Chapter 6 - Elena's Letter
Adrian locked himself inside Elena's old bedroom.
He hadn't opened the door in three years.
Dust covered the vanity.
The bed remained untouched.
Her perfume bottle still stood beside the mirror.
He found the silver hairbrush exactly where he had left it.
For the first time since her death, Adrian allowed himself to sit on the edge of the bed.
He looked at her photograph.
“You knew.”
His voice broke.
“You knew he was alive.”
Behind him, Hannah stood silently.
“I shouldn't be here,” she said.
“No.”
She started to leave.
“Wait.”
She stopped.
Adrian looked at the vanity.
“Help me.”
Together they searched.
Drawers.
Closets.
Boxes.
Nothing.
Then Ellie appeared.
“Mommy?”
Hannah turned.
“Ellie, you shouldn't be upstairs.”
“I found something.”
She held Rosie upside down.
A tiny envelope had been tucked inside the rabbit.
Adrian stared.
“Where did you get that?”
“It was under the bed.”
He took it.
The envelope had Elena's handwriting.
For Adrian, if Marco returns.
His hands shook.
He opened it.
The letter was short.
Adrian,
If you are reading this, then my fear has come true.
Marco is alive.
He contacted me because he claimed he wanted to disappear.
I didn't believe him.
But he told me something about your father.
Something you don't know.
Your father ordered the bombing that killed Marco's wife and child.
Marco blamed you.
He believes you inherited everything because of that tragedy.
I tried to stop him.
I failed.
If something happens to me, protect Lily.
Protect yourself.
And never trust anyone who says the past is finished.
Adrian couldn't breathe.
Hannah read over his shoulder.
“What does this mean?”
Adrian looked at her.
“It means the bombing wasn't meant for me.”
Hannah frowned.
“It was meant for your father?”
“No.”
Adrian looked at the photograph of Elena.
“It was meant to punish me.”
A sound came from the hallway.
Footsteps.
Adrian drew his gun.
“Stay behind me.”
The door opened.
Vincent stood there.
Adrian raised the weapon.
“You lied.”
Vincent looked exhausted.
“I didn't know everything.”
“You knew Marco was alive.”
“I suspected.”
“You knew Elena met him.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
Vincent's eyes filled with tears.
“Because Elena made me promise.”
Adrian's anger exploded.
“You watched my family die!”
“No.”
Vincent shook his head.
“I watched the wrong people enter that car.”
Adrian froze.
“What?”
Vincent whispered.
“The car bomb was planted on the wrong vehicle.”
Silence.
Adrian stepped forward.
“What did you say?”
Vincent looked at Ellie.
Then Hannah.
“Someone inside your organization gave Marco the wrong license plate.”
Adrian's face went white.
“Who?”
Vincent opened his mouth.
The window exploded.
Vincent fell.
Hannah screamed.
Adrian dragged Ellie and Hannah behind the bed.
Another bullet tore through the wall.
Security rushed into the room.
By the time they reached the window, the shooter was gone.
Vincent lay bleeding.
Adrian knelt beside him.
“Who?”
Vincent's eyes fluttered.
He whispered one name.
“Bell.”
Then he lost consciousness.
Adrian looked at Hannah.
“Bell?”
She shook her head.
“I don't know.”
Adrian did.
Bellini.
Vincent Bellini.
His trusted butler.
But Vincent had just been shot while trying to expose him.
Which meant there were two Bellinis.
Or someone had stolen Vincent's identity.
Adrian looked at the old photograph of the Moretti household.
He suddenly noticed something.
There were two men standing beside his father.
Both looked almost identical.
One was Vincent.
The other was his younger brother.
Matteo Bellini.
May you like
Adrian whispered:
“There's another one.”
