Chapter 8 - THE BROTHER IN THE SHADOWS
Matteo couldn't understand it.
“My brother died.”
Clara shook her head.
“No.”
“Who told you?”
“Your mother.”
“Where is she?”
“Gone.”
Matteo looked at Frank.
“Find her.”
Clara stepped between them.
“No.”
Matteo turned.
“Why?”
“Because that's what Victor wants.”
“Victor?”
“Your father.”
Matteo's expression darkened.
“Explain.”
Clara took a breath.
“Your father didn't fake his death alone.”
Matteo waited.
“He had help.”
“From whom?”
“Your brother.”
Silence.
Matteo laughed bitterly.
“I never had a brother.”
Clara pulled a photograph from her coat.
She handed it to him.
A boy stood beside a younger Matteo.
Matteo stared.
Memory hit him.
A childhood bedroom.
A wooden train.
A little boy laughing.
His brother.
The memory vanished.
Matteo grabbed the photograph.
“His name was Luca.”
Clara nodded.
“You remember.”
“My father said he died.”
“He didn't.”
Matteo's hands trembled.
“What happened?”
“Luca survived the accident.”
“What accident?”
“Your father caused it.”
Matteo looked horrified.
“He wanted to eliminate the child who could inherit everything.”
“But why?”
“Because Luca wasn't his son.”
Matteo stared at her.
“Then who was he?”
Clara hesitated.
“Your mother's son.”
Matteo's mind raced.
“That's impossible.”
“Your mother had a child before she married Victor.”
Matteo looked toward the darkness.
“Then why was Luca raised as my brother?”
“Because Victor wanted an heir.”
“And when he discovered Luca wasn't his?”
“He tried to kill him.”
Matteo closed his eyes.
The pieces connected.
The ledger.
The old symbol.
The missing years.
Clara whispered,
“Luca survived.”
“Where?”
“Chicago.”
A phone buzzed.
Matteo answered.
A man's voice came through.
“Hello, brother.”
Matteo froze.
“Luca.”
A quiet laugh.
“You remembered me.”
“Where are you?”
“Where you can't find me.”
“Why did you take Clara?”
“I didn't.”
Matteo's eyes narrowed.
“Then who did?”
Luca paused.
“You really don't know?”
“Tell me.”
“The person closest to you.”
The call ended.
Matteo looked at Clara.
She immediately understood.
May you like
They both said the same name.
“Thaddeus.”
