Chapter 5 - The Name Hidden From Simone
The document fell from Daniel Cross’s hand.
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Because everyone in that ballroom understood one thing.
The signature at the bottom of Simone’s birth record belonged to Edward Bellamy.
The man who was supposed to be dead.
The man who appeared beside her mother in the old video.
The man her entire family had buried twelve years ago.
Simone stared at the paper.
Her mind refused to accept it.
"No."
The word came out quietly.
She looked at Richard.
Her father.
The man who raised her.
The man who taught her how to ride a bicycle.
The man who stayed beside her when she cried after losing her first pet.
The man she believed was her entire world.
"Tell me this is fake."
Richard looked away.
That hurt more than any confession.
Because Simone had spent years searching for proof that her family loved her.
And now she had proof that they had lied.
Alessandro picked up the document.
He read every line carefully.
His expression remained calm.
But Simone noticed the change in his eyes.
He was no longer simply protecting her.
He was investigating.
"What exactly are you hiding from her?" Alessandro asked.
Richard looked at him.
"You don't understand."
Alessandro placed the paper down.
"Everyone keeps saying that."
A pause.
"And everyone keeps avoiding the truth."
Daniel stepped closer.
"Edward Bellamy wasn't just Simone's biological father."
Everyone turned.
Simone looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
Daniel hesitated.
Like he knew the next words would change everything.
"Edward was involved in something bigger than this family."
Simone frowned.
"My mother knew him."
Daniel nodded.
"She did."
"And Richard?"
Daniel looked at Richard.
"He knew too."
The silence was painful.
Simone closed her eyes.
She suddenly remembered all the moments that had never made sense.
The way her father became angry whenever she asked about her mother.
The way Margaret changed the subject whenever Simone mentioned the past.
The way Clara became uncomfortable whenever old photographs appeared.
Everything had been connected.
Everything had been hidden.
"Why did you raise me if Edward was my father?"
Simone looked at Richard.
The question seemed simple.
But Richard looked like it destroyed him.
"Because your mother asked me to."
Simone froze.
"What?"
Richard swallowed.
"She came to me the night before she disappeared."
Nobody expected that.
Not even Alessandro.
Richard continued.
"She knew someone was watching her. She knew she couldn't protect you alone."
His voice became quieter.
"She gave you to me because she trusted me."
Simone stared.
"Then why did you lie?"
Richard looked at the floor.
"Because I failed her."
The honesty shocked everyone.
For years, Simone had wanted an apology.
But hearing it now did not feel like victory.
It felt empty.
"Failed her how?"
Richard did not answer.
Alessandro stepped closer.
"Answer her."
Richard looked at him.
"I made a choice."
"What choice?"
Richard's eyes moved toward the wedding guests.
Toward his family.
Toward the people who had spent years protecting the same secret.
"I chose keeping her alive over telling her the truth."
Simone shook her head.
"No."
She stepped back.
"That is not a choice."
Her voice trembled.
"You took my mother away from me."
Richard looked broken.
"I know."
"You let me hate her."
"I know."
"You let me think she left because she didn't love me."
Richard closed his eyes.
"I know."
The room became silent.
Even Clara looked away.
Because she knew Simone was right.
For years, everyone had protected Simone.
But nobody had protected her heart.
Alessandro noticed Simone struggling.
He moved beside her.
Not touching her.
Just standing there.
Giving her the choice to lean on him if she wanted.
She looked at him briefly.
A stranger.
A man she had met tonight.
Yet somehow the only person who had never lied to her.
Daniel opened the black box again.
"There is more."
Everyone looked at him.
Simone sighed.
"Of course there is."
Inside the box was another item.
A small silver key.
Attached to it was a piece of paper.
Simone picked it up.
Her mother’s handwriting.
When Simone is ready, open the place where I hid my last truth.
Below that was an address.
Simone recognized it immediately.
The old Bellamy family property.
The house where her mother disappeared.
The house everyone told Simone was sold years ago.
"That house doesn't exist anymore," Richard said quickly.
Everyone turned.
The speed of his reaction revealed everything.
Simone looked at him.
"You know where it is."
Richard stayed silent.
"Where is it?"
He didn't answer.
Alessandro looked at him.
"Tell her."
Richard’s face tightened.
"It is dangerous."
Simone laughed bitterly.
"Dangerous?"
She held up the letter.
"My entire life was built on a lie."
She stepped closer.
"I think I deserve to know why."
For several seconds, Richard said nothing.
Then he finally whispered:
"The house was never sold."
Simone felt her heartbeat increase.
"Then where is it?"
Richard looked toward the entrance.
Like he expected someone to appear.
"Somewhere nobody was supposed to find."
The answer made Alessandro suspicious.
"Who was watching the house?"
Richard looked at him.
"The same people who wanted your mother gone."
The room became tense again.
Daniel suddenly looked at his phone.
His expression changed.
"What?"
Alessandro noticed.
Daniel turned the screen around.
A message had appeared.
Unknown number.
Only one sentence.
You opened the box.
Daniel’s face turned pale.
Then another message arrived.
Now they know where Simone is.
Simone saw the screen.
Her stomach dropped.
"Who sent that?"
Daniel slowly looked up.
Before he could answer, the ballroom doors opened again.
Everyone turned.
A woman stood there.
Older.
Tired.
Holding a photograph.
Simone immediately recognized the face.
Because she had seen it in every childhood memory.
The same eyes.
The same smile.
The same person she had spent twelve years believing she lost.
The woman whispered:
"Simone."
The entire room froze.
Richard stepped backward.
Margaret covered her mouth.
Clara started crying.
And Alessandro looked at the woman standing in the doorway because he knew one thing immediately.
May you like
The impossible had just walked back into the room.
Her mother was alive.
