Chapter 2 - THE NAME IN THE WALLElena woke to the sound of glass breaking.
For one terrifying second, she didn't know where she was.
Then she saw the small lamp.
The medicine.
Nora asleep beside her.
The carriage house.
She breathed again.
Until another sound came.
A slow scrape.
Metal against wood.
Elena sat upright.
“Nora.”
The child stirred.
“Mama?”
“Stay quiet.”
Elena's hand searched for her phone.
Gone.
She froze.
She remembered placing it beside the bed.
Now the table was empty.
The apartment door clicked.
Elena grabbed Nora and pulled her beneath the bed.
A shadow moved across the floor.
Someone entered.
Elena pressed a hand over Nora's mouth.
The child trembled.
The intruder walked slowly.
No panic.
No rushing.
He knew exactly where he was going.
Elena watched through the narrow gap beneath the bed frame.
Black shoes.
Dark trousers.
A silver ring.
The man crouched.
He reached beneath the bed.
Elena screamed.
But the door exploded inward.
Matteo Rizzo hit the intruder from behind.
The man staggered.
Luca appeared in the doorway.
His expression was terrifyingly calm.
“Move away from them.”
The intruder ran.
Matteo chased him.
Luca dropped to one knee beside the bed.
“Nora.”
The little girl crawled into his arms.
He held her tightly.
“It's all right.”
Elena stared at him.
“How did you know?”
“I didn't.”
He looked toward the broken door.
“That's the problem.”
Ten minutes later, the security team had surrounded the carriage house.
They found the intruder's coat outside.
No wallet.
No identification.
No phone.
Only one thing remained inside the pocket.
A brass key.
Luca turned it over.
Stamped into the metal was a number.
17.
Elena saw it.
Her face drained.
“You know it?”
Luca noticed.
“You do.”
She looked away.
“Elena.”
“I've never seen it before.”
“You're lying.”
She closed her eyes.
Nora was still wrapped around Luca's neck.
“I don't want to involve you.”
Luca's voice dropped.
“You already have.”
He placed Nora on the sofa.
Then he turned toward Elena.
“You were photographed with my brother.”
She stared at him.
Silence.
Luca pulled the photograph from his coat.
Elena looked at it.
Her hands began to shake.
“Where did you get that?”
“It was delivered this morning.”
Her lips parted.
“Then they know.”
“Who?”
She stood too quickly and almost fell.
Luca caught her.
“Sit down.”
“No.”
Her voice trembled.
“You don't understand.”
“Then explain.”
Elena looked toward Nora.
“Not in front of her.”
“Then tell me upstairs.”
Luca led her to the small kitchen.
He closed the door.
“Elena.”
She stared at the photograph.
“The man beside me is Adrian.”
“I know.”
“You think he disappeared.”
“He did.”
“No.”
She looked directly into Luca's eyes.
“He didn't disappear.”
The room went silent.
Luca felt something twist in his chest.
“What are you saying?”
“Adrian was hiding.”
“From whom?”
“From your father.”
Luca's face hardened.
“My father died thirteen years ago.”
“I know.”
“Then explain.”
Elena's eyes filled with tears.
“Your father had a private account.”
Luca said nothing.
“He used it to move money outside the Ferraro group. Millions.”
“For what?”
Elena whispered,
“To pay people.”
“What people?”
“People who made problems disappear.”
Luca's expression went still.
“And Adrian found out.”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't he come to me?”
“Because he believed you were being watched.”
Luca stepped closer.
“By whom?”
Elena looked at the door.
Then she whispered:
“Harland.”
Luca stopped.
“Harland worked for my father.”
“He still does.”
“That man has worked for me for eleven years.”
Elena nodded.
“And that is why Adrian never trusted him.”
Luca's mind raced.
“You knew my brother.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Adrian saved my life.”
“When?”
“Twelve years ago.”
She swallowed.
“He also saved Nora.”
Luca looked toward the bedroom.
“Nora?”
Elena nodded slowly.
“She isn't just my daughter.”
Luca stared at her.
“Then whose child is she?”
Elena's eyes met his.
“Adrian's.”
The silence that followed felt endless.
Luca looked at the little girl through the cracked kitchen doorway.
Three years old.
Brown curls.
A small scar beneath her chin.
He remembered the photograph.
A newborn in Adrian's arms.
His breath caught.
“You're saying Nora is my brother's daughter?”
“Yes.”
“Why did you never tell me?”
“Because people have died for less than that truth.”
Luca stepped backward.
The walls seemed to tilt.
His brother's child had been living in his mansion for years.
Under his own roof.
And he had never known.
Suddenly Nora appeared in the doorway.
She rubbed her sleepy eyes.
“Mister Luca?”
Luca turned.
“I'm here.”
Nora looked at Elena.
Then at him.
“Can I ask something?”
“Yes.”
“Is Uncle Adrian the man in the picture?”
Luca went completely still.
Nora nodded toward the photograph.
“Mama says we're not supposed to say his name.”
Elena closed her eyes.
Luca crouched.
“How do you know that name?”
Nora whispered:
“Because he talks to me.”
Luca's blood ran cold.
“What?”
May you like
Nora pointed toward the wall.
“He lives behind it.”
Related Stories
