Chapter 10 - THE HOUSE BENEATH THE CITY
The Moretti estate had been demolished twelve years ago.
That was what every public record said.
What Vincent remembered was the wrecking crew arriving on a cold November morning, tearing down the stone mansion where his father had ruled the family for almost forty years.
He had watched the walls collapse.
He had watched the roof disappear beneath clouds of dust.
He had believed the house was gone forever.
He had been wrong.
At 3:18 p.m., David led them through an underground service tunnel beneath an abandoned warehouse.
The tunnel smelled of rust and wet concrete.
Vincent walked in front.
Thomas followed.
Marcus and two armed men stayed behind.
Isabella walked beside Sofia.
Margaret came last.
Nobody spoke.
After nearly ten minutes, they reached a steel door.
David pulled out the brass key.
He inserted it.
The lock clicked.
The door opened.
Vincent stepped inside.
And stopped.
The house was still there.
Not above ground.
Below it.
A complete replica of his father's private estate had been constructed beneath the city.
The library.
The study.
The dining room.
Even the old grandfather clock.
Vincent stared.
“My father built this?”
David nodded.
“This was where he kept everything he couldn't trust to paper.”
Thomas walked toward the library.
“Not everything.”
Vincent followed.
Thomas stopped in front of a painting.
It showed Vincent's father standing beside his mother.
Behind them stood two children.
Vincent.
And another child.
A little girl.
Vincent stared.
“That's Isabella.”
Margaret shook her head.
“No.”
Vincent looked at her.
“Then who?”
Margaret whispered:
“Elena.”
He turned back.
The girl in the painting had the same eyes as Emma.
Same dark hair.
Same expression.
But something was wrong.
Vincent stepped closer.
The painting had been altered.
A small section had been painted over.
Thomas reached beneath the frame.
He found a hidden switch.
The wall opened.
Behind it was a safe.
Vincent looked at David.
“You knew about this?”
“Yes.”
“And you never opened it?”
“I didn't have the key.”
Vincent held up the brass key.
He opened the safe.
Inside was a stack of files.
One folder sat on top.
Marked:
ELENA — FINAL STATEMENT
Vincent opened it.
The first line made his hands shake.
If this document is ever found, it means both girls survived.
He looked at Thomas.
“Both girls?”
Thomas nodded.
Vincent continued reading.
I gave birth to one daughter.
Your mother gave birth to another.
They were never twins.
They were never meant to meet.
But your father decided that one child could be used to erase the other.
Vincent turned the page.
There was a photograph.
Elena holding Emma.
Beside her stood Vincent's mother holding Isabella.
Two newborn girls.
Not twins.
Two families.
One secret.
Vincent looked at Margaret.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“Why did you let everyone believe they were twins?”
“Because that was the only story that protected them both.”
Vincent continued reading.
My daughter carries the genetic marker required to open the Moretti Legacy Trust.
Your mother's daughter does not.
But your father believes otherwise.
He thinks both girls can be used as keys.
He is wrong.
Vincent's eyes moved to the final paragraph.
If Emma is ever found, do not bring her to the Moretti estate.
The person who controls the trust will try to use her.
Protect her from the family.
Vincent slowly lowered the paper.
“The family was supposed to protect her.”
Thomas looked at him.
“That was the lie.”
A noise echoed through the underground house.
Everyone froze.
Footsteps.
Someone was walking upstairs.
Marcus raised his weapon.
Vincent motioned for silence.
The footsteps stopped.
Then a voice came through the intercom.
“You finally came home, Vincent.”
Vincent's face went cold.
He recognized the voice.
“Richard.”
David looked at him.
“Who?”
“My father's attorney.”
Thomas shook his head.
“Not just his attorney.”
The intercom crackled.
Richard laughed.
“I see you found the files.”
Vincent stepped closer to the speaker.
“Where is Emma?”
“Safe.”
“Bring her out.”
“You don't understand what you have.”
Vincent looked at the files.
“I understand enough.”
“No.”
Richard's voice became almost amused.
“You understand nothing.”
The doors locked.
Marcus rushed to the exit.
“Sir!”
Vincent looked around.
The underground house had become a prison.
Richard continued.
“You were always your father's favorite mistake.”
Vincent clenched his jaw.
“You have ten seconds to release us.”
“Ten seconds?”
Richard laughed.
“You still think you're in control.”
The lights dimmed.
A screen appeared on the wall.
Emma.
She was sitting in a chair.
Alive.
A woman stood behind her.
Vincent stared.
He recognized her.
Margaret gasped.
“No.”
Vincent turned.
“Who?”
Margaret whispered:
“Your mother's sister.”
Vincent stared at the screen.
The woman smiled.
“Hello, Vincent.”
He hadn't seen her since he was a child.
His father's youngest sister.
The woman everyone believed had died in a car accident.
She had not died.
She had disappeared.
And now she was standing beside Emma.
“Where is Isabella?” Vincent asked.
“She's with us.”
Vincent's heart dropped.
“What do you want?”
“The trust.”
“You can't open it.”
The woman smiled.
“Emma can.”
Vincent looked at Thomas.
Thomas shook his head.
“She doesn't know how.”
The woman laughed.
“She doesn't need to.”
A door opened behind Vincent.
Margaret screamed.
A man stepped out.
Richard.
He held a gun.
Vincent turned slowly.
Richard smiled.
“Welcome home.”
May you like
Then he pointed the gun at Emma's photograph.
“Let's finish what your father started.”
