Chapter 9 - THE TRUTH HIDDEN IN BLOODAdrian stepped forward.
"Alex."
But Alex didn't look at him.
"Don't."
One word.
Full of pain.
For twelve years...
That man had been his father.
The only family he knew.
And now...
Everything was falling apart.
I walked closer.
"Alex."
He looked at me.
For the first time...
I didn't see an enemy.
I saw my brother.
"We were both victims."
His eyes became wet.
But he quickly looked away.
"I don't need your sympathy."
"I need the truth."
Then Lorenzo placed something on the table.
An old envelope.
Sealed.
With the Rossi family symbol.
"I was supposed to give this to both of you."
Alex looked at him.
"What is it?"
"The final message from your mother."
Nobody moved.
The envelope was opened.
Inside was a letter.
Elena's handwriting.
My hands shook as I read.
"To my sons..."
"If you are reading this, then you finally found each other."
Alex looked away.
Unable to hide his emotions.
"I failed to protect you from the world."
"But I never stopped loving either of you."
I continued.
"The person who separated you was not doing it for money."
A pause.
The next sentence made everyone freeze.
"He was afraid of what you would discover about your own blood."
I looked at Lorenzo.
"What does that mean?"
My father said nothing.
Because he knew.
Alex looked at Adrian.
"You know, don't you?"
Adrian remained silent.
That silence was the answer.
I stepped forward.
"What are you hiding?"
Adrian smiled.
But this time...
There was no confidence.
Only calculation.
"You really want to know?"
"Yes."
He looked at both brothers.
"Then hear the truth."
"The Rossi bloodline was never supposed to continue."
Everyone froze.
"What?"
Adrian continued.
"Your grandfather built this empire illegally."
"Using secrets."
"Using enemies."
"Using blood."
Lorenzo shouted:
"Enough."
But Adrian continued.
"And the reason your family was destroyed..."
"Was because your parents discovered the truth."
I looked at Lorenzo.
"Is it true?"
He didn't answer.
That hurt more than a lie.
My father lowered his head.
"Yes."
The room went silent.
"The empire you inherited..."
"Was built on something your family wanted to bury."
Alex stared at him.
"So everyone lied."
"Yes."
I looked at my brother.
At myself.
At the family we never knew.
Then Sophia suddenly gasped.
"Father..."
Everyone turned.
She was holding the newborn.
The baby's bracelet.
The same bracelet from twelve years ago.
But something had changed.
A hidden compartment had opened.
Inside was a tiny memory card.
Nobody knew it existed.
Matteo looked terrified.
"No..."
I turned toward him.
"What?"
His face became pale.
"That card..."
"Contains the name of the person who ordered the attack."
A silence.
Then I asked:
"Who?"
Matteo looked at me.
And whispered:
"It wasn't Adrian."
Everyone froze.
"Then who?"
Matteo closed his eyes.
"The person you trusted more than anyone."
My blood ran cold.
"Who?"
He opened his eyes.
May you like
And said:
"Your mother."
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