Chapter 8 - THE TRUTH ABOUT MIA
Lucas drove them through back roads until the estate disappeared behind them.
Elena sat in the passenger seat.
Mia slept in the back.
Neither woman nor man spoke for several minutes.
Finally Elena whispered:
"Why?"
Lucas gripped the steering wheel.
"Because I found out what my father was doing."
"What?"
"He was using our family businesses to move money and people across borders."
Elena stared at him.
"I don't understand."
"You didn't need to."
"Then why did you disappear?"
"I tried to expose him."
"And?"
"He found out."
Lucas's voice broke.
"He threatened you."
Elena looked back at Mia.
"He knew about her?"
"He knew you were pregnant."
Elena closed her eyes.
"He told me you were dead."
"I know."
"Who?"
"My father's men."
"Why didn't they kill me?"
"Because I convinced them you knew nothing."
Elena looked at him.
"And Sofia?"
"She helped me."
"Your mother?"
"She helped you too."
Elena frowned.
"Then why didn't she tell me?"
"Because she didn't know who she could trust."
Mia woke.
"Mommy?"
Elena turned.
"I'm here."
Mia looked at Lucas.
"Are you the man from my drawing?"
Lucas smiled.
"Maybe."
"You look like my picture."
Elena stared at him.
"You drew him?"
Mia nodded.
"Grandma Sofia showed me."
Elena's heart stopped.
"What?"
Mia shrugged.
"She said I should remember his face."
Lucas looked stunned.
"When did she show you?"
"Yesterday."
Elena stared out the window.
Sofia had known.
She had known Lucas was alive.
She had known Mia existed.
And she had been waiting.
Lucas suddenly pulled the car over.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
He looked in the mirror.
"Someone's following us."
A black sedan appeared behind them.
Then another.
Lucas accelerated.
Mia sat up.
"Are we racing?"
Elena forced a smile.
"Something like that."
The chase lasted ten minutes.
Lucas turned onto a narrow road.
The black cars followed.
Then Marco's SUV appeared from the opposite direction.
Lucas slammed the brakes.
Marco stepped out.
Gun raised.
Lucas did the same.
The brothers stared at each other.
Marco lowered his weapon first.
"You disappeared."
Lucas nodded.
"I had to."
"You left me."
"I was trying to keep you alive."
Marco walked closer.
"You should have trusted me."
"I didn't know if I could."
That sentence hurt more than any bullet.
Marco looked at Elena.
Then Mia.
Then Lucas.
"We need to move."
Lucas nodded.
Together, they drove to an abandoned church outside the city.
Inside, Lucas revealed the final secret.
He opened a hidden compartment beneath the altar.
Inside was a file.
Marco opened it.
The first page contained Mia's name.
MIA MORALES BELLINI.
Elena stared.
"What is this?"
Lucas answered.
"Your daughter's birth certificate."
Elena shook her head.
"I never gave her that name."
"I know."
"Then who did?"
"My father."
Marco turned the page.
There were medical records.
Blood tests.
DNA analysis.
A photograph of Mia as a newborn.
Elena's knees nearly gave out.
Lucas caught her.
"Why did he keep records of her?"
"Because he knew she was his heir."
Elena looked at him.
"What?"
Lucas swallowed.
"My father didn't only want Mia."
"He wanted her inheritance."
Marco frowned.
"What inheritance?"
Lucas pointed to the final document.
A trust.
Worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
Marco stared.
"My father left that to Mia?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because our grandfather created it."
Elena's voice shook.
"Why would he leave money to a child who didn't exist yet?"
Lucas looked at her.
"Because he knew I would have a daughter."
Silence.
Marco read the final paragraph.
The trust could only be accessed when Mia turned twenty-five.
Unless...
the Bellini family was threatened.
Then the trustee could release the funds to protect her.
Marco looked up.
"Who is the trustee?"
Lucas didn't answer.
Elena did.
"Sofia."
Everyone turned.
Sofia stood in the doorway.
She had followed them.
Tears were running down her face.
"Your grandfather trusted me."
Marco whispered:
"Mother."
Sofia stepped inside.
"I kept the trust hidden."
"From me?"
"From everyone."
Then the church doors slammed shut.
A voice echoed through the room.
"You should have hidden it better."
Everyone turned.
An elderly man walked into the church.
Marco's face went white.
Lucas stepped backward.
Elena grabbed Mia.
May you like
Sofia whispered:
"Your father."
