Chapter 4 - The Man Who Buried The Truth
Alessandro Vitali had spent twenty years searching for the person who took Elena away from him.
He imagined a stranger.
An enemy.
Someone hiding in the darkness.
Someone he could find.
Someone he could punish.
He never imagined the truth would be standing only a few feet away from him.
The person at the airplane entrance stepped forward.
The cabin was silent.
Every passenger looked away.
Not because they didn't notice.
Because they knew better.
Alessandro's world had always worked like that.
People saw everything.
They just pretended they didn't.
The man removed his sunglasses.
Alessandro felt his entire body become still.
"Matteo."
The name left his mouth like a memory he didn't want to remember.
Matteo Ricci.
His closest friend.
His business partner.
The man who stood beside him when Alessandro built his empire.
The man who held him back when revenge almost destroyed him.
The man he trusted more than anyone.
Matteo looked older.
Different.
But the eyes were the same.
The eyes of someone who had been carrying a secret for too long.
Sofia looked between them.
"You know him?"
Alessandro didn't answer.
Because he already knew.
The person Elena warned him about.
The person she said he trusted.
Was Matteo.
Matteo looked at Sofia.
His expression changed.
Not fear.
Not anger.
Regret.
That made Alessandro even more suspicious.
"You knew she was alive."
Matteo remained silent.
Alessandro stepped closer.
"Answer me."
The entire cabin felt smaller.
Matteo finally spoke.
"Alessandro, you don't understand what happened."
Alessandro almost laughed.
A cold, empty laugh.
"Twenty years."
His voice lowered.
"Twenty years of believing she abandoned me."
Matteo looked down.
"I was trying to protect you."
Those words made Alessandro's expression change.
Because they were the exact words Elena used.
Protect.
Everyone claimed they were protecting him.
But nobody asked him what he wanted.
"From what?"
Matteo looked at Sofia.
"From them."
Alessandro followed his gaze.
"Who are they?"
Matteo didn't answer.
That was the answer.
There was someone bigger.
Someone who could make Matteo Ricci disappear.
Someone who could force Elena into hiding.
Someone who could erase a person from the world.
Alessandro leaned closer.
"You helped her."
Matteo looked at him.
"Yes."
The honesty surprised him.
"You knew about Sofia."
A pause.
Then Matteo nodded.
"Yes."
Alessandro's jaw tightened.
"You knew I had a daughter."
The words sounded strange.
His daughter.
After twenty years of believing he had nothing left.
A daughter.
Matteo looked away.
"I wanted to tell you."
"But you didn't."
"No."
"Why?"
Matteo swallowed.
"Because Elena asked me not to."
That answer hurt more than Alessandro expected.
Because some part of him had hoped Matteo was the enemy.
Enemies were easier.
Enemies could be hated.
But Matteo had been protecting a secret because Elena trusted him.
Alessandro turned toward Sofia.
The little girl was watching them.
Confused.
Scared.
Trying to understand why every adult around her seemed to know more than she did.
He walked back to her.
He lowered himself to her level.
"Sofia."
She looked at him.
"Did your mother tell you about me?"
The girl nodded.
"What did she say?"
Sofia held the rabbit tightly.
"She said you were angry."
Alessandro looked away.
"She was right."
"But she said you were not a bad man."
Those words affected him more than he wanted to admit.
Because Elena always knew him better than anyone.
Even after all these years.
Matteo watched silently.
Then he spoke.
"There is something you need to see."
Alessandro looked at him.
"What?"
Matteo reached inside his coat.
Immediately, Alessandro reacted.
His hand moved toward the weapon hidden beneath his jacket.
Matteo stopped.
"I'm not here to hurt you."
"That is exactly what someone who wants to hurt me would say."
Matteo slowly pulled out a small envelope.
Old.
Damaged.
The paper looked like it had survived years of being hidden.
"I kept this because Elena told me to give it to you only if Sofia found you."
Alessandro stared at the envelope.
Another message.
Another secret.
He took it.
Inside was a photograph.
The image was faded.
But clear enough.
Elena.
Holding baby Sofia.
And standing beside them...
Alessandro froze.
Because there was someone else.
Someone he knew.
Someone who was supposed to be loyal.
Someone who had been with him the night Elena disappeared.
His own brother.
Luca Vitali.
Alessandro's breathing changed.
"No."
Matteo looked at him.
"You need to understand."
"No."
Alessandro looked at the photograph again.
"My brother was dead."
Matteo said nothing.
And that silence was worse.
Because Matteo had never been a man who avoided words.
Unless the truth was impossible.
Alessandro looked up.
"What happened to Luca?"
Matteo's face became serious.
"You were told he died."
"Because he did."
"No."
The word was quiet.
But it destroyed everything.
"No?"
Matteo shook his head.
"Luca disappeared."
Alessandro stared.
"You knew?"
"Yes."
"You knew my brother was alive?"
"I knew he survived."
Alessandro stepped back.
The airplane suddenly felt like a trap.
Every person he trusted.
Every memory he carried.
Every story he believed.
Was changing.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Matteo looked at Sofia.
"Because the person who ordered Luca's disappearance was the same person who wanted Elena erased."
Alessandro looked at him.
"Who?"
Matteo hesitated.
That hesitation told Alessandro the answer was dangerous.
"Say the name."
Matteo didn't move.
"Say it."
Finally, Matteo spoke.
"The person who destroyed your family..."
A pause.
"...was your father."
The words hit harder than any weapon.
Alessandro stopped breathing for a moment.
His father.
A man who built the foundation of the Vitali empire.
A man who taught him loyalty.
A man whose funeral Alessandro attended twelve years ago.
Impossible.
Except nothing felt impossible anymore.
Sofia suddenly grabbed Alessandro's hand.
Her small fingers were shaking.
"Alessandro."
He looked down.
"What?"
She pointed at the memory card.
The one still inside his jacket.
"It is not the only one."
His eyes narrowed.
"What do you mean?"
Sofia reached inside the rabbit again.
This time, she pulled out a second hidden compartment.
Inside was another memory card.
Smaller.
Older.
And attached to it was a handwritten note.
Alessandro took it.
The handwriting was Elena's.
Only five words.
"Watch this before you trust him."
Alessandro looked at Matteo.
For the first time in twenty years...
He didn't know who was standing on his side.
He inserted the second memory card into his device.
The screen turned on.
A video appeared.
The image was dark.
Then a familiar voice spoke.
A voice Alessandro had not heard since childhood.
His father's voice.
"Alessandro, if you are watching this, then I failed to stop the truth from reaching you."
The screen flickered.
Then another figure appeared behind his father.
May you like
A person Alessandro never expected to see.
Because that person was supposed to be dead.
