Chapter 5: The Family Secret
Luca stopped with his hand still on the lock.
The footsteps grew louder.
Fast.
Too many.
Elena looked up the stairs.
“The guests.””
“No,” Victoria whispered.
Luca looked at her.
“Then who?””
Victoria backed toward the wall.
“I don't know.””
The footsteps reached the top of the basement stairs.
A man's voice called down.
“Mr. Vale?””
Luca recognized it.
His head snapped toward the darkness.
“Marcus?””
His chief of security appeared at the bottom of the stairs, followed by two other men.
They were dressed in black suits.
Marcus looked at the steel door.
Then at Luca.
“You need to come upstairs.””
Luca didn't move.
“Why?””
“Now.””
“What happened?””
Marcus glanced at Victoria.
That single look told Luca everything.
“You knew.””
Marcus swallowed.
“Sir…”
“You knew there was someone down here.””
“I knew there was a restricted room.””
“That's not what I asked.””
Marcus said nothing.
Luca stepped toward him.
“Who is behind that door?””
Marcus looked at Victoria again.
She shook her head.
“Don't.””
Luca's eyes narrowed.
“Don't what?””
Marcus lowered his voice.
“Open it.””
Luca laughed bitterly.
“That's the second time someone has told me that.””
“Because it's dangerous.””
“Dangerous for whom?””
Marcus didn't answer.
Elena suddenly stepped forward.
“For him.””
Everyone looked at her.
She pointed at Luca.
“It's dangerous for Luca.””
Marcus's face tightened.
“Who are you?””
“Elena.””
“I know your name.””
“Then you know I was locked down here.””
Marcus looked at Victoria.
“You did what?””
Victoria's eyes filled with panic.
“I didn't lock her down there.””
Elena stared at her.
“You did.””
“I didn't.””
“You told me nobody would hear me scream.””
Luca turned toward Victoria.
“You said that?””
Victoria shook her head.
“I was angry. I didn't mean—”
“Enough.””
Luca's voice stopped her.
He turned back to Marcus.
“Move.””
Marcus stood in his path.
“I can't.””
“You work for me.””
“I work for your family.””
Luca stared at him.
“What does that mean?””
Marcus's jaw tightened.
“Your father gave me instructions.””
“Your father has been dead for twelve years.””
Marcus looked toward the door.
“Not all his instructions expired when he died.””
Luca's expression changed.
He looked at the silver key.
Then at the steel door.
“Open it.””
Marcus shook his head.
“No.””
“That's an order.””
“I can't.””
“Why?””
Marcus finally looked directly at him.
“Because your father told me that if you ever found this room, I was supposed to stop you.””
“Why?””
Marcus's voice dropped.
“Because you were never supposed to know about him.””
The silence was absolute.
Luca looked at the door.
“My brother.””
Marcus said nothing.
Luca stepped backward.
“You knew.””
“Yes.””
“You've known all these years?””
“Yes.””
“Who is he?””
Marcus closed his eyes.
“His name is Adrian.””
Luca felt his chest tighten.
“Adrian Vale.””
Marcus nodded.
“Why was I never told?””
“Your father said Adrian was dead.””
Elena whispered, “He isn't.””
Marcus looked at her.
“No.””
“Then why keep him here?””
Marcus didn't answer.
Luca stepped closer.
“Why?””
Marcus finally said, “Because Adrian knows what happened the night your mother died.””
Victoria began crying again.
Luca turned toward her.
“You knew.””
She shook her head.
“Not everything.””
“What did you know?””
“I knew Adrian was alive.””
“Since when?””
“Before I met you.””
Luca's face hardened.
“And you still agreed to marry me.””
Victoria wiped her cheeks.
“I was trying to get close enough to help you.””
“You lied to me.””
“I had no choice.””
“You always had a choice.””
She stared at him.
Then whispered, “So did your father.””
A sudden pounding erupted from behind the steel door.
Everyone jumped.
Three hard strikes.
Then silence.
Luca approached the door.
“Adrian?””
No answer.
He placed his hand on the handle.
“Adrian, I'm Luca.””
Nothing.
“I'm your brother.””
A long pause.
Then:
“I know.””
Luca's eyes widened.
“How?””
The voice sounded closer.
“I've been watching you.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“Luca, step away.””
“Watching me from where?””
“Everywhere.””
Luca looked at the walls.
A tiny camera lens was hidden above the door.
His stomach dropped.
“How long?””
Adrian answered.
“Since you were seventeen.””
Luca remembered the night his father died.
The hospital.
The argument.
The silver key.
And the strange feeling that someone had been standing outside his bedroom window.
He had always thought it was grief.
Maybe it wasn't.
“Why?””
Adrian's voice became softer.
“Because he wanted to know if you were becoming like him.””
“Like who?””
“Father.””
Luca closed his eyes.
“What did he do?””
Adrian didn't answer.
Instead, the door clicked.
A small metal panel slid open.
One eye appeared behind it.
Elena gasped.
Luca stared.
The eye was bloodshot.
Older than Luca expected.
But the shape was familiar.
Uncomfortably familiar.
Adrian whispered:
“Ask Victoria who put me down here.””
Luca turned.
Victoria was already backing away.
“Victoria.””
She shook her head.
“No.””
“Who?””
“No.””
“Tell me.””
Her voice broke.
“Your father.””
Luca stared at her.
“And who helped him?””
Victoria couldn't speak.
Marcus looked at the floor.
Luca understood.
He looked at Marcus.
“You.””
Marcus's eyes closed.
“Yes.””
The room seemed to tilt.
Luca stepped toward him.
“You helped my father imprison my own brother?””
“I was following orders.””
“You watched him suffer.””
“Yes.””
“For twelve years?””
Marcus whispered, “Yes.””
Luca's fist tightened.
Then Adrian spoke again.
“There's one more person.””
Luca turned.
“Who?””
Adrian's voice was almost inaudible.
“The person who gave your father the order.””
Victoria suddenly screamed.
“Luca, don't ask!””
He stared at her.
“Why?””
Because Victoria was looking past him.
Toward the stairwell.
Someone was standing there.
A woman.
Older.
Elegant.
Wearing a black coat.
May you like
Luca recognized her immediately.
His mother.
