Chapter 8: The Brother Who Was Never Dead
The first thing Rico noticed was blood.
Not his.
Dante’s.
His security chief stood near the broken window, one hand pressed against his shoulder.
“I’m fine,” Dante said.
“You’re bleeding.””
“I said I’m fine.””
Rico ignored him.
His eyes searched the room.
Leo.
Clara.
Elena.
All alive.
All shaken.
Except Marco.
“He escaped,” Dante said.
Rico looked toward the shattered glass.
“No.””
Everyone looked at him.
“He didn’t escape.””
Dante frowned.
“What?””
“He wanted us to think he escaped.””
Rico walked toward the desk.
The envelope was gone.
But something else remained.
A small piece of paper.
He picked it up.
Only four words were written.
Ask your wife.
Rico looked at Elena.
Her face told him everything.
“You know.””
She didn’t answer.
“Tell me.””
“Rico—”
“Tell me.””
His voice wasn’t loud.
It didn’t need to be.
Elena closed her eyes.
“There was someone else.””
Clara held her breath.
“Someone else involved.””
Elena nodded.
“My brother.””
Rico stared.
“Matteo?””
“Yes.””
“But Matteo was trying to expose the traitor.””
Elena looked at him.
“No.””
The room went silent.
“He was the traitor.””
Rico felt the world shift.
“No.””
“I didn’t want to believe it either.””
“You’re lying.””
“I wish I was.””
Elena stepped closer.
“Matteo was the one moving information. He was the one selling locations. He was the one who arranged the attack.””
Rico’s face hardened.
“Then why did you protect him?””
“I didn’t.””
“Your brother?””
“My mistake was thinking I could save him.””
She looked toward Leo.
“I thought if I found proof, I could force him to stop.””
Clara whispered:
“And my father?””
Elena’s expression broke.
“Your father helped me.””
“What happened?””
“He found out Matteo planned something bigger.””
“What?””
Elena looked at Rico.
“Something involving Leo.””
The room went silent.
Rico’s grip tightened.
“What kind of something?””
“I don’t know.””
“That’s not good enough.””
Elena’s eyes filled.
“I found out too late.””
Dante stepped forward.
“Boss.””
Rico looked at him.
“We have movement outside.””
Everyone froze.
“How many?””
“Unknown.””
Rico immediately looked at Clara.
“Take Leo.””
Clara nodded.
She didn’t argue.
Because this time she understood.
Danger was real.
Dante moved toward the door.
Then Rico stopped him.
“Wait.””
Everyone looked.
Rico stared at Leo.
The boy was holding Clara’s hand.
But he was looking at Elena.
Conflicted.
Lost.
Rico walked down.
He lowered himself in front of his son.
“Leo.””
The boy looked at him.
“I’m sorry.””
Nobody expected those words.
Especially not Rico.
“I should have listened more.””
Leo blinked.
“I should have known you were scared.””
The little boy’s eyes filled.
Rico touched his cheek.
“Your mommy loves you.””
Leo looked toward Elena.
Then slowly walked to her.
Elena broke.
She hugged him.
And this time, Leo didn’t pull away.
Clara watched.
For a moment, the danger disappeared.
There was only a mother and her child.
Then the door exploded inward.
Dante fired first.
The room erupted.
Rico pulled Leo and Elena behind the desk.
Clara dropped beside them.
Someone shouted from the hallway.
“Find the girl!””
Clara froze.
The girl.
Not Leo.
Her.
Rico heard it too.
His eyes changed.
They weren’t hunting his son.
They were hunting Clara.
“Why do they want me?”” she whispered.
Nobody answered.
Because nobody knew.
Then a voice came through the smoke.
A familiar voice.
“Because your father didn’t die protecting Elena.””
Everyone turned.
A man stepped through the doorway.
Older.
Scarred.
Smiling.
Matteo Vance.
Clara stopped breathing.
The man she had been told was dead was standing ten feet away.
Looking directly at her.
“Hello, Clara.””
Her entire body went cold.
“How do you know me?””
Matteo smiled.
“Because I watched you grow up.””
Rico raised his weapon.
“Stay away from her.””
Matteo ignored him.
“You have your mother’s eyes.””
Clara shook her head.
“My mother?””
Matteo laughed softly.
“You still don’t know.””
Rico’s expression changed.
“What are you talking about?””
Matteo looked at Elena.
“You never told her?””
Elena went pale.
“Don’t.””
Matteo smiled.
“Tell her.””
He looked at Clara.
“The reason Elena trusted you…”
A pause.
“The reason your father died…”
Another step forward.
“Is because you’re not Jonathan Vance’s daughter.””
Clara felt the ground disappear beneath her.
“What?””
May you like
Matteo looked at Rico.
“She’s Elena’s daughter.””
