Chapter 4: The Face in the Photograph
Luca stared at the photograph until his fingers began to ache around its edges.
His father was unmistakable.
The broad shoulders. The silver at his temples. The severe expression Luca remembered from childhood.
But the man standing beside him—
Luca knew that face too.
His older brother, Adrian.
His brother who had supposedly died when Luca was nineteen.
His brother whose funeral had taken place beneath a gray November sky.
His brother whose coffin had never been opened.
Luca looked at Victoria.
“Why is my brother in this photograph?””
Victoria said nothing.
“Why is Adrian standing beside my father?””
Still nothing.
Luca stepped closer.
“Answer me.””
Victoria wiped tears from her cheeks.
“I didn't know his real name at first.””
Luca’s expression hardened.
“What?””
“He called himself Daniel.””
“Where did you meet him?””
“Years ago.””
“How many?””
“Eight.””
Luca stared at her.
Eight years.
Victoria had met his supposedly dead brother seven years before their engagement.
He looked down at the photograph again.
On the back, someone had written a date.
October 14.
And beneath it, four words.
*THE NIGHT EVERYTHING CHANGED.*
Luca’s breathing slowed.
“What happened on October 14?””
Victoria shook her head.
“You shouldn't have found that.””
“That isn't an answer.””
“I was trying to protect you.””
“You keep saying that.””
“Because it's true.””
A sudden metallic crash came from behind the locked door.
Luca spun toward it.
“Adrian?””
Silence.
He moved closer.
“Adrian!””
Nothing.
Then came three soft knocks.
Luca pressed his palm against the wood.
“It's me.””
A voice answered.
Weak.
Older.
But unmistakably familiar.
“Luca?””
His knees nearly buckled.
He closed his eyes.
For fifteen years, he had replayed his brother's voice in memory.
Now he was hearing it through a locked door.
“Adrian?””
Victoria whispered, “Don't open it.””
Luca turned.
“Move.””
“Luca, listen to me.””
“Move.””
“He doesn't want you to know what happened.””
“Who?””
She hesitated.
“Your father.””
Luca's face went cold.
“My father is dead.””
“No.””
Victoria's voice cracked.
“He disappeared.””
Luca stared at her.
“What are you talking about?””
Before she could answer, the voice behind the door spoke again.
“She's lying.””
Victoria froze.
Luca looked toward the door.
Adrian continued.
“She always lies when she's afraid.””
Victoria suddenly lunged for the key.
Luca caught her wrist.
She screamed.
“Let go!””
“No.””
“You don't understand!””
“Then explain!””
Victoria struggled against him.
“I loved you!””
“And you lied to me!””
“I had no choice!””
“There is always a choice!””
She stared at him.
For a moment, neither moved.
Then Elena's footsteps sounded on the stairs.
“Mr. Luca!””
He looked up.
Elena stood at the top, pale and breathless.
Behind her, several dinner guests had followed.
“Go back upstairs,” Luca ordered.
Elena shook her head.
“I can't.””
“Why?””
“Because she knows.””
Victoria looked at her.
“Knows what?””
Elena descended two steps.
“The room isn't the only thing she locked.””
Luca's grip on Victoria loosened.
“What does that mean?””
Elena looked at the walls.
“There's another door.””
Victoria's face drained of color.
Luca noticed.
“Where?””
Elena pointed toward the far end of the corridor.
“There.””
A section of dark wood looked slightly different from the rest.
Luca walked toward it.
Victoria grabbed his sleeve.
“No.””
He pulled free.
“Elena, how do you know?””
“I cleaned this hallway.””
“When?””
“Three nights ago.””
Luca placed his hand against the panel.
Cold air seeped through a narrow crack.
He pushed.
Nothing.
He looked at Victoria.
“What is behind this?””
She shook her head.
“Nothing.””
Luca gave a humorless laugh.
“You've used that answer too many times.””
He stepped back.
Then kicked the panel.
Once.
The wood cracked.
Victoria screamed.
“Luca, stop!””
He kicked again.
The hidden door swung inward.
A narrow staircase disappeared into darkness.
The smell that rose from below was stale and metallic.
Elena covered her mouth.
Luca stared down.
A faint light flickered somewhere beneath them.
Then a voice came from the darkness.
Not Adrian's.
An older man's voice.
Calm.
Almost amused.
“Luca.””
He stopped breathing.
Victoria closed her eyes.
The voice continued.
“You finally came.””
Luca looked at Victoria.
She was crying silently.
And then he realized something that frightened him more than the voice.
Victoria wasn't looking at the staircase.
May you like
She was looking at Elena.
As if Elena had been the one thing she had never expected to survive.
