Chapter 8: The Second Body
“Anthony!””
Dante ran toward the doorway.
Marcus grabbed his arm.
“Boss, wait!””
Dante shoved him away.
“He was right there.””
The basement door swung open.
The corridor beyond was empty.
Dante looked at the concrete floor.
No blood.
No footprints.
Nothing.
Victoria was crying near the wall.
Elena stood beside her, frozen.
Isaiah was gone too.
Dante turned on Marcus.
“Lock the building down.””
Marcus pulled out his phone.
“Already doing it.””
“No one leaves.””
“Understood.””
Dante looked toward the stairs.
“Find my brother.””
Marcus nodded.
Dante walked back to the table where the papers were scattered.
He picked up the hospital record.
Anthony Cole.
Deceased.
Three years ago.
He read the next line.
Cause of death: traumatic injuries.
Dante stared at the page.
Then he noticed the signature.
The attending physician.
Dr. Samuel Reed.
Dante knew that name.
He had signed Anthony's death certificate.
Dante whispered, “That doctor is dead too.””
Victoria looked up.
“What?””
“He died six months ago.””
Elena slowly stepped closer.
“Then how did he sign this?””
Dante looked at her.
“I don't know.””
A phone rang.
Everyone jumped.
It came from somewhere inside the basement.
Dante searched the room.
Nothing.
Then he heard it again.
Behind the wine shelves.
He moved them aside.
A small black phone sat inside a hidden compartment.
The screen showed one incoming call.
*DANTE.*
Dante answered.
“Who is this?””
Anthony's voice came through.
“Don't trust Victoria.””
Dante closed his eyes.
“Where are you?””
“Somewhere your father never found.””
“You're alive.””
“For now.””
“Anthony, what happened?””
“I was taken.””
“By who?””
A pause.
“By the same people who took our father.””
Dante's eyes sharpened.
“Our father is dead.””
“No.””
Anthony's voice trembled.
“He's alive.””
Dante looked toward the empty doorway.
“Isaiah?””
“No.””
“Then who?””
Anthony breathed heavily.
“Our real father.””
Dante felt the air leave his lungs.
“There are two of them?””
“Dante, listen carefully.””
A muffled sound came through the phone.
Anthony whispered.
“They aren't brothers.””
Dante's expression changed.
“What?””
“Isaiah isn't our father's twin.””
A crash sounded on Anthony's end.
“Anthony?””
Silence.
“Anthony!””
A man's voice answered.
Not Anthony.
Isaiah.
“You're getting close.””
Dante gripped the phone.
“Where is my brother?””
“Alive.””
“Put him on.””
“No.””
“I'll find you.””
“I know.””
The call ended.
Dante lowered the phone.
Victoria walked toward him.
“I know where he is.””
Dante looked at her.
“You're lying.””
“No.””
She wiped her tears.
“I swear.””
“Then tell me.””
“He has a house.””
“Who?””
“Your father.””
Dante stared at her.
“I told you. My father is dead.””
Victoria shook her head.
“Not the man you buried.””
She reached into her purse and removed a key.
“It belongs to a property outside the city.””
Dante took it.
“Why do you have this?””
“Your father gave it to me.””
“When?””
“Before he died.””
Dante stared at her.
Victoria stepped closer.
“He told me if anything happened to him, I was supposed to give it to you only when you were ready.””
Dante almost laughed.
“Ready for what?””
Victoria's voice broke.
“To learn who you really are.””
A noise came from upstairs.
Three rapid knocks.
Marcus's voice echoed through the stairwell.
“Boss!””
Dante looked up.
“What?””
“We found something.””
They rushed upstairs.
The ballroom looked destroyed.
Broken glass covered the marble.
White flowers were scattered everywhere.
The champagne tower had collapsed.
Marcus stood beside the engagement table.
In his hand was a security photograph.
Dante took it.
The image showed the ballroom from above.
Timestamp: 8:42 p.m.
The moment Elena collapsed.
Dante looked closer.
Victoria was beside Elena.
Dante was walking toward them.
Anthony wasn't in the frame.
Isaiah wasn't either.
But someone stood behind the champagne tower.
A woman.
Black.
Long straight hair.
Wearing a burgundy satin gown.
Dante slowly looked at Victoria.
She was wearing the exact same gown.
Victoria stared at the photograph.
“That isn't me.””
Dante turned the image over.
There was handwriting on the back.
*THE FIRST BRIDE WAS NEVER VICTORIA.*
Elena whispered, “Then who was she?””
Dante looked toward the ballroom entrance.
The security doors opened.
A woman stepped inside.
Black.
Long straight hair.
Burgundy satin gown.
Diamond necklace.
She looked exactly like Victoria.
Victoria screamed.
May you like
The woman smiled.
“Hello, sister.””
