Chapter 10 - THE PRICE OF BLOOD
Adrian wanted to kill Matthew.
Rosa knew it.
Everyone knew it.
But Isabella warned them.
"If Adrian attacks him now, Elena dies."
That stopped everything.
Matthew sent instructions.
One exchange.
The black ledger for Elena.
But Rosa knew something was wrong.
"He doesn't want the ledger."
Adrian looked at her.
"Why?"
"Because he already knows what's inside."
She opened the ledger.
Several pages were missing.
Adrian stared.
"When?"
"Before I found it."
"Who had access?"
Rosa thought.
"The attorney."
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
They confronted him.
He confessed.
Matthew had forced him to copy several pages.
But there was one thing he hadn't copied.
A final page.
The page Samuel had hidden inside Rosa's restored walnut table.
They returned to the workshop.
Rosa tore apart the table.
Inside was a sealed envelope.
Her father's handwriting.
My dearest Rosa,
If you are reading this, Adrian has already become more important to you than I intended.
She stopped.
Adrian looked away.
She continued.
I chose him because he is the only man powerful enough to protect you and honest enough to die trying.
Rosa's eyes filled.
But there is one truth I could never tell you.
Elena is not your biological sister.
Rosa froze.
Adrian looked stunned.
The letter continued.
She is Adrian's sister's daughter.
Violet.
Rosa looked at Adrian.
He understood at the same moment.
"Elena is Violet."
Rosa's face went white.
"Then who is the baby in the photograph?"
A sound came from the doorway.
Isabella.
"The baby was me."
Rosa stared.
Isabella lowered her head.
"Samuel used the photograph to make everyone believe there were two children."
"Why?"
"To hide Violet."
Adrian's face became furious.
"From whom?"
May you like
Isabella answered:
"From Matthew."
