The Devil's Vow

Chapter 14 - The Photograph

Sofia couldn't take her eyes off the photograph.

There she was.

Fourteen years old.

Standing beside Alessandro at the old harbour.

She remembered the night now.

Not everything.

But enough.

The cold air.

The smell of salt.

Alessandro's hand wrapped around hers as he hurried her through the darkness.

And the fear in his sixteen-year-old eyes that he had tried so hard to hide.

But there was something else.

Something she couldn't remember.

She turned the photograph over again.

ASK HIM WHAT HAPPENED AFTER HE LEFT YOU.

Her fingers tightened around the edges.

"What happened after you left me?"

Alessandro didn't answer.

Sofia looked up.

"Alessandro."

He slowly lowered his weapon.

"I didn't leave you."

The words were quiet.

"But this photograph says you did."

"I didn't."

"Then explain it."

He stepped closer.

"I got you to the harbour."

"I remember."

"I put you on a boat."

Her eyes widened.

"What boat?"

"A small fishing boat your father had arranged."

"Where was my father?"

"I don't know."

"And you?"

"I stayed behind."

"Why?"

"Because someone was coming."

Sofia stared at him.

"Who?"

"I never saw his face."

"But you knew it was dangerous."

"Yes."

"Then why didn't you come with me?"

His expression tightened.

"Because your father told me to make sure you got away."

She shook her head.

"You were sixteen."

"I know."

"You should have been scared."

"I was."

His answer was immediate.

"I was terrified."

Sofia hadn't expected that.

Alessandro looked down.

"I'd never been responsible for someone's life before."

His voice became quieter.

"And you were just a child."

Sofia's heart ached.

"What happened after I left?"

"I watched the boat disappear."

"And then?"

"I went back."

"To the estate?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"To find your father."

She swallowed.

"Did you?"

"No."

"Did you find my mother?"

"No."

"Then what happened?"

Alessandro's jaw tightened.

"I was attacked."

Sofia's eyes widened.

"By who?"

"I don't know."

"How did you survive?"

"I wasn't alone."

"Who was with you?"

He hesitated.

"Luca's father."

Sofia frowned.

"Luca?"

"No. His father."

"He was involved?"

"He was the one who got me out."

Sofia looked at the photograph again.

"Then why would someone leave this here?"

"Because they want you to doubt me."

She looked at him.

"Do you think I should?"

"No."

The answer was firm.

"But I understand why you might."

Sofia's anger softened slightly.

She hated that he wasn't fighting her.

She almost wanted him to.

"There's something else," she said.

"What?"

She pointed to the photograph.

"Who took this?"

Alessandro studied it.

"I don't know."

"But they were close enough to see us."

"Yes."

"Which means someone was watching us that night."

"Yes."

"And they kept this photograph for eleven years."

His expression darkened.

"Yes."

Sofia looked toward the window.

"Then whoever has it knows what happened."

"That's what I believe."

"And they're trying to make us find them."

Alessandro nodded.

"Exactly."

A strange silence settled between them.

Sofia looked at him.

"Do you think they're watching us now?"

"I'd bet my life on it."

She sighed.

"That isn't reassuring."

"It wasn't meant to be."

Despite everything, she smiled.

Alessandro noticed.

His expression softened.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You smiled."

"Am I not allowed?"

"You are."

He stepped closer.

"Just curious why."

Sofia looked into his eyes.

"Because somehow, even when everything around me is falling apart..."

She paused.

"I feel safe when you're near."

The words surprised them both.

Alessandro's face became still.

"Sofia."

"I know."

She looked away.

"I probably shouldn't have said that."

He gently caught her chin and turned her back toward him.

"Don't take it back."

Her heart skipped.

"Why?"

"Because I don't think I've ever wanted to hear anything more."

Their eyes locked.

His thumb brushed lightly against her cheek.

The touch was slow.

Careful.

Sofia leaned into it without thinking.

Alessandro noticed.

His eyes dropped to her lips.

Neither moved.

Then his phone rang.

He closed his eyes.

Sofia laughed softly.

"Your phone has terrible timing."

"It does."

He answered.

"De Luca."

His expression changed almost immediately.

Sofia watched him.

"What happened?"

A pause.

"Are you certain?"

Another pause.

"Send it."

He ended the call.

"What is it?"

"Security footage."

"From where?"

"The harbour."

Sofia's heart jumped.

"The night I disappeared?"

"Yes."

"Someone found footage after all these years?"

"No."

He looked at her.

"It was uploaded tonight."

---

They moved into the security room.

Luca had already connected the footage to the large monitor.

The recording was grainy.

Black and white.

Timestamped eleven years earlier.

Sofia watched herself appear on screen.

A fourteen-year-old girl.

Alessandro beside her.

She felt strangely detached watching them.

The younger version of herself looked frightened.

Alessandro looked even younger than she remembered.

Then the boat appeared.

He helped her aboard.

The boat pulled away.

Alessandro turned.

And that was when the footage became interesting.

A second vehicle entered the frame.

A black sedan.

It stopped near the harbour.

A man stepped out.

Sofia leaned closer.

"Can you enlarge that?"

Luca did.

The image became blurry.

But the man's face was visible.

Alessandro went completely still.

Sofia looked at him.

"Who is that?"

He didn't answer.

"Alessandro."

His eyes remained on the screen.

"It's Matteo."

Sofia's heart sank.

Her father's closest friend.

The man who had supposedly died.

The man who had pointed a gun at her mother.

The man who had disappeared from the theatre.

"He was there."

"Yes."

"That night."

"Yes."

Sofia stared at the screen.

Matteo walked toward the harbour.

Then another person stepped out of the car.

A woman.

Sofia's breath caught.

She knew her.

Her mother.

"She was there too."

Alessandro nodded.

The two appeared to argue.

Then Matteo handed Sofia's mother something.

A small envelope.

She took it.

Then she walked away.

Sofia stared.

"What was in the envelope?"

"We don't know."

"Can we find out?"

Luca shook his head.

"The footage cuts out."

The screen went black.

Sofia stood frozen.

Then she noticed something.

"Wait."

"What?"

"Play it again."

Luca did.

She watched carefully.

This time she saw it.

Just before the footage ended, Matteo turned toward the camera.

And smiled.

Not accidentally.

Not because he noticed it.

He looked directly into it.

As though he knew someone would watch the recording one day.

Sofia whispered,

"He knew."

Alessandro nodded.

"He wanted us to find this."

"Why?"

He looked at her.

"Because the next clue is probably somewhere we haven't looked."

Sofia thought for a moment.

Then her eyes widened.

"The envelope."

"What?"

"My mother took the envelope."

"And?"

"If she kept it..."

Sofia looked toward the photograph.

"...then she may still have it."

Alessandro understood immediately.

"Then we find your mother."

"And Gabriel."

"Yes."

"And Matteo."

His expression hardened.

"Especially Matteo."

Sofia looked at him.

"Do you think he's the person behind all of this?"

"I don't know."

"You're always saying that."

"Because this time, I genuinely don't."

She nodded.

For once, she appreciated the honesty.

Then Alessandro reached for her hand.

His fingers slipped between hers.

"Whatever happens next, we face it together."

Sofia looked down at their joined hands.

Then back at him.

"Together?"

His gaze held hers.

"Together."

She smiled.

"That's a dangerous promise."

A faint smile appeared.

"I've made worse ones."

Sofia squeezed his hand.

Neither of them noticed the small camera hidden in the corner of the room.

Its red light blinked once.

Then again.

And somewhere across the city, someone watched the live feed.

A woman's voice whispered into the darkness.

"They're finally starting to remember."

A second voice answered.

"Then it's time."

The screen went black.