Chapter 7 - “No.”
The word escaped before I could stop it.
Alessandro stared at me.
“Lucia?”
He looked like someone had shot him.
“My mother?”
Samuel nodded.
“Your mother is the architect of Eden.”
Alessandro's face changed.
Every emotion disappeared.
“Don't.”
Samuel frowned.
“What?”
“Don't accuse her without proof.”
Samuel handed him the file.
“Open it.”
Alessandro did.
Photographs.
Bank statements.
Property records.
Medical charts.
Every page carried one name.
LUCIA VITALI.
Alessandro kept turning pages.
His hands began to tremble.
“No.”
Samuel spoke quietly.
“She ordered your brother's death.”
The file slipped from Alessandro's fingers.
“My brother died in an accident.”
“That's what she wanted everyone to believe.”
Alessandro looked up.
“Why?”
“Because your brother found out about Eden.”
I could barely listen.
Everything was connected.
My father's death.
My mother's disappearance.
Victor.
The Vitalis.
My baby.
All of it.
Then the speaker crackled again.
Lucia laughed softly.
“Samuel.”
He looked at the ceiling.
“You've always been difficult to kill.”
She paused.
“But Elizabeth?”
My blood turned cold.
“You were always easier to reach.”
Alessandro stepped toward the speaker.
“Mother.”
Silence.
Then:
“Alessandro.”
His jaw clenched.
“Where are you?”
“You already know.”
“Why are you targeting Emma?”
“She isn't Emma.”
“She is my child's mother.”
“No.”
The word was chilling.
“She is my granddaughter's mother.”
I grabbed Alessandro's hand.
He squeezed mine.
Lucia continued.
“And that child belongs to me.”
Alessandro raised his voice.
“You've lost your mind.”
“No.”
Her voice became strangely calm.
“I've spent twenty-five years protecting this family.”
“You murdered people.”
“I removed threats.”
“Did you kill my brother?”
A long pause.
Then:
“Yes.”
Alessandro closed his eyes.
I felt his hand tighten.
“Why?”
“Because he was going to destroy everything.”
“And Dad?”
“Your father was weak.”
“Did you kill him too?”
“No.”
Another pause.
“Victor did.”
Alessandro stared at the ceiling.
“Victor Sloane killed my father?”
“Yes.”
“And you let him?”
“I needed him.”
“For Eden.”
“For all of us.”
Alessandro stepped toward the speaker.
“I'll destroy every part of it.”
Lucia laughed.
“You won't.”
“Try me.”
“You're already too late.”
The speakers went silent.
Then every light in the tunnel turned red.
A timer appeared on the wall.
05:00.
Liam swore.
“She rigged the tunnel.”
Samuel grabbed my arm.
“We have four minutes.”
“To do what?”
“Reach the river.”
We ran.
The tunnel shook.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
Alessandro stayed beside me.
“Don't slow down.”
“I can’t run.”
“You don't have to.”
He lifted me into his arms.
“I can walk.”
“No.”
“Alessandro.”
“I've got you.”
I hated how safe I felt there.
Even with the world collapsing around us.
Even with everything he now knew.
He still held me like I mattered.
We reached the end of the tunnel.
A steel door blocked the exit.
Samuel rushed toward it.
“Locked.”
Alessandro pulled a keycard from his pocket.
“This?”
Samuel stared.
“Where did you get that?”
“The Obsidian.”
He inserted it.
The door opened.
We emerged beside the Chicago River.
Behind us, the tunnel exploded.
The shockwave threw me into Alessandro's chest.
He fell.
I screamed.
“Alessandro!”
He rolled over.
“You okay?”
I nodded.
Then I saw blood on his neck.
“You're hurt.”
“Not mine.”
He looked behind us.
Samuel was bleeding.
He had shielded Liam.
Then headlights appeared.
Three black SUVs.
Alessandro pulled me behind him.
A woman stepped out of the first vehicle.
Tall.
Elegant.
Silver hair.
Lucia Vitali.
His mother.
She looked directly at me.
Then at my stomach.
And smiled.
“You look exactly like Margaret.”
Alessandro stepped forward.
“You killed my brother.”
“Yes.”
“You murdered my father.”
“No.”
“You destroyed Emma's family.”
Lucia's eyes remained calm.
“Your father destroyed himself.”
She looked at me.
“But you…”
She smiled.
“You were never supposed to survive.”
I felt sick.
“Why?”
“Because your existence proves the original experiment worked.”
“What experiment?”
Lucia looked at Alessandro.
“Do you know why Victor Sloane became obsessed with your family?”
“No.”
“Because your father had something Victor wanted.”
“What?”
Lucia's gaze dropped to my stomach.
“Blood.”
She stepped closer.
“Not money.”
“Not power.”
“Blood.”
Alessandro raised his weapon.
“Stay away from her.”
Lucia laughed.
“You still think you can protect her.”
She lifted a phone.
A video began playing.
I saw myself.
At the Obsidian.
Six weeks ago.
Walking into Alessandro's room.
Then another angle.
A medical screen.
My blood test.
Then my pregnancy test.
Then a file marked:
PROJECT EDEN: SUBJECT E-17.
My face went numb.
“Who is E-17?”
Lucia answered:
May you like
“You.”
The world disappeared.
