Chapter 10 - Elena's Final Lie
For almost a minute, Salvatore said nothing.
The foyer disappeared around him.
Matteo was not his son.
He heard the words.
He understood them.
His body rejected them.
“Run it again.”
Russo nodded.
“I already did.”
“Third lab.”
“Salvatore—”
“Third lab.”
“I will.”
Salvatore looked toward the staircase.
“Does Matteo know?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Russo lowered his voice.
“There’s more.”
Of course there was.
“There is a familial connection.”
Salvatore turned.
“What kind?”
“The boy shares enough markers with you to indicate close blood relation.”
“Meaning?”
“Possibly nephew.”
Carmine said, “You said he had a brother.”
Salvatore looked at him.
Alexander Crane.
No.
His stomach twisted.
“Elena had a child with Crane?”
Vale, who had arrived behind them, spoke.
“No.”
Everyone turned.
“How do you know?” Salvatore asked.
“Because Alexander never met Elena until three years ago.”
“Then explain.”
Vale looked deeply uncomfortable.
“There was another Moretti son.”
Maria closed her eyes.
Salvatore laughed bitterly.
“How many relatives do I have hiding behind curtains?”
Maria answered.
“Antonio had a son before he married Sofia.”
“Who?”
“Luca Bellini.”
Salvatore froze.
Bellini.
Matteo’s surname.
“Elena’s brother?”
“Half-brother.”
Vale nodded.
“Luca was Antonio’s illegitimate child.”
Salvatore struggled to follow.
“So Elena…”
“Was raised as Luca’s sister,” Maria said, “but they were not related by blood.”
Salvatore’s voice sharpened.
“You’re saying Luca is Matteo’s father.”
“We think so.”
Salvatore looked upstairs again.
A strange emotion moved through him.
Relief.
Then shame for feeling relief.
Then anger at himself for caring about genetics at all.
“He came here looking for his father.”
Maria said softly:
“He came here looking for the man Elena told him was his father.”
Salvatore’s eyes narrowed.
“Why would she lie?”
Vale answered.
“To keep him alive.”
“From whom?”
“Luca.”
That landed differently.
Carmine frowned.
“I thought Luca was dead.”
Maria looked at him.
“He should be.”
Salvatore turned slowly.
“What did he do?”
Maria hesitated.
“Luca became Antonio’s most loyal enforcer.”
“And?”
“He ran the child-transfer network.”
The air left Salvatore’s lungs.
Matteo’s biological father had helped destroy other children’s lives.
“Elena discovered what he was doing.”
Vale added:
“She tried to save him first.”
“Save Luca?”
“He was family to her.”
“Did it work?”
Maria shook her head.
“Luca threatened to kill her.”
Salvatore stared upstairs.
“Then why have his child?”
Nobody answered.
A voice behind them did.
“She didn’t know who he was until after.”
Matteo stood at the top of the stairs.
Salvatore’s heart stopped.
The boy had heard.
His face was white.
“How long have you been there?”
“Long enough.”
Salvatore climbed slowly.
“Matteo.”
“You’re not my dad.”
The words were simple.
Devastating.
Salvatore reached him.
“I’m not your biological father.”
“You said you were.”
“I said I thought I was.”
“You promised my mother was wrong.”
“What?”
“She said you might not want me.”
Salvatore crouched.
“I do want you.”
“But I’m not yours.”
“You walked nine miles to my gate.”
Matteo’s eyes filled.
“That doesn’t make me yours.”
“No.”
Salvatore held his gaze.
“But choosing does.”
Matteo looked away.
Children did not trust beautiful sentences when their lives had been built from broken promises.
“Who’s Luca?”
Salvatore chose honesty.
“Your biological father.”
“Is he bad?”
“Yes.”
Matteo swallowed.
“Is he dead?”
No one spoke.
Matteo understood.
“He’s alive.”
Maria said softly:
“We don’t know.”
Matteo turned and ran.
Salvatore followed but stopped when the bedroom door slammed.
Carmine came beside him.
“Give him a minute.”
“He’s eight.”
“Exactly.”
Downstairs, a phone rang.
One of the guards answered.
Then his face changed.
“Boss.”
Salvatore turned.
“Call for you.”
“Who?”
The guard held out the phone.
“He says his name is Luca Bellini.”
Every person in the hall froze.
Salvatore took it.
“Speak.”
A man laughed softly.
“Elena always said you were impatient.”
Salvatore felt something ancient and violent stir in his blood.
“Where are you?”
“Closer than you think.”
“You killed Elena?”
Silence.
Then:
“No.”
Salvatore’s grip tightened.
“Then who did?”
“Ask the boy.”
“What?”
“Elena wasn’t murdered in front of Matteo.”
Salvatore’s heart stopped.
“He told us—”
“He told you he heard her scream.”
Luca’s voice dropped.
“He never said he saw her body.”
Salvatore looked up at Matteo’s closed door.
“What are you saying?”
May you like
Luca smiled through the phone.
“I’m saying Elena is alive.”
