Chapter 11 - THE MAN BEHIND THE NAMEThe photograph felt heavier than it should have.
My fingers trembled as I held it.
A picture of a man I had spent my entire life believing was dead.
My real father.
Not a memory.
Not a story.
Not a name written in an old family document.
A living person.
Standing somewhere in the world.
Alive.
My eyes moved between the photograph and the empty space where Lorenzo had disappeared.
The room was silent.
Too silent.
Nobody wanted to be the first person to speak.
Because everyone knew the same terrifying truth.
The man who raised me...
Was a stranger.
"Find him."
My voice was barely recognizable.
The guards looked at me.
"Find Lorenzo."
Matteo stepped closer.
"Before you do that, you need to understand something."
I turned toward him.
"What else could possibly be worse than this?"
Matteo looked down.
A painful expression crossed his face.
"Your father didn't disappear because he abandoned you."
My heart stopped.
"What are you saying?"
Matteo took a deep breath.
"He was trying to expose someone."
"Who?"
Matteo looked at the security screen.
At the frozen image of my mother's recording.
"The person who destroyed your family."
I stared at him.
"You said it was Lorenzo."
Matteo shook his head slowly.
"No."
A cold feeling moved through my body.
"Lorenzo was only a piece of the plan."
The newborn cried again.
The sound reminded me that life was still moving while my entire past collapsed.
"Then who planned everything?"
Nobody answered.
Until Alex slowly stepped forward.
"I know."
Everyone turned.
Alex's face was pale.
"You knew?"
He looked ashamed.
"I found something years ago."
My anger exploded.
"You found something and said nothing?"
Alex lowered his eyes.
"Because I was afraid."
"Afraid of who?"
He looked toward the mansion doors.
Then whispered:
"Your grandmother."
The room froze.
"My grandmother died fifteen years ago."
Alex nodded.
"That's what everyone was told."
My hands tightened.
"You're telling me she's alive too?"
"No."
Alex swallowed.
"But her people are."
A sudden sound came from outside.
A car engine.
Then another.
The guards rushed toward the windows.
Black vehicles surrounded the mansion.
Someone had arrived.
Someone powerful.
May you like
Matteo looked at me.
"The truth is coming for you now."
Related Stories
