Chapter 13 - MARIA'S HOUSE
The key opened a door Adrian had never seen.
Not at the cemetery.
Not at the safe house.
At Maria Moretti's old mansion.
The house had supposedly been abandoned for eighteen years.
Yet when Adrian inserted the key, the door opened.
Inside, everything was preserved.
Photographs.
Furniture.
Family portraits.
A grand piano covered in dust.
Lily walked slowly beside him.
"This feels scary."
Adrian held her hand.
"We won't stay long."
Sarah followed.
Matteo and Vincent guarded the entrance.
Adrian entered the study.
A portrait of Maria hung above the fireplace.
He stared at it.
"She was alive all these years."
Matteo nodded.
"Yes."
"Where?"
"Everywhere."
Adrian looked at him.
"Meaning?"
"She never needed to hide."
A voice came from behind them.
"Exactly."
They turned.
Maria stood in the doorway.
No weapon.
No guards.
Just a black dress and a calm smile.
Lily stepped behind Adrian.
Maria looked at her.
"So this is my granddaughter."
Adrian moved in front of Lily.
"Stay away."
Maria smiled.
"Still protecting her."
"She's my daughter."
"Biologically, yes."
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"She's my daughter in every way that matters."
Maria's smile disappeared.
"That's why you're weak."
Adrian stepped forward.
"You've spent your whole life confusing cruelty with strength."
Maria laughed.
"You sound like your father."
"He tried to stop you."
"He failed."
"Where is he?"
Maria's expression changed.
"Dead."
"You're lying."
"Your father died believing he could save you."
Adrian froze.
Maria continued.
"He couldn't."
Sarah stepped forward.
"What do you want from Lily?"
Maria looked at her.
"Nothing."
"Then why?"
"Because Giovanni put everything inside her."
Adrian's voice became cold.
"How do we remove it?"
Maria smiled.
"You don't."
She pointed toward Lily.
"She does."
Lily looked frightened.
Adrian knelt.
"Don't listen to her."
Maria watched.
"You see?"
She whispered.
"That's the problem."
"What?"
"You love her."
Adrian stared at her.
"Yes."
"And that means I can control you."
Adrian stood.
"No."
Maria smiled.
"Then prove it."
She pressed a button.
The wall behind the fireplace opened.
Inside was a screen.
A video appeared.
It showed Adrian's father.
But this time, he wasn't alone.
He was standing beside a young Sarah.
And in Sarah's arms was a newborn Lily.
Adrian stared.
The date appeared.
Seven years earlier.
Then Giovanni spoke.
"Sarah, you must promise me something."
Sarah nodded.
"Anything."
"If Adrian ever comes back..."
The video stopped.
Adrian turned.
"What did he ask you?"
Sarah began crying.
"He asked me to make you believe Lily wasn't yours."
"Why?"
"Because Maria had already found out about your heart condition."
Adrian stared.
"She planned to kill me."
Sarah nodded.
"Giovanni believed the only way to save you was to make you disappear from Lily's life."
Adrian's voice broke.
"And you agreed."
"I was terrified."
Maria smiled.
"She did exactly what I told her."
Adrian looked at Maria.
"You orchestrated all of it."
"Not all."
She pointed toward Lily.
"Some things even I couldn't predict."
"What?"
Maria's expression became strange.
"Her drawings."
Lily looked up.
Maria continued.
"She was supposed to forget."
Adrian frowned.
"Forget what?"
Maria looked directly at Lily.
"The man who saved her."
Lily whispered:
"Matteo."
Maria nodded.
"Yes."
Adrian turned toward Matteo.
Maria laughed.
"Do you know why she drew him without a face?"
Adrian didn't answer.
"Because Matteo wore a mask."
She smiled.
"Every night he came to watch her."
Lily looked at Matteo.
"You were the man in my dreams."
Matteo's eyes filled with tears.
"Yes."
Maria shook her head.
"He should have stayed away."
Adrian stepped forward.
"What did Matteo do?"
Maria smiled.
"He betrayed me."
Matteo raised his weapon.
"And I'll do it again."
Maria suddenly pulled a gun from beneath her dress.
She aimed at Lily.
Adrian moved.
A shot rang out.
Someone screamed.
Adrian looked down.
Blood covered his shirt.
Sarah cried:
"Adrian!"
He had stepped in front of Lily.
Again.
His knees buckled.
Lily screamed:
"DADDY!"
Adrian fell.
Maria smiled.
"Now you understand."
But Maria's smile disappeared when she saw where the bullet had struck.
It wasn't Adrian's chest.
It had hit the bulletproof vest beneath his shirt.
Adrian slowly stood.
His eyes were filled with fury.
"You should have aimed better."
Maria stepped backward.
For the first time, she looked afraid.
Adrian raised his weapon.
"You wanted to know what makes me weak?"
He looked at Lily.
Then at Sarah.
Then at Maria.
"You just showed me what makes me dangerous."
Maria ran.
Adrian followed.
But before he reached the door, his heart monitor screamed.
His vision blurred.
He collapsed.
Lily ran toward him.
"Daddy!"
Adrian heard her voice fading.
May you like
And somewhere in the darkness, Maria whispered:
"Take the girl."
