Chapter 4 - THE MAN WHO NEVER LEFTLuca ordered the guards to increase surveillance around Elena and Maya.
He did not tell Elena why.
Not yet.
She noticed anyway.
"You've doubled security."
Luca looked at her.
"Temporary."
"Nothing is temporary in this house."
She knew him better than he expected.
They had spoken little during the first month.
But something had changed since the blood test.
Now every conversation carried the weight of the truth neither of them fully understood how to carry.
Maya was thrilled by the idea that Luca might be her father.
She asked questions constantly.
Did he like pizza?
Could he throw a baseball?
Did he have photographs from when he was young?
Did he really own the lake?
Why did people call him Mr. Costello if everyone knew his first name?
Luca answered what he could.
Sometimes badly.
Sometimes honestly.
One evening, Maya asked the question he had feared.
"Did you know I existed?"
"No."
"Would you have wanted to?"
Luca stopped.
"Yes."
She nodded.
"Okay."
He expected more.
There was none.
She returned to her drawing.
That hurt more than anger would have.
Across the room, Elena watched him.
Later, when Maya had gone upstairs with a staff member, Elena sat across from Luca.
"You need to understand something."
"What?"
"She can forgive almost anything."
Luca waited.
"But she can't forgive being made to feel unwanted."
"I don't want that."
"Then don't let your fear make your decisions."
He looked at her.
"I've been afraid for twelve years."
"I know."
"Of what?"
"That one day you'll lose another thing you love."
She lowered her gaze.
"I've lived with that fear too."
Luca was silent.
Then the study doors opened.
Anthony Costello walked in.
He smiled.
"Brother."
Luca's body went rigid.
Anthony looked exactly as Luca remembered.
Perfect suit.
Silver watch.
Warm smile.
The smile of a man who had spent twelve years appearing harmless.
"I heard Elena's daughter has been spending time here."
Luca said nothing.
Anthony continued.
"She's a sweet kid."
"How do you know?"
"I've seen her."
"Where?"
Anthony's smile barely moved.
"Around."
Luca studied him.
There it was.
A tiny inconsistency.
Anthony had no reason to know which child Luca meant.
Unless he had been watching.
"You seem interested in her."
Anthony laughed.
"Don't be paranoid."
"Paranoia keeps men like us alive."
Anthony walked closer.
"You're different lately."
"How?"
"You look angry."
Luca smiled.
"Maybe I found something worth being angry about."
Anthony's face remained calm.
But his eyes changed.
Only for a second.
Then he clapped Luca on the shoulder.
"You know I'd never betray you."
Luca looked at the hand.
Then at his brother.
"I know."
Anthony left.
Five minutes later, Luca told Marco:
"Follow him."
Marco nodded.
The surveillance began immediately.
Three days passed.
Anthony did nothing suspicious.
Then, at 2:13 a.m., his car left the city.
Marco followed.
The route ended at an abandoned pharmaceutical warehouse.
Anthony entered alone.
Two minutes later, a second vehicle arrived.
Its driver was Evelyn Voss.
Luca watched the live feed from his study.
His jaw tightened.
They entered the building together.
Twenty minutes passed.
Then Marco's voice came through the speaker.
"We have a problem."
"What?"
"Someone knew we were here."
A burst of static followed.
Then silence.
Luca stood in the darkness.
For twelve years he had accepted the idea that his legs were dead.
Now he wondered whether the same had been true of his family.
Maybe trust had been dead too.
Maybe someone had simply been pretending it was alive.
May you like
The next morning, Marco was found unconscious beside his car.
And Evelyn Voss was gone.
