Chapter 10 - The Child Nobody Was Supposed to Find
Lily's real identity was more dangerous than the ledger.
Emma sat on the vault floor.
I stood over her.
“You're telling me Lily isn't your daughter.”
“She is.”
“That makes no sense.”
“She is my daughter.”
“Then what did you mean?”
Emma looked at me.
“I didn't give birth to her.”
Silence.
“Who did?”
She hesitated.
“A woman named Clara.”
“Clara who?”
“Clara Moretti.”
Giovanni's daughter.
I felt my jaw tighten.
“Then Lily is related to Giovanni.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Clara was Lucian's wife.”
The pieces rearranged themselves.
Lucian's disappearance.
Lily's birth.
The ledger.
Giovanni.
My father.
Everything had been circling the same child.
“What happened to Clara?”
“She died.”
“When?”
“The night Lily was born.”
I looked toward the open vault door.
“Who took Lily?”
“Lucian.”
“And gave her to you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Clara had discovered the Black Archive.”
Emma's eyes filled with tears.
“She knew your father wanted the names erased.”
“So she ran.”
“Yes.”
“And Lucian helped her.”
“Yes.”
“Then why fake his death?”
“Because he realized the people hunting Clara were inside your family.”
I remembered the funeral.
My brother's coffin.
My father's expression.
Julian beside me.
A lifetime of lies.
I walked toward the wall of files.
“Where is Lily?”
Emma wiped her face.
“She'll go to the old chapel.”
“Which chapel?”
“The one Daniel used.”
We ran.
The chapel stood outside the city.
Abandoned.
Broken stained glass.
A single candle burning inside.
I entered first.
“Lily?”
Nothing.
Then I heard a voice.
“Mr. Valenti.”
I turned.
Lily stood behind the altar.
She looked calm.
Beside her stood a man.
Older.
Gray hair.
Sharp suit.
Scar beneath his chin.
My entire body went cold.
“Lucian?”
The man smiled.
“No.”
He stepped into the light.
It was my father.
Impossible.
I raised my weapon.
“You're dead.”
He laughed.
“You keep saying that about people.”
Emma collapsed against the wall.
Lily ran to him.
“Grandpa said you would come.”
I stared.
“Lily, get away from him.”
She didn't move.
My father looked at me.
“Matteo.”
“You're dead.”
“I became inconvenient.”
“Why?”
“Because I refused to let the family collapse.”
I pointed the gun.
“Where is Lucian?”
My father smiled.
“Closer than you think.”
Julian entered the chapel behind us.
My father looked at him.
“Still loyal?”
Julian said nothing.
My father looked at Emma.
“You should have left the child with me.”
“No.”
“I offered you protection.”
“You offered me a cage.”
He shrugged.
“Same thing in our world.”
I stepped between them.
“Enough.”
My father smiled.
“You want the truth?”
“Yes.”
“You were never supposed to inherit.”
I froze.
“Lucian was.”
“Then why did he disappear?”
“Because he chose love over power.”
My father looked at Emma.
“Your brother ruined everything.”
“Lucian isn't my brother?”
“He is.”
“Then why did he betray me?”
“He didn't.”
My father reached into his coat.
Pulled out a photograph.
Three men stood together.
My father.
Julian.
And Lucian.
The date was thirteen years ago.
My father pointed to Lucian.
“He wasn't trying to kill Daniel.”
I stared.
“He was trying to save him.”
My father looked at Julian.
“And Julian was helping him.”
“Then why did you tell me they were enemies?”
“Because I needed you angry enough to take the throne.”
My chest tightened.
“You manipulated me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
He smiled.
“Because the real enemy wasn't outside the family.”
He pointed toward the chapel entrance.
Someone stepped into the light.
Giovanni Moretti.
My father said,
“It was inside.”
Giovanni smiled.
Then the man beside him removed his coat.
I recognized him immediately.
My own brother.
May you like
Lucian Valenti.
Alive.
