Chapter 9 - THE OTHER DAUGHTER
They reached the chapel floor just before the basement entrance collapsed.
Dust filled the air.
Naomi coughed.
Rafael pulled Luca away from falling stone.
Vivian stared at the ceiling.
"Who said that?"
Nobody answered.
Then footsteps echoed through the chapel.
Slow.
Calm.
Someone was walking toward them.
A woman appeared in the doorway.
She looked remarkably like Vivian.
Same eyes.
Same dark hair.
Same sharp features.
Vivian stepped backward.
"No."
The woman smiled.
"Hello, sister."
Luca stared.
"There are two of you?"
The woman laughed.
"Three."
His blood went cold.
Rafael whispered:
"Elena."
The woman turned toward him.
"You remember me."
Luca looked at Rafael.
"Who is she?"
The woman answered.
"Your father's first daughter."
Vivian shook her head.
"You told me I was his only daughter."
"Because you were the only one I needed."
The woman smiled.
"My name is Celeste."
Luca stared.
"Who is my mother?"
Celeste laughed.
"That's the question, isn't it?"
Rafael stepped forward.
"Leave them out of this."
Celeste raised a gun.
"Twenty-eight years ago, you stole everything from me."
"I saved you."
"You destroyed my mother."
"I tried to protect her."
"You chose Isabella."
Rafael's face hardened.
"Because she was innocent."
Celeste laughed bitterly.
"Innocent?"
She pointed toward the empty screen.
"She knew."
Luca turned toward her.
"Knew what?"
Celeste looked at him.
"That you were never supposed to inherit anything."
Rafael said:
"Enough."
Celeste smiled.
"You still lie to him."
Luca stepped forward.
"I want the truth."
Celeste studied him.
"Your mother is Isabella."
Rafael closed his eyes.
Luca stared.
"Then why did he say you weren't my father?"
Celeste smiled.
"Because biology isn't the whole story."
She lowered her weapon.
"Your father adopted you."
Luca stared at Rafael.
"Is that true?"
Rafael nodded.
"Your biological father died before you were born."
Luca's voice became quiet.
"Who was he?"
Rafael looked at Celeste.
"Her father."
Luca turned.
Celeste's eyes filled with tears.
"My father was a man named Matteo."
She looked toward Rafael.
"He loved Isabella."
Luca froze.
"Isabella?"
"Before Rafael."
Rafael said nothing.
Celeste continued.
"Matteo was killed by the council."
"Why?"
"Because he discovered the reserve."
Luca understood.
The money.
The bloodline.
The family.
All of it had been connected before his birth.
"And you?" he asked Celeste.
"I was hidden."
"By whom?"
"Your father."
She looked at Rafael.
"He took me away after Matteo died."
Rafael whispered:
"To keep you alive."
Celeste's expression softened for one second.
Then hardened again.
"And when I grew older, I learned the truth."
Vivian stepped forward.
"That's why you helped Alexander?"
Celeste looked at her.
"I didn't help him."
"You did."
"I used him."
"For what?"
"Revenge."
Luca lowered his weapon.
"Where is my mother?"
Celeste looked at him.
"Still alive."
"Where?"
"Upstairs."
Luca moved.
Celeste raised her gun.
"Not yet."
"Why?"
"Because you need to know who betrayed you."
Luca's phone rang.
Everyone froze.
It was his lawyer.
Luca answered.
"Where is my mother?"
The lawyer laughed.
"You're closer than you think."
"Tell me."
"Look behind you."
Luca turned.
A hidden door had opened in the chapel wall.
Inside was Isabella.
Alive.
She was sitting in a wheelchair.
But the lawyer wasn't there.
Instead, there was a television.
On the screen appeared a live image of the Moretti mansion.
Then Luca saw it.
Naomi.
Standing in the music room.
A man was holding a gun behind her.
Luca's face changed.
"Naomi."
Her eyes widened.
"Luca!"
The screen went black.
Luca ran.
Rafael followed.
Vivian and Celeste came behind them.
They reached the mansion in minutes.
The front door was open.
No guards.
No lights.
Luca entered.
"Naomi!"
A crash came from upstairs.
He ran toward it.
The music room door opened.
Naomi stumbled out.
Luca caught her.
"Are you hurt?"
"No."
"Where is my mother?"
"She was here."
"Where?"
Naomi pointed toward the piano.
The room was empty.
The black box was gone.
But on the piano sat a handwritten letter.
Luca opened it.
He recognized Isabella's handwriting.
My son,
If you are reading this, then I have failed to protect you.
There is one truth I could never tell you.
The man who raised you is not the only father you have known.
Luca's hands shook.
He read on.
Your biological father did not die before you were born.
He looked at Rafael.
Rafael went pale.
Luca continued.
He is alive.
A silence fell.
Then a sentence at the bottom.
And he has been searching for you.
Luca slowly raised his eyes.
"Who?"
Before Rafael could answer, a voice came from the doorway.
"Me."
Everyone turned.
An elderly man stood there.
Luca stared.
The face was unfamiliar.
But Isabella's expression in the photograph suddenly made sense.
The man looked at Luca.
"I'm Matteo."
Rafael closed his eyes.
Luca couldn't move.
May you like
His entire life had just become a lie.
And the two men standing before him both claimed to be his father.
