Chapter 8 - I stared at the file on the screen.
E-17.
A number instead of a name.
A subject instead of a person.
“No.”
Lucia tilted her head.
“You've spent four years believing you were hiding from us.”
“Us?”
“Eden.”
“Why me?”
“Because your father made a mistake.”
“My father?”
“Thomas Mercer.”
She said his name like an insult.
“He believed love could protect you.”
I swallowed.
“What did he do?”
“He took you.”
“From where?”
Lucia smiled.
“From us.”
Samuel stepped forward.
“Don't listen to her.”
Lucia looked at him.
“You know I'm telling the truth.”
Samuel's face darkened.
“She manipulated the records.”
“She didn't.”
He looked at me.
“Elizabeth…”
I backed away.
“Tell me.”
Samuel said nothing.
“Tell me the truth.”
He finally spoke.
“Your biological mother was part of Eden.”
My stomach dropped.
“Who?”
“Margaret wasn't your biological mother.”
Lucia smiled.
“There.”
She stepped toward me.
“Now you're finally ready to hear it.”
Alessandro blocked her.
“You're done.”
Lucia looked at him.
“You slept with a woman created to become a symbol.”
“What does that mean?”
“She was raised to infiltrate powerful families.”
I shook my head.
“No.”
Lucia continued.
“She was trained from childhood to disappear.”
“That's a lie.”
“Is it?”
She looked at Liam.
“Ask him.”
I turned.
Liam's face was pale.
“You knew?”
He didn't answer.
“Liam?”
“I knew your identity.”
“You knew about Eden?”
He looked down.
“I knew pieces.”
My heart cracked.
“You lied to me too.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“Everyone says that.”
I stepped back.
“And everyone has lied.”
Lucia smiled.
“Exactly.”
Then she reached into her coat.
She pulled out a photograph.
She held it toward me.
A little girl.
Maybe six years old.
Standing in a white room.
A number tattooed on her wrist.
E-17.
The girl's face was mine.
I couldn't breathe.
“That isn't me.”
“It is.”
“No.”
“You don't remember.”
“Why?”
“Because they erased parts of your memory.”
Alessandro looked furious.
“Enough.”
Lucia ignored him.
“Do you know why you met Alessandro?”
I stared at her.
“What?”
“You didn't.”
She tapped the photograph.
“We arranged it.”
Silence.
Alessandro froze.
“What?”
“Six weeks ago, someone invited Emma to the Obsidian.”
I shook my head.
“I got the catering job myself.”
“Yes.”
Lucia smiled.
“We made sure you got it.”
My entire body went cold.
“And Alessandro?”
“We knew he'd be there.”
He looked at his mother.
“You engineered that night.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Lucia's expression became serious.
“Because Eden needed a bloodline.”
Alessandro's voice dropped.
“You used me.”
“No.”
“You used her.”
“Yes.”
She looked at my stomach.
“And now the final stage has begun.”
I stepped backward.
“What final stage?”
She smiled.
“You've already carried it for six weeks.”
Alessandro grabbed my shoulders.
“She's lying.”
Lucia shook her head.
“She isn't.”
Then she pressed a button on her phone.
Every SUV around us unlocked.
Men stepped out.
Guns raised.
Lucia said calmly:
“Come with me, Elizabeth.”
“No.”
“You can come willingly.”
“No.”
“Or they take you.”
Alessandro pulled me behind him.
“Touch her and I swear…”
Lucia looked at him with almost pity.
“Alessandro.”
He froze.
“You still don't understand why your father kept you away from the family business.”
“What?”
“He knew what you were.”
Silence.
Alessandro's face went pale.
“What am I?”
Lucia smiled.
“The only person who can finish Eden.”
A gunshot cracked.
Alessandro fell.
I screamed.
“Alessandro!”
Blood spread across his shirt.
Lucia's voice remained calm.
“Now, Elizabeth.”
She extended her hand.
“Choose.”
My knees nearly buckled.
I looked at Alessandro.
Then at Lucia.
Then at the men surrounding us.
And finally at my stomach.
I stepped forward.
Lucia smiled.
But before she could touch me, Alessandro spoke from the ground.
“Run.”
I looked down.
His hand held a small device.
A blinking red light.
Then he smiled.
“Your mother taught me one thing.”
“What?”
“Never trust a Vitali.”
May you like
He pressed the button.
Every car exploded.
