Chapter 7 - The PromiseWhat Elena Knew Before Clara Was BornClara could barely breathe.
"That's me."
Adrien nodded.
"The photograph was taken when you were three months old."
"How would your mother know me?"
"I don't know."
"Stop saying that."
He looked at her.
"You want the truth?"
"Yes."
"I think my mother knew your father."
"I know that."
"I think she trusted him."
Clara sat back down.
"Why?"
Adrien placed another document on the table.
A handwritten agreement.
No official seals.
No signatures from attorneys.
Just two names.
Elena Valente.
Thomas Whitmore.
Clara's father.
At the bottom:
If anything happens to me, protect Clara.
Clara stared.
"What was happening?"
Adrien's expression darkened.
"Someone was trying to take control of my father's empire."
"Gabriel?"
"Maybe."
"You said Gabriel was dead."
"His body was never identified."
Clara looked at him.
"You thought your uncle might still be alive."
"I've suspected it for years."
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I didn't know if you were connected to him."
She looked away.
Adrien's voice became quieter.
"Until tonight."
The fire cracked.
Snow tapped against the windows.
Clara whispered,
"Why would someone target me now?"
Adrien leaned back.
"Because you walked into my house carrying a key they needed."
"I didn't carry it."
"Not physically."
He gestured toward her.
"You carried the one thing they couldn't manufacture."
"What?"
Adrien answered slowly.
"Your father's trust."
Clara laughed bitterly.
"My father's been dead twenty years."
"Exactly."
She looked at him.
Then something struck her.
"Ethan."
Adrien's expression sharpened.
"My business partner."
"Yes."
"Why did he know me?"
Adrien's eyes narrowed.
"He didn't."
"He did."
Clara stood.
"The week before he disappeared, he asked me something strange."
"What?"
"He asked whether my father ever talked about the Valentes."
Adrien went completely still.
"What did you say?"
"That I didn't know the name."
"Did he believe you?"
"I thought he was just being paranoid."
Adrien looked away.
Then he reached for his phone.
"Luca."
He put the call on speaker.
"Find Ethan Cole."
"We're already searching."
"Not for him."
Adrien's gaze shifted to Clara.
"Find his sister."
A pause.
"His sister?"
"Yes."
"She died eight years ago."
Clara frowned.
"What?"
Luca answered.
"At least that's what the records say."
Adrien's eyes met Clara's.
"Then tonight has become very interesting."
A vehicle approached the safe house.
Adrien pulled his gun.
"Stay behind me."
The front door opened.
Marco stepped inside.
Clara's body tensed.
Adrien aimed his weapon.
"You have ten seconds."
Marco raised his hands.
"I came alone."
"Why?"
"Because you are running out of time."
Adrien didn't lower the gun.
Marco reached inside his coat.
Clara tensed.
He slowly removed a flash drive.
"I stole this from Luca's security terminal."
Luca stared at the screen when Marco connected it.
Seven minutes of deleted footage appeared.
The preparation room.
Five-thirteen.
A figure entered.
The face was hidden.
But the person carried a distinctive silver walking cane.
Marco paused the video.
Adrien stared.
"I know that cane."
Clara looked at him.
"Whose is it?"
Adrien didn't answer.
Marco did.
"Your father gave it to Gabriel."
Clara's heart stopped.
Then the screen moved forward.
The figure removed the hood.
The face became visible.
Adrien whispered a name.
"Matteo."
Clara frowned.
"Who is Matteo?"
Marco looked at her.
"Adrien's godfather."
The video continued.
Matteo placed the silver angel inside Clara's bag.
Then he turned toward the camera.
May you like
As if he knew they would eventually watch.
And smiled.
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