Chapter 10 - The Mother in the Photograph
The car disappeared before Leo could reach it.
He stood outside the abandoned church, staring at the empty road.
Rain fell through the darkness.
His mother's voice still echoed inside his head.
Don't trust Adrian.
For twenty-two years, Leo had believed his mother was dead.
For twenty-two years, he had mourned her.
And now someone had spoken to him in her voice.
Someone who knew things only his mother could know.
Mateo walked toward him.
"We lost the vehicle."
Leo didn't answer.
"Leo."
"Find it."
"We're trying."
"Find it."
Mateo nodded.
Beatrice came out of the church.
Her face was pale.
"Where's Lily?"
Leo turned.
"I don't know."
The words nearly broke him.
"But we're going to find her."
Beatrice stared at him.
"You promised."
"I know."
"You promised me."
"I know."
Her voice cracked.
"Then don't stop."
Leo stepped closer.
"I won't."
Three hours later, they found the car.
It had been abandoned near an old private airfield.
Inside were Lily's shoes.
Her stuffed rabbit.
And a bloodstained ribbon.
No Lily.
No Daniel.
No Victoria.
Nothing else.
Except a note taped to the dashboard.
ONE CHILD WAS ENOUGH TO CONTROL YOUR BROTHER.
Leo crushed the paper.
Mateo looked at him.
"What does that mean?"
Leo's eyes moved toward Adrian.
Adrian stood several feet away.
He looked exhausted.
"I think I know."
Everyone turned.
Adrian swallowed.
"Our father didn't use Beatrice only to control me."
"What else?"
"He used her to control Mother."
Leo frowned.
"My mother?"
Adrian nodded.
"She discovered what Father was doing."
"Then why didn't she expose him?"
"Because Father threatened to kill you."
Leo went still.
"Me?"
"You were twenty-one."
Adrian looked away.
"Father told Mother that if she spoke, you'd be next."
Leo felt sick.
"He controlled everyone."
"Yes."
"Then why did you run?"
"Because I couldn't live with it."
Adrian looked at Beatrice.
"I took you."
"You kidnapped me?"
"No."
He shook his head.
"I saved you."
Beatrice stared.
"Then why don't I remember?"
"Because Mother gave you something."
"What?"
"A drug."
Beatrice froze.
"She erased your memories."
Leo stared at Adrian.
"Why?"
"To protect you."
Beatrice's eyes filled with tears.
"My own mother erased me."
"She thought forgetting was safer than remembering."
"She was wrong."
Adrian lowered his head.
"Yes."
They returned to the Rossi mansion before dawn.
Leo went directly to his mother's old room.
It had remained untouched since her death.
He opened a wardrobe.
Old dresses.
Jewelry.
Photographs.
Nothing.
Then Beatrice noticed a small wooden box hidden beneath the floorboard.
She pulled it out.
Inside was a cassette tape.
A handwritten label read:
FOR LEO — ONLY IF ELENA FAILS.
Leo stared.
"Play it."
Mateo found an old cassette player.
The tape crackled.
Then a woman's voice filled the room.
Leo's mother's voice.
"Leo."
His eyes closed.
"I know you will hear this someday."
A pause.
"If you are listening, then I am either dead..."
Her voice trembled.
"...or someone wants you to believe I am."
Leo opened his eyes.
"I made a terrible mistake."
The recording continued.
"I trusted your father."
A breath.
"I trusted Victoria."
Another pause.
"And I trusted the wrong son."
Adrian's face changed.
Leo looked at him.
The voice continued.
"Adrian believes he is saving Beatrice."
"But he doesn't know the truth."
Leo leaned closer.
"Beatrice is not only his daughter."
Silence.
Then:
"She is Elena's daughter."
Leo looked at Beatrice.
"That makes no sense."
The recording continued.
"Elena never gave birth to Beatrice."
Beatrice stopped breathing.
"What?"
"Beatrice was adopted."
Leo stared at Adrian.
Adrian looked shocked.
The voice continued.
"Her biological parents were killed."
"The Rossi family took her."
"Elena became her protector."
"Adrian became her father."
"But neither knew the full truth."
The tape clicked.
Then another voice appeared.
Male.
Older.
Cold.
Leo recognized it immediately.
His father.
"You should have stayed silent."
A woman's scream.
A gunshot.
Then static.
The tape ended.
No one moved.
Beatrice whispered:
"Who were my real parents?"
Leo looked at Adrian.
Adrian was crying.
"I don't know."
Mateo suddenly stepped forward.
"I do."
Everyone turned.
Mateo held an old document.
"I found this in the basement."
He unfolded it.
The name at the top was almost unreadable.
But one line remained clear.
Biological Mother: Elena Miller.
Beatrice stared.
"You said she wasn't my mother."
Mateo shook his head.
"That's what the tape says."
He pointed lower.
Biological Father: Marcus Rossi.
Leo's face went white.
"Marcus?"
His father.
The dead patriarch.
Beatrice stepped backward.
"My father..."
Leo whispered:
"Was my father."
Adrian looked at Beatrice.
"No."
Leo turned.
"What?"
Adrian shook his head violently.
"That document is false."
"Why?"
"Because Marcus wasn't your father."
"Then who was?"
Adrian stared at the name.
His face slowly collapsed.
"No."
"What?"
He whispered:
"Samuel."
Leo frowned.
"Samuel Voss."
The doctor.
The man who had signed Adrian's fake death certificate.
The man connected to the Rossi family.
Adrian looked at Leo.
"Your father wasn't protecting Beatrice."
"He was hiding her."
At that exact moment, Lily opened her eyes.
She was in a dark room.
A woman sat beside her.
The woman was old.
Her hair was silver.
Her hands trembled.
But Lily recognized her.
She had seen her in photographs.
"Grandma?"
The woman smiled through tears.
"Hello, little one."
Lily looked around.
"Where's Daddy?"
The woman touched her cheek.
"Your father is looking for you."
"Why did you take me?"
The woman closed her eyes.
"Because I made a promise."
"To who?"
The woman looked toward the door.
"Your mother."
Lily's eyes widened.
"Mommy?"
The old woman nodded.
"Your mother knew this day would come."
Lily hugged her stuffed rabbit.
"Is Mommy alive?"
The woman didn't answer.
May you like
Instead, she whispered:
"She's waiting for Beatrice."
