Chapter 8 - Elena
The woman stepped into the light.
Elena Vescari looked nothing like the dead woman from Julian's childhood photographs.
She was older.
Thinner.
But her eyes were the same.
Julian stared at her.
“You're alive.”
Elena nodded.
“I am.”
“Why did you let me believe you were dead?”
“Because your father wanted you protected.”
Julian laughed once.
It contained no humor.
“My father?”
“He loved you.”
“Then why did he lie?”
“Because you weren't his son.”
Silence.
Julian looked at me.
Then back at Elena.
“Who am I?”
Elena took a breath.
“You were born under another name.”
Julian's hands trembled.
“My biological father was a man your family considered dangerous.”
“Who?”
Elena looked toward Victoria.
Victoria lowered her eyes.
“Adrian Bennett.”
Claire froze.
“My father?”
Elena nodded.
I couldn't speak.
Julian looked at me.
“Your father?”
Elena continued.
“Adrian and I were together before your father married me.”
Julian stared.
“And Claire's father was your biological father.”
The world seemed to tilt.
Claire stepped backward.
“No.”
Elena looked at her.
“I'm sorry.”
“My father died believing he had one daughter.”
“He was protecting you.”
“From what?”
“From them.”
Elena pointed toward the door.
Marcus appeared.
He wasn't alone.
Two armed men stood behind him.
Marcus smiled.
“Enough family history.”
Gabriel raised his weapon.
Marcus shook his head.
“You can't win.”
Julian looked at Elena.
“Why was I in the accident?”
Elena answered quietly.
“Because you discovered the truth.”
“What truth?”
“That your father's medical foundation was experimenting on injured patients.”
Julian's face hardened.
“And my paralysis?”
Elena looked at him.
“You weren't supposed to survive.”
Claire stepped forward.
“What happened after the crash?”
Elena's voice cracked.
“Someone paid a doctor to damage your spinal cord further.”
Julian closed his eyes.
“Who?”
Elena looked at Marcus.
Marcus smiled.
“You're getting close.”
Julian opened his eyes.
“Was it you?”
Marcus said nothing.
Gabriel suddenly fired at the ceiling.
Everyone ducked.
He grabbed Julian's wheelchair and pushed him toward the side exit.
Claire followed Elena.
They ran.
Outside, security vehicles appeared.
Gabriel shouted:
“Move!”
We reached a second vehicle.
Julian pulled me inside.
Elena climbed in beside us.
The doors slammed.
As the car sped away, Julian looked at Elena.
“You said my biological father was Adrian Bennett.”
Elena nodded.
Julian turned to me.
“Then we're family.”
I couldn't answer.
My phone vibrated.
One message.
A photograph.
Andrew stood beside a hospital bed.
Someone lay beneath the sheet.
The message contained only six words:
Your brother knows who pushed me.
Then another photograph arrived.
May you like
Andrew was looking directly at the camera.
And behind him stood...
