Chapter 21 - The First Rule
1134 Words
For several seconds after Sofia's mother spoke, nobody moved.
The words remained suspended in the room.
Your father is alive.
Sofia wanted to believe them.
She wanted to reject them.
She wanted to scream at everyone who had allowed her to mourn a man who might still be breathing somewhere in the world.
Instead, she asked the only question that mattered.
"How do you know?"
Her mother looked at her.
"I don't."
Sofia's heart sank.
"What?"
"I said I saw him. I didn't say I was certain."
Alessandro's expression tightened.
"Then tell us exactly what you saw."
Her mother sat down slowly.
"Three weeks ago, I went to the harbour."
"Why?"
"Because someone sent me a message."
"Who?"
"I don't know."
Sofia closed her eyes briefly.
Another unknown person.
Another secret.
"Continue."
"There was a man standing near the water. He was wearing a dark coat. I couldn't see his face clearly."
"Then why did you think it was Dad?"
"Because he knew something only your father could have known."
Sofia's eyes opened.
"What?"
Her mother looked at her.
"The necklace you wore when you were fourteen."
Sofia instinctively touched her neck.
She still wore the small gold pendant.
"My father gave me this."
"I know."
"What did the man say?"
Her mother's eyes filled with tears.
"He said, 'Tell my daughter I kept my promise.'"
Sofia's breath caught.
"What promise?"
"I don't know."
Silence.
Alessandro stepped forward.
"Did he give you anything?"
Her mother nodded.
She reached inside her coat and pulled out a small envelope.
Sofia stared at it.
"Why didn't you show me this earlier?"
"Because I was afraid."
"Of what?"
Her mother looked toward Alessandro.
"Of what it would mean if he really is alive."
Alessandro took the envelope.
He examined it carefully before handing it to Sofia.
"Open it."
She did.
Inside was a photograph.
Sofia stared at it.
A man stood beside the harbour.
His face was turned away from the camera.
But around his wrist was a distinctive silver watch.
Sofia knew it immediately.
Her father had worn it every day.
Her fingers began to shake.
"That's his watch."
Alessandro looked at the photograph.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
She turned to her mother.
"Where did you get this?"
"It was left for me."
"By whom?"
"I don't know."
Sofia stared at the photograph again.
For the first time, she allowed herself to consider the impossible.
Maybe her father had survived.
Maybe he had been hiding.
Maybe he'd been trying to protect her all these years.
But then another thought came.
"If he's alive, why hasn't he come home?"
Her mother looked away.
"Because he may not be free to."
The room became silent.
Alessandro took the photograph from Sofia.
"We don't assume he's alive."
She looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because that's exactly what whoever sent this wants us to believe."
Sofia's stomach tightened.
"So you think it's a trap?"
"I think we need proof."
She nodded slowly.
"Then we find proof."
Alessandro's gaze held hers.
"Together."
This time, the word felt different.
Not romantic.
Not yet.
It felt like a decision.
A promise.
Sofia reached for his hand.
He took it.
Her mother's eyes moved between them.
Something almost like relief appeared on her face.
Then she said quietly,
"There's one more thing."
Sofia sighed.
"What now?"
Her mother looked at Alessandro.
"Your father left a rule."
Alessandro frowned.
"What rule?"
"If Sofia ever discovered the truth..."
She paused.
"...she was never to be taken to the old estate."
Alessandro's expression hardened.
"Why?"
"I don't know."
Sofia looked at him.
"Then we won't go there."
He nodded.
"Agreed."
Luca entered the room.
"I have something."
Everyone turned.
He held up his phone.
"The photograph was taken three weeks ago."
Sofia's heart jumped.
"You can tell?"
"The file was uploaded from a camera near the harbour. The timestamp is genuine."
Alessandro looked at him.
"Can you trace the camera?"
"Already did."
"And?"
Luca hesitated.
"The camera belongs to a private security company."
Sofia's hope flickered.
"Can they tell us who installed it?"
"Yes."
"Who?"
Luca looked at Alessandro.
"Your father's old company."
Silence.
Alessandro's jaw tightened.
"My father shut that company down years ago."
"I know."
"Then someone reopened it."
Sofia looked at him.
"Can we find out who?"
Luca nodded.
"I already have a name."
Alessandro's eyes narrowed.
"Who?"
Luca turned the phone around.
A name appeared on the screen.
Dante Russo.
Sofia frowned.
"Who is he?"
"A former employee of your father," Alessandro said.
Her mother suddenly stood.
"No."
Everyone looked at her.
She was staring at the name.
"You know him?"
Her face had gone pale.
"He was there the night your father disappeared."
Sofia's heart began racing.
"Did he hurt Dad?"
Her mother shook her head.
"No."
"Then what did he do?"
Her mother whispered,
"He was the man your father trusted to get you out of the city."
Sofia looked at Alessandro.
"Did he?"
"No."
"Why?"
Alessandro's expression became grim.
"Because he disappeared before he could."
Sofia stared at the name.
One more piece.
Not ten.
Not twenty.
Just one.
Dante Russo.
And for the first time, the mystery felt like something they could actually solve.
Alessandro moved closer.
"We find Dante."
Sofia nodded.
"And we ask him what happened that night."
"Yes."
She looked at him.
"And if he lies?"
Alessandro's mouth curved into a faint smile.
"Then we'll know."
Sofia smiled back.
"You make everything sound simple."
"It isn't."
"I know."
His fingers brushed hers.
"But you don't have to face it alone."
Their eyes met.
For a moment, the rest of the room disappeared.
Sofia leaned closer.
Their lips touched.
A brief, stolen kiss.
When they separated, Alessandro whispered,
"We need to stop doing that."
Sofia smiled.
"Then stop kissing me."
His eyebrow lifted.
"You're the one who kissed me."
"Prove it."
He smiled.
"I'll remember that."
From across the room, Luca cleared his throat.
"Should I give you two a minute?"
Sofia immediately stepped back.
Alessandro looked completely unfazed.
"No."
Luca shook his head.
"Right."
He looked back at his phone.
"Dante Russo is currently in the city."
Sofia's smile disappeared.
"Where?"
Luca gave them the address.
Alessandro picked up his jacket.
"We leave now."
Sofia followed him.
And as she stepped through the doorway, she glanced once more at the photograph of the man beside the harbour.
She didn't know whether it was her father.
She didn't know who had taken the photograph.
And she didn't know what had really happened eleven years ago.
But she finally had something she hadn't possessed in years.
A direction.
And sometimes, Sofia was beginning to realize, finding the truth didn't begin with knowing where you were going.
It began with finally refusing to be afraid of where the road might lead.
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