Chapter 10 - Mateo's SecretThe gun never fired.
A guard tackled Adrian from the side.
The shot struck the ceiling.
Mariana ran.
She didn't know where.
Only away.
Lucía followed.
Rafael shouted something behind them.
Then gunfire erupted again.
They reached a corridor.
“Left!”
Lucía pointed.
Mariana grabbed her hand.
“Where are we going?”
“The old laboratory.”
“You said no cameras.”
“There are cameras.”
“Then why—”
“Because there's one place even Rafael won't enter.”
A heavy door opened.
They stepped inside.
The room was dark.
Mariana switched on a light.
And froze.
Hundreds of photographs covered the walls.
Children.
Babies.
Adults.
Some alive.
Some crossed out.
Mateo's photograph was in the center.
Taken when he was three.
Four.
Five.
Mariana felt sick.
“They watched him his whole life.”
Lucía nodded.
“I tried to protect him.”
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
“You knew he was being tracked.”
“Yes.”
“And you never told me?”
“If I had, you'd have run.”
“We could have run.”
“No.”
Lucía touched her daughter's face.
“They were already watching you.”
Mariana looked around.
“How?”
Lucía pointed to the ceiling.
“Your house was wired.”
“To what?”
“Everything.”
Mariana remembered.
The smoke detector.
The baby monitor.
The smart speaker.
Her hands trembled.
“They were listening.”
“Yes.”
“Then the whole time…”
Lucía nodded.
“Your family was studying you.”
Mariana stared at Mateo's photograph.
“What did they want?”
Lucía didn't answer.
She opened a steel case.
Inside was a small vial.
“What's that?”
“Your blood.”
Mariana recoiled.
“What?”
“Taken from you when you were nineteen.”
“Who did it?”
“Esteban.”
“Why?”
“To confirm something.”
“What?”
Lucía looked at her.
“That you were compatible.”
“With what?”
A voice came from the doorway.
“Me.”
Mariana spun.
Esteban stood there.
Alone.
His gun lowered.
His face looked older than it had on the yacht.
He closed the door.
“Mariana.”
She stepped backward.
“Don't.”
“I need you to listen.”
“You tried to kill me.”
“I tried to save you.”
“You pushed me into the ocean.”
His voice broke.
“I had no choice.”
“You always have a choice.”
“I had three minutes.”
“For what?”
“To stop Adrian.”
Mariana stared.
“What are you talking about?”
Esteban looked at Lucía.
“You never told her.”
Lucía shook her head.
“Tell me what?”
Esteban took a breath.
“The night you were born, Rafael ordered Lucía's entire family killed.”
Mariana nodded slowly.
“I know.”
“No.”
Esteban's eyes filled with tears.
“He ordered your death too.”
Mariana froze.
“But you saved me.”
“I stole you.”
“What?”
“I changed your identity.”
“Then why did you send me to Lucía?”
“I didn't.”
Mariana looked at Lucía.
Lucía whispered:
“Rafael took you.”
Esteban's voice cracked.
“I spent eighteen years trying to find you.”
Mariana stared between them.
“You're lying.”
Esteban took out his phone.
He showed her a recording.
Young Esteban.
Standing in a hospital corridor.
A newborn baby crying.
He picked her up.
Behind him, men entered the hallway.
One of them was Rafael.
Another was Adrian Vale.
Esteban ran.
The footage stopped.
Mariana's hands shook.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I didn't know who I could trust.”
“Not even me?”
“Especially not you.”
Her heart broke.
Then Mateo's voice came from behind the wall.
“Mommy?”
Mariana turned.
Mateo stood there.
But his eyes were strange.
Focused.
Too calm.
A red light reflected from his pupils.
He looked at Esteban.
Then at Lucía.
Then said:
“Grandpa says we have ten minutes.”
Mariana froze.
“Which grandpa?”
May you like
Mateo smiled.
“The dead one.”
