Chapter 10 - THE MAN WHO KNEW ADRIAN'S FUTURE
The shooting stopped.
That was somehow worse.
Matteo stood near the broken window.
"Who is he?" Adrian asked.
Matteo didn't answer.
"Who?"
Matteo finally turned.
"His name is Elias Kane."
Vincent's expression changed.
Adrian noticed.
"You know him."
Vincent nodded slowly.
"I thought he was dead."
"Everyone keeps saying that."
Adrian looked toward the woods.
"Apparently nobody stays dead in this family."
Matteo ignored the comment.
"Elias worked for Giovanni before I was born."
"Why does he want Lily?"
"Because he believes your family owes him."
"For what?"
Matteo looked at Adrian.
"Everything."
Outside, a voice called:
"Adrian!"
Adrian stepped toward the door.
Matteo grabbed his arm.
"Don't."
"He's here for my daughter."
"And that's exactly why you can't think emotionally."
Adrian ripped his arm away.
"She's seven."
Matteo stared at him.
"I know."
"Then start talking."
Matteo sighed.
"Elias believes Lily carries something that belonged to Giovanni."
"What?"
"Not money."
"Then what?"
"A name."
Adrian frowned.
"Whose?"
"His."
Silence.
Matteo continued.
"Elias isn't just Giovanni's former lieutenant."
Adrian stared.
"He's Maria's first son."
Adrian felt his stomach drop.
"You're saying he's my brother?"
"No."
Matteo's voice became quiet.
"He's your mother's son."
Adrian looked at him.
"So am I."
"Yes."
"Then he is my brother."
Matteo shook his head.
"Not by blood."
"Then what?"
"By choice."
A gunshot struck the wall.
Lily screamed.
Adrian covered her.
Matteo shouted:
"Back door!"
They ran.
The cabin had another hidden passage.
They reached a narrow tunnel leading toward the lake.
Halfway through, Lily stopped.
"Daddy."
Adrian turned.
"What?"
She pointed at the wall.
There was another drawing.
This one was different.
A man with a face.
A little girl beside him.
And a heart drawn between them.
Adrian crouched.
"Who is that?"
Lily looked at the picture.
"That's me."
"And him?"
She shook her head.
"I don't know."
Adrian stared.
Matteo stepped closer.
He saw the face.
His expression changed.
"That's Elias."
Adrian looked at him.
"How does she know his face?"
Matteo didn't answer.
Sarah whispered:
"Because she saw him."
Adrian turned.
"When?"
Sarah's eyes filled with tears.
"Before she could talk."
Adrian's expression changed.
Sarah continued.
"She used to point at the television."
"What was on?"
"Old news footage."
"Of Elias?"
"Yes."
Adrian felt cold.
"But she couldn't possibly remember."
Matteo shook his head.
"She doesn't remember."
He looked at Lily.
"Someone taught her."
Adrian looked at his daughter.
"What do you mean?"
Matteo pointed toward her drawings.
"She wasn't imagining the faceless man."
He touched one drawing.
"She was drawing someone she saw but couldn't identify."
Adrian's heart pounded.
"Who?"
Matteo answered:
"Me."
Adrian stared.
"You?"
"I watched her for years."
"Why?"
"To protect her."
Adrian's face hardened.
"Then why did she never draw your face?"
Matteo looked at Lily.
"Because I never showed it."
Adrian frowned.
"What?"
"I wore masks."
"Why?"
"Because if she recognized me, Maria would know I was alive."
Adrian looked at the drawings again.
The faceless father.
The umbrella.
The man standing between Lily and danger.
It wasn't imaginary.
It was Matteo.
He had been there.
Watching.
Protecting.
And Lily had somehow remembered him.
A sound came from the tunnel entrance.
Footsteps.
Matteo raised his weapon.
Elias's voice echoed through the darkness.
"You finally understand."
Adrian turned.
A tall man stepped into the tunnel.
Gray eyes.
Silver hair.
A scar across his jaw.
He smiled at Lily.
"Hello, little girl."
Adrian stepped in front of her.
Elias laughed.
"You really are just like your father."
"Stay away from her."
"I don't want her."
Adrian froze.
Elias pointed toward Sarah.
"I want what she knows."
Sarah's face went white.
Adrian looked at her.
"What do you know?"
Sarah didn't answer.
Elias smiled.
"Ask her about the night she signed the adoption papers."
Adrian stared at Sarah.
"Adoption?"
Sarah's tears fell.
"I was trying to save her."
"From who?"
Elias answered for her.
"From the man whose blood runs through her veins."
Adrian looked at Lily.
Then at Sarah.
"Who is Lily's biological father?"
Elias smiled.
"You're asking the wrong question again."
He stepped backward.
"The right question is..."
He looked directly at Adrian.
"...why did Sarah spend seven years making you believe she was your daughter?"
Adrian felt the world tilt.
Sarah whispered:
"Because I loved you."
Adrian's face hardened.
"That isn't an answer."
"No."
She looked at Lily.
"It's the reason."
Then a gunshot echoed.
Elias disappeared into the darkness.
Matteo grabbed Adrian.
"We have to move."
Adrian didn't move.
He stared at Sarah.
"Tell me the truth."
Sarah looked at him.
"The whole truth?"
Adrian nodded.
"Everything."
Sarah took a trembling breath.
"Lily was never supposed to survive the night she was born."
Adrian's blood ran cold.
"Why?"
Sarah looked toward the darkness where Elias had disappeared.
"Because her biological father was the one person Maria Moretti was terrified of."
Adrian whispered:
"Who?"
Sarah answered:
"Your father."
Adrian stared at her.
"Giovanni?"
Sarah nodded.
"Lily is Giovanni's granddaughter."
Adrian's eyes widened.
"And Matteo?"
Sarah shook her head.
"No."
She looked at Lily.
"Matteo isn't her father."
"Then who is?"
Sarah's voice broke.
"You."
Adrian froze.
Sarah whispered:
"Lily is your biological daughter."
And for the first time in three years, Adrian realized the greatest lie hadn't been that Lily wasn't his.
It was that anyone had ever managed to keep him away from her.
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Because somewhere in the darkness, Elias Kane had already heard the truth.
And he was smiling.
