Chapter 9 - The Woman in the PhotographAlessandro forgot how to breathe.
His mother had died when he was twelve.
He had watched the funeral.
He had seen the coffin.
He had spent years remembering her voice.
“She is dead,” he said.
Gabriel shook his head.
“She was never in that coffin.”
Alessandro stared at him.
“Then who was?”
“A stranger.”
“Why?”
“Because Father needed everyone to believe she was gone.”
Alessandro looked at Elena.
She was crying.
“You knew?”
She nodded.
“Only recently.”
Gabriel stepped forward.
“Our mother discovered the truth about Father.”
“What truth?”
“He wasn't protecting the family.”
Gabriel looked at the recording box.
“He was protecting the person who controlled him.”
Alessandro picked up the box.
A button sat on top.
Marco said, “Don't.”
Alessandro pressed it.
A woman's voice filled the hall.
Old.
Weak.
But unmistakable.
His mother's voice.
“Alessandro.”
His knees nearly gave out.
“I don't know if you will ever hear this.”
He stared at the speaker.
“I am sorry.”
The recording continued.
“Your father was not the most dangerous man in this family.”
A pause.
“He was afraid of someone.”
A second voice appeared in the recording.
His father's.
“Stop.”
Then his mother's voice:
“You can't hide her forever.”
Alessandro froze.
“Who?”
The recording answered.
“The child.”
Lily stared at the speaker.
Then another sound appeared.
A baby crying.
Alessandro looked at Gabriel.
Gabriel closed his eyes.
The recording continued.
“Emilia is the heir.”
The room went silent.
“She is the only person your father could never control.”
Alessandro's hands trembled.
Then his mother's voice became urgent.
“If you're hearing this, the family has already begun tearing itself apart.”
A final sentence.
“Trust the man who refuses the throne.”
The recording stopped.
Everyone looked at Gabriel.
He smiled bitterly.
“You see why I stayed away.”
Alessandro shook his head.
“Who controls this family?”
Gabriel looked at Victor's empty chair.
“Ask your lawyer.”
Alessandro turned.
Victor was still missing.
Marco's radio crackled.
“We found him.”
“Where?”
“Outside the east gate.”
“Alive?”
A pause.
“No.”
Alessandro closed his eyes.
Then Marco whispered:
“There is a message carved into the gate.”
“What does it say?”
Marco looked at the words.
His face hardened.
“It says, ‘One brother betrayed you. One brother saved you.’”
Alessandro looked at Gabriel.
“Which one?”
Gabriel answered:
“You're asking the wrong question.”
Alessandro's eyes narrowed.
“What question should I ask?”
Gabriel looked toward Lily.
“Why does the girl remember things she was never alive to see?”
Everyone went silent.
Lily slowly lifted her head.
May you like
And said:
“Because Grandpa told me.”
