Chapter 13 - The Child of Two EnemiesThe father of my baby was supposed to have died twenty-seven years ago.
I couldn't speak.
Adrian Bellini.
The man I had believed was my father.
The man I had never met.
The man whose records did not exist.
Vittorio knew him.
My mother knew him.
Alessandro knew something.
I turned toward him.
“Tell me.”
He looked away.
“Adrian is dead.”
“You just heard his name.”
“He died before you were born.”
“Then how is he Mia's father?”
Silence.
My mother cried.
“I thought he was dead.”
“You thought?”
She closed her eyes.
“He disappeared.”
“When?”
“Eight months ago.”
I stared.
Impossible.
A father who had vanished on the night of my daughter's birth.
A hospital baby stolen.
A second baby missing.
A dead woman who wasn't dead.
A billionaire family controlling billions.
I felt trapped inside a puzzle where every piece was another lie.
Alessandro took my phone.
He searched a number.
The call went through.
A man's voice answered.
“Who is this?”
Alessandro went rigid.
“Adrian.”
My knees weakened.
The voice laughed.
“You finally found me.”
I grabbed the phone.
“Where is my daughter?”
“Safe.”
“Give her back.”
“Not yet.”
“Why?”
“Because your daughter belongs to the line I died protecting.”
“Who are you?”
“You know.”
“No.”
A pause.
Then:
“I'm the man your mother married.”
My heart exploded.
“You are my father?”
“Yes.”
“Why did you disappear?”
“To protect you.”
“From Vittorio?”
“From everyone.”
“And Mia?”
“She wasn't supposed to be born.”
I swallowed.
“What?”
“Someone changed the hospital records.”
“Who?”
“Margaret.”
My eyes went toward the doorway.
She was gone.
“Why?”
“Because she needed the succession to pass through you.”
“You don't understand.”
“Then explain.”
Adrian breathed slowly.
“Three daughters were born.”
“Yes.”
“One was Marina's biological child.”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“One belonged to the Duca bloodline.”
“Alessandro's sister?”
“Yes.”
“And the third?”
“Mia.”
“Who is Mia's mother?”
Silence.
Then he said:
“You.”
I froze.
“But the DNA…”
“Fake.”
“The birth records…”
“Fake.”
“My mother…”
“Protecting you.”
I closed my eyes.
“Then who was the baby in the helicopter?”
Adrian's voice changed.
“That wasn't Mia.”
“What?”
“It was bait.”
Before I could respond, the line went dead.
Alessandro looked at me.
“He wants us to go somewhere.”
“Where?”
He showed me the location from the call.
An abandoned warehouse.
The old Bellini shipping district.
We drove there.
Rain hammered the windshield.
Mia's stuffed rabbit sat on the dashboard.
The one with Alessandro's initials.
I touched it.
For a moment, I remembered Mia tugging Alessandro's tie.
Then the warehouse lights turned on.
A woman stood inside.
Margaret.
Holding a baby.
“Come closer.”
I stepped forward.
Alessandro grabbed my wrist.
“Don't.”
Margaret smiled.
“You still don't recognize her.”
She uncovered the baby's face.
I looked.
Same eyes.
Same crescent mark.
“Mia?”
The baby smiled.
My heart broke.
I reached for her.
Margaret stepped back.
“Not yet.”
“Please.”
“She isn't yours.”
“She is my daughter.”
“No.”
Margaret looked at Alessandro.
“She is yours.”
He stared.
“What?”
Margaret smiled.
“Your biological daughter.”
Alessandro went pale.
“That is impossible.”
“Not impossible.”
She handed him a document.
A paternity test.
99.99%.
I looked at the baby.
Then Alessandro.
Then Margaret.
“She's your daughter?”
“Yes.”
Alessandro was shaking.
“How?”
Margaret's smile widened.
“Because you were her father before Elena ever knew.”
I couldn't understand.
Then Margaret whispered:
“You and Elena were never siblings.”
The warehouse fell silent.
I stared at Alessandro.
“What?”
Margaret laughed.
“Vittorio lied.”
Alessandro looked at her.
“Who am I?”
May you like
Margaret's answer came softly.
“The missing son of Adrian Bellini.”
