Chapter 5 — The Sister Who Never Existed
For several seconds, Chloe couldn't move.
The photograph remained frozen on Gabriel's phone.
A girl stood beside Leo outside the warehouse.
Same dark hair.
Same pale skin.
Same narrow chin.
Same small scar beneath the left eyebrow.
Same eyes.
Chloe knew those eyes.
Because they were hers.
She looked at the photograph again.
Then at Beatrice.
Then back at Gabriel.
“That isn't possible.”
Her voice was barely audible.
Beatrice was still signing.
Her movements were urgent.
Almost frantic.
Chloe understood every word.
“That is your sister.”
Chloe shook her head.
“No.”
Beatrice signed again.
“Your sister.”
“No.”
Chloe backed away.
“I don't have a sister.”
Gabriel lowered the phone.
“Are you sure?”
She looked at him sharply.
“Yes.”
“You have no memory of one?”
“No.”
“Your parents never mentioned—”
“My parents had two children.”
Chloe's voice cracked.
“Leo and me.”
Gabriel said nothing.
Chloe's eyes remained fixed on the photograph.
The girl was smiling.
Leo stood beside her.
His arm was around her shoulder.
They looked comfortable together.
Familiar.
Like siblings.
Like family.
But Chloe had never seen her.
Never heard of her.
Never known her name.
She whispered:
“Who is she?”
Beatrice raised both hands.
Chloe watched.
“Her name is Emily.”
Chloe's heart stopped.
Emily.
The name meant nothing.
Yet somehow, hearing it made something inside her ache.
“Emily what?”
Beatrice hesitated.
Then signed:
“Bennett.”
Chloe closed her eyes.
“No.”
Gabriel stepped closer.
“Chloe.”
“No.”
She shook her head harder.
“My parents didn't have another child.”
Gabriel remained quiet.
Chloe looked at him.
“You know that, right?”
“I don't know anything about your family.”
“My mother would have told me.”
“Maybe.”
“My father would have told me.”
“Maybe.”
“Leo would have told me.”
Gabriel didn't answer.
That silence hurt more than words.
Chloe looked down.
The photograph showed Leo smiling beside Emily.
She knew her brother.
He had never been good at keeping secrets from her.
Not from her.
He would have told her.
Unless—
Unless he had promised someone.
Unless someone had made him promise.
Unless the truth was dangerous enough to destroy them.
Chloe looked toward Beatrice.
“How do you know her?”
Beatrice pointed at Leo.
Then at herself.
Then made a sign Chloe recognized.
Hospital.
Chloe's stomach tightened.
“You met her at the hospital?”
Beatrice nodded.
“Who was there?”
Beatrice pointed at herself.
Then made the sign for girl.
Then pointed toward Chloe.
“Me?”
Beatrice shook her head.
“Her.”
Emily.
Chloe swallowed.
“Why would my sister be at the hospital?”
Beatrice looked away.
Her hands slowed.
Then she signed:
“She was dying.”
Chloe stopped breathing.
“What?”
Beatrice's eyes filled with tears.
“She was dying.”
Chloe stared.
Gabriel looked at his mother.
“When?”
Beatrice held up two fingers.
“Two years ago.”
The same year Leo died.
The same year everything changed.
Chloe's knees weakened.
She grabbed the edge of the table.
“Was she sick?”
Beatrice shook her head.
“No.”
“Then what happened?”
Beatrice hesitated.
Then signed:
“An accident.”
Chloe looked at Gabriel.
“Another accident?”
Gabriel's expression hardened.
He understood the implication.
Two siblings.
Two years ago.
Two accidents.
One family.
And the Costellos somehow knew about both.
Gabriel turned toward Vincent.
“You knew about Emily?”
Vincent didn't answer.
Gabriel's voice became colder.
“Vincent.”
“Yes.”
Chloe looked at him.
“You knew?”
Vincent nodded.
“Since when?”
“Since before Leo died.”
Chloe stepped toward him.
“And you never told me?”
“I couldn't.”
“You couldn't?”
Vincent's face tightened.
“You don't understand what was happening.”
“My brother died!”
“I know.”
“You knew he had a sister?”
Vincent hesitated.
“Half-sister.”
Chloe froze.
“What?”
Vincent looked at Gabriel.
Gabriel stared back.
Vincent continued.
“Emily wasn't your full sister.”
Chloe's voice trembled.
“What does that mean?”
“Different father.”
Chloe shook her head.
“No.”
Vincent nodded.
“Your mother had a daughter before she married your father.”
Chloe stared at him.
“My mother?”
“Yes.”
“That's impossible.”
“It isn't.”
“Who was Emily's father?”
Vincent didn't answer.
Gabriel stepped closer.
“Tell her.”
Vincent looked at him.
“You're sure?”
“Yes.”
Vincent took a breath.
“Salvatore Costello.”
The world seemed to stop.
Chloe stared at him.
Gabriel's expression changed.
“What?”
Vincent looked at Gabriel.
“Emily was Salvatore's daughter.”
Chloe couldn't process the words.
Her mother.
Salvatore.
A hidden daughter.
Leo.
A photograph.
Everything seemed tangled together.
She whispered:
“My mother had a child with Salvatore?”
Vincent nodded.
“Before she met your father.”
Chloe shook her head.
“My mother hated the Costellos.”
“She had reasons.”
“What reasons?”
Vincent looked toward Beatrice.
Beatrice's face was full of sorrow.
“She was afraid of him.”
“Why?”
Vincent answered quietly.
“Because Salvatore wasn't the man your mother thought he was.”
Chloe stared.
“What did he do?”
Vincent didn't answer immediately.
Gabriel interrupted.
“Enough.”
Chloe turned.
“No.”
Gabriel looked at her.
“Chloe—”
“No.”
She stepped closer.
“You don't get to tell me when it's enough.”
Gabriel remained silent.
“My brother died.”
She held up the photograph.
“My mother lied.”
She pointed at Vincent.
“You knew.”
Then she pointed toward Beatrice.
“And your mother knew.”
Her voice cracked.
“Everyone knew except me.”
Beatrice reached for her.
Chloe pulled away.
“I need answers.”
Beatrice nodded.
She began signing.
Chloe watched through tears.
“She tried to protect you.”
Chloe shook her head.
“Everyone says that.”
Beatrice continued.
“She believed the truth would destroy you.”
Chloe laughed bitterly.
“The truth is already destroying me.”
Beatrice's hands stopped.
Then she signed:
“Your mother didn't know Emily was alive.”
Chloe froze.
“What?”
Beatrice nodded.
“Your mother believed she died.”
“When?”
“Infancy.”
Chloe stared at the photograph.
“But she's here.”
Beatrice nodded.
“She survived.”
“Where?”
Beatrice pointed toward the phone.
“Leo found her.”
Chloe's heart pounded.
“My brother found Emily?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
Beatrice pointed toward the photograph.
“Salvatore.”
Chloe looked at Vincent.
“He found her through Salvatore?”
Vincent nodded.
“Leo discovered Salvatore had a daughter.”
“Why was she hidden?”
“Because Salvatore wanted her hidden.”
“From whom?”
Vincent looked at Gabriel.
“From your father.”
Gabriel's face hardened.
“Why?”
“Because your father would have used Emily to expose him.”
Chloe frowned.
“Expose him for what?”
Vincent looked away.
“Salvatore had been stealing from the family.”
Gabriel's expression remained cold.
“How much?”
“Everything he could.”
“That's not enough.”
Vincent sighed.
“He was moving money through businesses your father didn't know existed.”
“Shell companies.”
“Yes.”
“Political payments.”
“Yes.”
“Illegal operations.”
“Yes.”
Gabriel stared at him.
“And Emily?”
Vincent shook his head.
“Emily wasn't part of the money.”
“Then why hide her?”
Vincent's voice dropped.
“Because she was leverage.”
Chloe's stomach turned.
“Against my mother?”
“Against everyone.”
“How?”
Vincent looked at Chloe.
“If your mother ever left Salvatore, he threatened to take Emily.”
Chloe closed her eyes.
Her mother had spent her entire life believing she had lost a child.
But perhaps she hadn't lost her.
Perhaps someone had stolen her.
The thought was unbearable.
She opened her eyes.
“Where is Emily now?”
Vincent didn't answer.
Chloe stepped closer.
“Where?”
“I don't know.”
“You're lying.”
“I swear.”
Gabriel watched him.
Vincent looked exhausted.
“I haven't seen her in two years.”
“Two years?”
“After the accident.”
Chloe's voice dropped.
“What accident?”
Vincent hesitated.
“Emily was hit by a car.”
Chloe froze.
“Where?”
“Outside a clinic.”
“When?”
“The same week Leo died.”
Chloe felt sick.
“Was Leo there?”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
Vincent looked toward the ground.
“Leo found Emily first.”
Chloe's eyes filled with tears.
“He saved her?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did he die?”
Vincent didn't answer.
Chloe grabbed his sleeve.
“Why?”
Vincent finally looked at her.
“Because the people who came for Emily found Leo.”
Chloe released him.
“What people?”
Vincent's face tightened.
“Salvatore's men.”
Gabriel asked:
“Did Salvatore order the hit?”
“I don't know.”
“You were there.”
“I arrived after.”
“You always arrive after.”
Vincent flinched.
Gabriel's voice was ice.
“My mother says you betrayed me.”
Vincent nodded.
“Maybe she was right.”
Chloe looked at him.
“What does that mean?”
Vincent stared at Gabriel.
“I didn't betray you.”
He paused.
“I betrayed your father.”
Gabriel said nothing.
Vincent continued.
“I helped Leo.”
Chloe stared.
“You helped him?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't you save him?”
Vincent closed his eyes.
“Because I couldn't.”
“Why?”
“Because I was fighting three men.”
“Three?”
Vincent nodded.
“I got Leo out of the warehouse.”
Chloe's heart pounded.
“He was alive?”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“About ten minutes.”
“Then what happened?”
Vincent's voice became quiet.
“Leo told me to leave.”
“Why?”
“He had found the recording.”
“What recording?”
“Your father's.”
Chloe wiped her eyes.
“He said if I stayed, they'd follow me.”
“Who?”
“Salvatore's people.”
“And you left?”
“Yes.”
“You left my brother?”
“I thought he was safe.”
Chloe stared at him with disbelief.
“You thought?”
“I had no choice.”
“You always have a choice.”
Vincent accepted the words without defending himself.
Then he said something that made Chloe stop.
“Leo knew he was going to die.”
Silence.
“What?”
“He told me.”
“When?”
“The last time I saw him.”
“What did he say?”
Vincent looked toward the burning restaurant.
“He told me to find you.”
Chloe's lips trembled.
“What did he want you to tell me?”
Vincent looked at her.
“He said you were the only person he trusted.”
Chloe broke.
She covered her face.
For two years she had believed Leo had died alone.
That he had been afraid.
That maybe his last thought had been of their mother.
Their childhood home.
His favorite songs.
She had never imagined he might have been thinking of her.
Vincent continued softly.
“He said, 'Tell Chloe not to blame herself.'”
Chloe lowered her hands.
“Why would I blame myself?”
Vincent looked at her.
“Because he knew you would.”
She began crying silently.
Gabriel watched.
He didn't touch her.
He didn't tell her to stop.
He simply stood there.
For a man who had spent his life controlling everything around him, he seemed to understand that some pain couldn't be ordered away.
Beatrice walked toward Chloe.
This time, Chloe didn't pull back.
Beatrice gently took her hands.
She signed:
“He loved you.”
Chloe nodded.
“I know.”
Beatrice signed:
“He wanted you to live.”
Chloe closed her eyes.
“I tried.”
Beatrice shook her head.
“No.”
She touched Chloe's chest.
Then signed:
“Now live.”
Chloe looked at her.
The words hit harder than anything else.
Because she realized she hadn't been living for two years.
She had been surviving.
Working.
Paying bills.
Avoiding memories.
Avoiding sign language.
Avoiding Leo.
Avoiding the possibility that his death might not have been an accident.
She had built her entire life around not looking backward.
Now the past had come looking for her.
Gabriel's phone vibrated.
He looked at the screen.
Another unknown message.
This time, there was no photograph.
Only words.
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THE WRONG GIRL.
Gabriel showed it to Chloe.
“What does that mean?”
Before she could answer, another message appeared.
EMILY ISN'T YOUR ONLY SISTER.
Chloe stared.
Her face went numb.
Another message.
ASK YOUR MOTHER ABOUT THE THIRD CHILD.
Gabriel slowly lowered the phone.
Vincent whispered:
“No.”
Chloe looked at him.
“You know.”
“I don't.”
“You said no.”
Vincent shook his head.
“I said no because I thought it was impossible.”
Gabriel's eyes narrowed.
“What third child?”
Vincent looked at him.
“I don't know.”
Chloe stepped closer.
“You're lying again.”
“No.”
“You know something.”
Vincent's face tightened.
“I know there was a rumor.”
“What rumor?”
“That Salvatore had another child.”
Chloe's heart pounded.
“With my mother?”
Vincent nodded.
“But nobody knew if it was true.”
“Where is the child?”
“We don't know.”
“Was it a boy or girl?”
Vincent hesitated.
“A girl.”
Chloe stared at him.
“How old?”
Vincent looked at the photograph.
“About your age.”
Silence.
Chloe slowly backed away.
“No.”
Gabriel noticed something.
He looked at the photograph again.
Then at Chloe.
Then at the girl standing beside Leo.
“Wait.”
Chloe looked at him.
“What?”
Gabriel pointed.
“Look at Emily's hand.”
Chloe stared.
A small bracelet.
Silver.
With a tiny engraving.
She recognized it.
Her mother had owned the exact same bracelet.
Chloe's breathing stopped.
“My mother gave that to Leo.”
Vincent frowned.
“No.”
“Yes.”
Chloe remembered.
She had seen it years ago.
Their mother had given Leo a silver bracelet before he left for college.
Leo had worn it constantly.
But in the photograph—
it was on Emily.
Chloe whispered:
“Why would Leo give her my mother's bracelet?”
Gabriel looked at the picture.
“Maybe because Emily was family.”
Chloe shook her head.
“No.”
She looked closer.
There was an engraving.
Only three letters.
C.B.
Chloe Bennett.
Her initials.
Her mother had given Leo a bracelet engraved with Chloe's initials.
Not his.
Chloe suddenly remembered something.
Leo had once joked about it.
He had said:
“Mom gave me Chloe's bracelet because she says I carry your heart.”
Chloe had laughed.
She had forgotten.
Until now.
Her fingers trembled.
She looked at Beatrice.
“Why did Emily have it?”
Beatrice stared at the bracelet.
Her eyes widened.
Then she signed slowly.
“She wasn't Emily.”
Chloe froze.
Gabriel stepped closer.
“What?”
Beatrice pointed at the girl in the photograph.
Then at Chloe.
Then she signed:
“She is your sister.”
Chloe whispered:
“Which sister?”
Beatrice shook her head.
Then pointed toward the girl's face.
Her hands moved.
“She is not Emily.”
Gabriel stared at the photograph.
“Then who is she?”
Beatrice looked at Chloe.
Her expression broke.
She signed four words.
Your sister is Clara.
Chloe stopped breathing.
Gabriel's eyes widened.
Vincent whispered:
“Impossible.”
And somewhere in the distance, a church bell began to ring.
May you like
11:30 p.m.
Thirty minutes remained until midnight.
