Chapter 4 - The Sister Who Never Existed
Adrian did not speak for five full seconds.
Then he said, "I was an only child."
Sofia looked devastated.
"No."
One word.
Nothing else.
No elaborate explanation could have hit harder.
Elena watched Adrian absorb it.
A mother who had not died.
A sister he had never known.
An uncle who had betrayed him.
And somewhere in the city, Elena's brother and sister were still in danger.
The live call ended.
Adrian immediately turned to Marco.
"Trace it."
"Working."
"Sofia."
She looked at him.
"You have thirty seconds."
"Adrian—"
"Who is Isabella?"
Sofia took a breath.
"Your older sister."
"How much older?"
"Four years."
"Why have I never heard her name?"
"Because your father believed she died."
"And did she?"
"No."
"Another empty coffin?"
"No coffin."
Sofia's voice cracked.
"She disappeared during the attack meant to kill me."
Adrian's anger sharpened.
"You lost your daughter and never told me?"
"I thought Victor had killed her."
"But you just recognized her."
"I've been searching."
"For twelve years?"
"For longer."
Adrian laughed once.
It contained no humor.
"Excellent family tradition."
Elena touched his forearm.
He looked down at her hand.
Something in him settled.
Not healed.
Just contained.
Marco approached.
"Call bounced through four towers. Last reliable point was the river district."
"Specific."
"Near Pier 11."
Sofia reacted.
"Antonio owns a building there."
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"What building?"
"A cold-storage warehouse."
They drove without sirens.
Elena sat beside Adrian again.
This time Sofia rode opposite them.
No one spoke for several minutes.
Elena finally asked the question Adrian would not.
"Why would Isabella help Lucia?"
Sofia looked through the window.
"Because I've been communicating with her."
Adrian turned.
"You said you were searching for her."
"I found her three months ago."
His eyes became dangerous.
"You've known for three months?"
"She wouldn't meet me."
"But she talked to you."
"Through messages."
"Did she know about me?"
"Yes."
Adrian looked away.
Elena saw the wound that answer created.
"Why didn't she contact him?" Elena asked.
"She believes Adrian became his father."
Adrian's head snapped toward Sofia.
"What does that mean?"
"She thinks you chose this life."
"I was sixteen when you vanished."
"I know."
"No. I don't think you do."
Sofia fell silent.
The warehouse appeared ahead.
Adrian's men surrounded it.
Inside they found no armed army.
No Victor.
No Antonio.
Only Lucia.
She stood beside a woman with dark hair and gray-green eyes.
Isabella.
Elena ran to her sister.
Lucia collided with her carefully, remembering the broken arm at the last instant.
"You're alive."
"So are you."
Elena held her with her good arm.
"Where's Daniel?"
Lucia's face crumpled.
"They took him."
"Who?"
"Uncle Antonio."
Adrian stiffened.
"Where?"
"I don't know."
Isabella stepped forward.
"Yes, you do."
Lucia stared at her.
"What?"
"The van."
"What about it?"
"You heard the driver."
Lucia frowned.
Then remembered.
"He said something about Saint Vincent."
Adrian looked at Marco.
"Hospital?"
"No," Isabella said.
"Church."
Sofia whispered, "The old monastery."
Adrian turned toward his sister.
For the first time they looked directly at each other.
Same eyes.
Different lives.
"You knew?"
"I suspected."
"And you didn't tell us until now?"
"I didn't trust you."
"Get in line."
Isabella almost smiled.
Then her expression hardened.
"Antonio plans to trade Daniel for the original ledger."
"We don't have the original."
"You do."
Adrian frowned.
Isabella looked at Elena.
"She does."
Elena stared.
"I have a brass key."
"Not that."
"Then what?"
Isabella approached.
"Daniel gave you something six months ago. Something ordinary."
"No."
"He told me he did."
"When?"
"Yesterday."
Elena's heart jumped.
"You spoke to him?"
"For thirty seconds."
"And you didn't tell me?"
"I didn't know you."
"You knew I was his sister."
"I also knew Victor was watching you."
Elena wanted to be angry.
She was too tired.
"What did Daniel say?"
"His exact words were: 'Elena carries the original every day and doesn't know it.'"
Everyone looked at Elena.
She looked down at herself.
Maid uniform.
Apron.
Shoes.
Earrings.
Necklace.
Her hand moved to the small pendant at her throat.
A cheap silver locket.
Daniel had given it to her on her birthday.
She had worn it every day since.
"No."
Adrian gently touched the locket.
"May I?"
Elena nodded.
He opened it.
Inside was a photograph of Elena and Lucia.
Behind the photograph sat a microSD card.
Elena's knees nearly gave out.
Adrian removed it.
"The original."
Isabella nodded.
"And Antonio knows."
"How?"
"Because Daniel told him."
Elena recoiled.
"Why would he do that?"
"To protect Lucia."
"By putting me in danger?"
"He knew Antonio would assume you were already with Adrian."
Elena looked at Adrian.
"This keeps getting worse."
"Yes."
"Can you fix it?"
His gaze remained on hers.
"Yes."
This time she believed him.
They went to the monastery.
Saint Vincent's had been abandoned twenty years earlier.
Stone walls.
Broken stained glass.
A bell tower leaning toward the river.
Adrian entered with Elena, Marco, Isabella, and Sofia.
Lucia stayed in the car with guards.
Inside the main chapel, Daniel sat tied to a chair.
Alive.
Elena took one step forward.
A voice stopped her.
"Not another inch."
Antonio Valenti emerged from behind a column.
Late sixties.
Silver hair.
Perfect suit.
The face of a beloved uncle.
Elena saw Adrian become younger for one second.
Not weaker.
Just wounded.
"Uncle."
Antonio smiled.
"Adrian."
"You used my name."
"I built your name."
"You ordered men to watch Elena."
"I ordered men to recover stolen property."
"They broke her arm."
Antonio glanced at Elena as though noticing furniture.
"An unfortunate excess."
Adrian's jaw tightened.
Elena felt his control stretching thin.
"You called this an excess?"
Antonio shrugged.
"Victor hires animals."
"Fifteen animals."
"Most of whom are probably running by now."
Adrian looked toward Marco.
Marco understood.
A small nod.
Antonio noticed.
"What have you done?"
"Cleaned the streets."
Antonio laughed.
"You think making a few men disappear frightens me?"
Elena looked at Adrian.
He answered her unspoken question quietly.
"They're alive."
Antonio's smile faded.
"Where?"
"Some are with federal investigators. Some are talking to state police. Three are in protective custody."
Antonio stared.
"You turned them over?"
"I gave them a choice."
"What choice?"
"Testify or spend the rest of their lives wondering when Victor decides they know too much."
Antonio laughed.
"You've become soft."
Adrian stepped closer.
"No."
His voice dropped.
"I became selective."
Daniel looked at Elena.
"Len."
Her eyes filled.
"I'm here."
"I'm sorry."
"Later."
Antonio held up one hand.
"Enough."
Two men appeared on the balcony above.
Elena's heart stopped.
Antonio looked at her locket.
"Give me the card."
Adrian answered.
"No."
Antonio sighed.
"You always were stubborn."
"You taught me."
"I taught you everything."
"Not everything."
Antonio smiled.
"True. I never taught you what your father did to your mother."
Sofia stiffened.
"Don't."
Adrian turned.
Antonio's smile widened.
"Oh, she still hasn't told you."
"Antonio."
"What?"
Adrian's voice changed.
"What did my father do?"
Sofia looked at him.
"Not now."
Antonio laughed softly.
"Perfect."
He pointed toward Sofia.
"Ask her why she really disappeared."
Adrian stared at his mother.
Sofia said nothing.
Antonio continued.
"Ask her who ordered the car bomb."
Sofia's face collapsed.
Adrian's voice was barely audible.
"Victor?"
Antonio shook his head.
"No."
He looked toward the dark balcony.
Footsteps sounded overhead.
A man emerged from the shadows.
Older.
White hair.
Walking with a cane.
Adrian stopped breathing.
Sofia whispered, "No..."
The man descended one step.
Then another.
Adrian knew that face.
It belonged to the portrait hanging above the fireplace in his mansion.
His father had supposedly died nine years ago.
May you like
The man smiled at his son.
"Hello, Adrian."
