a woman’s voice said the childhood nickname only Camila had ever used for Elena.
