Chapter 9 - The Woman Behind the Grave
Beatrice could hear her mother's voice.
Not clearly.
Not completely.
But enough.
A lullaby.
A whisper.
A promise.
A warning.
She closed her eyes.
The church disappeared.
She was six years old again.
Small hands.
Cold floor.
Smoke in the air.
Elena holding her.
"Listen to me, Bee."
"Mommy?"
"You have to be brave."
"I don't want to."
"I know."
"Where are we going?"
"Somewhere nobody can find you."
"Will Daddy come?"
Elena hesitated.
Then smiled.
"Your daddy will find you one day."
Beatrice opened her eyes.
She was back in the church.
Leo was staring at her.
"What did you remember?"
"My mother."
"What did she say?"
"She said my father would find me."
Leo looked at Adrian.
Adrian was crying.
Beatrice noticed.
"You remember too."
Adrian nodded.
"I remember."
"What?"
"The night Elena took you."
"Why?"
"Because Father wanted to use you."
"For what?"
Adrian's face hardened.
"To control me."
Beatrice looked at Leo.
"And Lily?"
Adrian shook his head.
"Lily was never part of the original plan."
Leo's expression changed.
"What does that mean?"
Adrian looked at him.
"Your wife became involved because she found out about Beatrice."
Leo closed his eyes.
Everything was finally connecting.
His wife had discovered Beatrice.
She had discovered the ledger.
She had discovered Elena was alive.
And then she had died.
But why?
Daniel answered.
"Because she tried to expose the network."
Leo looked at him.
"You knew her."
"I helped her."
"Then why didn't you save her?"
Daniel's face changed.
"I tried."
"What happened?"
"Victoria found us."
Silence.
Daniel continued.
"Your wife gave me Lily."
Leo's heart stopped.
"You had my daughter?"
"For six hours."
Leo's hand tightened into a fist.
"Where?"
"At an underground clinic."
"Why?"
"Because your wife knew the bombing was coming."
Leo stared.
"She knew?"
"She had been warned."
"By whom?"
Daniel looked at Beatrice.
"Elena."
Beatrice's breath caught.
"My mother warned her?"
"Yes."
"Then why did she die?"
Daniel lowered his eyes.
"Because someone betrayed her."
Leo already knew the answer.
"Victoria."
Daniel nodded.
"Victoria gave the location to the men who carried out the attack."
Leo's face became empty.
The truth was finally complete.
His wife hadn't been an accidental victim.
She had been hunted.
Because she knew.
Because she had protected Lily.
Because she had tried to save Beatrice.
Victoria had killed her.
Leo looked toward Victoria.
She was silent.
No denial.
No tears.
Nothing.
"Why?"
Victoria laughed softly.
"Because I had no choice."
Leo stepped forward.
"You always had a choice."
"No."
"You chose money."
"I chose survival."
"You murdered my wife."
Victoria's eyes hardened.
"Your father murdered people before me."
"And you continued."
"I was trapped."
Leo shook his head.
"You enjoyed it."
Victoria's expression cracked.
"You don't know what it was like."
"What?"
"Being powerless."
She pointed toward Beatrice.
"Your father promised me everything if I delivered her."
Beatrice stared.
"Why me?"
Victoria's eyes filled with tears.
"Because Adrian was going to expose the family."
She laughed bitterly.
"And Father knew the only thing that could stop him was his daughter."
Beatrice whispered,
"You stole me."
"I protected you."
"You erased me."
"I saved you!"
Beatrice shook her head.
"You saved yourself."
Victoria went silent.
Then Lily screamed.
Everyone turned.
Daniel was gone.
So was Lily.
The church doors slammed shut.
Smoke filled the room.
Leo ran toward the exit.
Locked.
Mateo shouted from outside.
"Leo!"
Leo hit the door.
Nothing.
Beatrice coughed.
Victoria covered her mouth.
Then a voice came from the speakers.
Daniel.
"You wanted the truth."
A pause.
"Now you have it."
Leo shouted:
"Where is my daughter?"
Daniel laughed.
"She's with her grandmother."
Leo froze.
"My mother is dead."
"No."
Daniel's voice became almost gentle.
"Your mother is alive."
Leo stared at Victoria.
Victoria's face went white.
"No."
Leo turned.
"What does he mean?"
Victoria whispered:
"She's not supposed to be alive."
Then another voice came through the speakers.
An elderly woman.
Weak.
But unmistakable.
"Leo."
He stopped breathing.
He knew that voice.
His mother.
Alive.
"Leo, don't trust Adrian."
The speaker went silent.
Adrian looked horrified.
Leo slowly turned toward his brother.
"Why would she say that?"
Adrian shook his head.
"I don't know."
Beatrice looked between them.
Then she noticed something on the floor.
A bloodstained envelope.
She picked it up.
Inside was one photograph.
A woman.
Elena.
Standing beside Lily.
Standing beside Beatrice.
And behind them...
Leo's mother.
Alive.
On the back were five words:
THE WOMAN YOU BURIED WASN'T ELENA.
Beatrice stared at the photograph.
Then she whispered:
"Then who did they bury?"
Nobody answered.
Because somewhere outside the church...
May you like
a car engine started.
And the woman everyone believed had died twenty-two years ago was finally coming home.
