Chapter 8 - The Name in the Blood
Leo returned to the mansion before sunrise.
He had one objective.
Find the original ledger.
Adrian said it was beneath Lily's bedroom.
So Leo went upstairs.
Beatrice followed.
Neither spoke.
The house felt different now.
Every corridor seemed to hide another secret.
Every painting looked like it was watching them.
Leo entered Lily's room.
Her stuffed animals were still arranged along the bed.
Her books were scattered across the carpet.
A drawing hung beside the window.
A family.
Four people.
Leo.
Lily.
Beatrice.
And Elena.
Leo stared.
"She drew this?"
Beatrice nodded.
"Last year."
"Why didn't anyone tell me?"
"She tried."
"What do you mean?"
"She used to say you were missing someone."
Leo looked at her.
"She knew?"
"Children notice things adults don't."
Leo knelt beside the bed.
He ran his fingers along the floorboards.
Nothing.
Then Beatrice noticed something.
"The window."
Leo looked up.
"What?"
"There's no dust on the frame."
He stood.
"Someone opened it recently."
They examined the room.
A thin scratch ran along the wall.
Leo pressed it.
Nothing.
Beatrice touched another stone.
It moved.
A hidden compartment opened.
Inside was a small key.
And beneath it...
a letter.
Leo opened it.
The handwriting belonged to his wife.
Leo,
If you ever find this, it means I failed to protect both girls.
Don't trust Victoria.
Don't trust Father.
Most importantly, don't trust the man who tells you Adrian is dead.
Your brother is alive.
And he knows where Elena is.
Leo stopped.
Beatrice stared at him.
"Elena?"
Leo shook his head.
"She's dead."
The letter continued.
Elena was never killed.
She was taken.
And the woman buried under her name is not Elena.
Beatrice's mouth fell open.
"What?"
Leo kept reading.
I found her alive.
She asked me to hide Beatrice.
She knew Adrian would come back.
She knew your father would hunt them.
And she told me something I didn't believe.
She said Lily and Beatrice were born for different reasons.
Lily was born from love.
Beatrice was born from a secret.
The letter ended there.
Leo stared at the page.
"What does that mean?"
Adrian entered.
He looked at the letter.
Then his expression changed.
"She found it."
Leo turned.
"You knew about this?"
"No."
"You're lying."
Adrian shook his head.
"I didn't know she left a letter."
"Then tell me where Elena is."
Adrian looked away.
"Adrian."
"I don't know."
Beatrice stepped between them.
"You're my father."
Adrian looked at her.
"Yes."
"Then tell me where my mother is."
His eyes filled with pain.
"I've spent twenty-two years looking for her."
Beatrice froze.
"You don't know?"
"No."
"Then who was buried?"
Adrian's voice dropped.
"A woman Victoria hired."
Leo looked at him.
"Why?"
"To make everyone believe Elena was dead."
A sound came from the hallway.
Everyone turned.
Lily's stuffed rabbit lay on the floor.
Leo ran toward it.
A small piece of paper had been attached to its paw.
He opened it.
COME ALONE.
Underneath:
BRING THE GIRL.
Beatrice's face hardened.
"It's a trap."
Leo nodded.
"I know."
"Then don't go."
"They have Lily."
"Exactly."
Adrian stepped forward.
"I'm coming."
Leo shook his head.
"No."
"Why?"
"Because if they know you're alive, Lily dies."
Adrian stopped.
Leo looked at Beatrice.
"You stay here."
She shook her head.
"No."
"Beatrice."
"I'm done hiding."
Leo stared at her.
She continued.
"My mother disappeared."
"My sister was kidnapped."
"Someone erased twenty years of my life."
"And every time I ask why, someone tells me to stay behind."
She stepped closer.
"Not anymore."
Leo studied her.
Then nodded.
"Fine."
Adrian grabbed his arm.
"Leo."
"What?"
"There's something you need to know."
"What?"
"Victoria doesn't want Beatrice dead."
Leo frowned.
"Then what does she want?"
Adrian's expression was grim.
"She wants Beatrice to remember."
The meeting point was an abandoned church.
Leo arrived alone.
Beatrice remained hidden nearby.
Mateo covered the exits.
Victoria stood at the altar.
Lily was beside her.
Alive.
Unharmed.
Leo's entire body relaxed for half a second.
Then he saw the man standing behind Victoria.
Daniel.
Leo didn't know him.
But Daniel knew Leo.
"Mr. Rossi."
"Let my daughter go."
Daniel smiled.
"You've become predictable."
"Who are you?"
"Someone your father betrayed."
Leo's eyes narrowed.
"My father is dead."
"So was your brother."
A pause.
"Yet here we are."
Victoria handed Lily to Daniel.
Leo's eyes became murderous.
"Touch her again and you die."
Daniel laughed.
"You still think this is about money."
He pulled out a photograph.
Leo stared.
It showed Elena.
Alive.
Standing outside a clinic.
The date was six months after the bombing.
Leo's breathing stopped.
"Where did you get that?"
"She gave it to me."
"When?"
"Three months ago."
Leo's heart pounded.
"She's alive."
Daniel nodded.
"Very much so."
"Where?"
Daniel looked toward Beatrice's hiding place.
"Ask your daughter."
Beatrice stepped into the church.
Leo turned.
"Beatrice!"
Daniel smiled.
"Good."
Beatrice stared at the photograph.
Her entire body began shaking.
"I remember that place."
Leo looked at her.
"Where?"
"A hospital."
She closed her eyes.
"Elena took me there."
Daniel nodded.
"Exactly."
Beatrice opened her eyes.
Then whispered:
"She wasn't hiding from the Rossi family."
Leo frowned.
"Then who?"
Beatrice stared at Daniel.
"She was hiding from me."
Everyone froze.
May you like
Daniel smiled.
"Now she remembers."
