Chapter 6: The Woman in the Hall
Luca couldn't breathe.
The woman stood beneath the basement light.
Her silver hair framed a face he had seen only in photographs.
A face he'd spent twenty years believing belonged to a dead woman.
His mother.
Elena whispered, “Sir…”
Luca didn't answer.
Victoria pressed herself against the wall.
Marcus looked like he'd seen a ghost.
The woman slowly stepped forward.
“Hello, Luca.””
His knees nearly gave way.
“No.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“You've grown.””
“No.””
Luca shook his head.
“You died.””
The woman stopped.
“I was supposed to.””
“What does that mean?””
She looked toward the steel door.
Then at Marcus.
“Open it.””
Marcus didn't move.
Luca's voice cracked.
“Open the door.””
Marcus looked at him.
“Sir—”
“Open it.””
Marcus took the key.
His hands trembled as he inserted it.
The lock turned.
The steel door opened inward.
Cold air rushed through the corridor.
Luca stepped forward.
Inside was a small room.
A bed.
A desk.
Stacks of old files.
A single lamp.
And a man sitting in a chair.
He looked to be in his early forties.
Tall.
Lean.
Dark hair streaked with gray.
His face was bruised from years of confinement, but the resemblance was unmistakable.
Luca stared at him.
Adrian stood slowly.
Neither brother spoke.
Then Adrian smiled sadly.
“You look just like him.””
Luca swallowed.
“You're my brother.””
“Yes.””
“Why didn't anyone tell me?””
Adrian glanced at the woman behind him.
“Because she was afraid.””
Luca turned.
His mother looked down.
“Mom?””
She closed her eyes.
“My name isn't what you think it is.””
Luca stared at her.
“What?””
She walked closer.
“I was born Evelyn Hart.””
Luca's brow furrowed.
“Why did you change your name?””
“Because your father made me.””
Adrian stepped out of the room.
“He changed everyone's names.””
Luca looked between them.
“Why?””
His mother took a shaky breath.
“Because your father wasn't protecting this family.””
“What was he protecting?””
“His empire.””
She reached into her coat.
Luca instinctively stepped back.
She pulled out a small envelope.
Old.
Yellowed.
His name was written across the front.
“Your father left this for you.””
Luca didn't take it.
“When?””
“Three days before he died.””
“Why didn't you give it to me?””
“Because I thought he would come back.””
“Who?””
She looked at Adrian.
“Your father.””
Luca's blood ran cold.
“He's dead.””
“Yes.””
“Then why would you think he'd come back?””
“Because he disappeared before.””
“When?””
“After he killed the first man who tried to expose him.””
Adrian interrupted.
“He didn't kill him.””
His mother looked at him.
“No.””
“He had someone else do it.””
Luca stared at Adrian.
“Who?””
Adrian's expression darkened.
“Victoria's father.””
Luca turned toward Victoria.
She was crying silently.
“My father worked for yours,” she said.
“For my father?””
“Yes.””
“What did he do?””
“He cleaned up his mistakes.””
Luca looked at his mother.
“And you?””
“I ran.””
“For twelve years?””
She nodded.
“I wanted to come back.””
“Then why didn't you?””
Her voice trembled.
“Because every time I tried, someone died.””
Silence.
Luca looked at the envelope.
Finally, he took it.
The paper was brittle.
His father's handwriting was unmistakable.
Luca opened it.
Inside was one sheet.
Only one sentence.
*If you're reading this, Victoria has already found Adrian.*
Luca slowly looked up.
Victoria's face was empty.
“That's impossible,” she whispered.
Luca held the letter tighter.
“My father knew about you.””
“I told you,” Victoria said.
“You told me you didn't know Adrian.””
“I didn't.””
“The letter says you found him.””
“I didn't find him.””
Adrian stepped forward.
“She did.””
Victoria shook her head.
“No.””
Adrian pointed toward her wrist.
“The bracelet.””
Luca looked at Victoria's jeweled bracelet.
Adrian's voice became cold.
“It belonged to your father.””
Victoria covered it with her hand.
Adrian continued.
“He gave it to you the night he brought me here.””
Victoria began shaking.
“I was seventeen.””
Luca stared at her.
“You knew Adrian before we met.””
“Yes.””
“And you lied about it.””
“I was trying to protect you.””
Adrian laughed bitterly.
“That's what everyone says.””
Luca looked at his mother.
“Why did Victoria want me?””
His mother hesitated.
Then she whispered:
“Because your father left you control of everything.””
Luca frowned.
“What everything?””
“Every company.””
“That's impossible.””
“He put it in your name when you turned eighteen.””
Luca stared at her.
“I already owned my father's companies.””
“No.””
His mother shook her head.
“You only owned what he wanted you to see.””
She reached into her coat again.
This time, she pulled out a second key.
Not silver.
Black.
A tiny number was engraved on it.
*17.*
Luca stared.
“What does that open?””
His mother looked toward the ceiling.
“Your father's vault.””
Luca's phone suddenly rang.
Everyone froze.
He pulled it from his pocket.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Hello?””
A distorted voice whispered through the speaker.
“Luca…”
His face tightened.
“Who is this?””
The voice replied:
“Ask your mother why she really disappeared.””
The call ended.
Luca slowly lowered the phone.
His mother was crying.
Adrian looked frightened for the first time.
Victoria whispered, “We're out of time.””
Luca turned toward her.
“For what?””
She looked toward the staircase.
“The people who were supposed to keep Adrian hidden are here.””
A sound came from upstairs.
Then another.
Doors slamming.
Footsteps.
Several men entering the mansion.
Luca looked at Marcus.
“Get everyone out.””
Marcus nodded and ran upstairs.
Luca turned toward his mother.
“Tell me the truth.””
She opened her mouth.
Before she could speak, every light in the basement went out.
In the darkness, a man's voice whispered from the stairwell.
“Luca.””
Adrian grabbed his brother's arm.
“Don't move.””
The voice came closer.
“You've finally found your family.””
A lighter clicked.
A small flame illuminated the stairs.
A man stood at the top.
And in his hand was a photograph of Luca's father standing beside Victoria's father.
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On the back, written in red ink, were four words:
*YOUR MOTHER WAS THE FIRST.*
