CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE TRUTH ABOUT THAT NIGHT
1953 Words
Valentina couldn't move.
Adrian's words kept repeating inside her head.
Your father went with Victor willingly.
For ten years, she had imagined that night differently.
She had imagined her father being attacked.
She had imagined Victor forcing him into a car.
She had imagined her mother trying to stop them.
But Adrian was telling her something completely different.
Her father had chosen to leave.
With Victor.
And her mother had been there.
Valentina looked at Adrian.
“You said my mother was there.”
“Yes.”
“You saw her?”
“Yes.”
“Was she alive?”
Adrian nodded.
“She was alive.”
Valentina's eyes filled with tears.
“Then why did everyone tell me she was dead?”
Adrian looked away.
“Because your parents wanted you to believe it.”
“Both of them?”
“Yes.”
Valentina shook her head.
“I don't understand.”
“I know.”
“Then explain it.”
Adrian took a slow breath.
“It happened twelve years ago. Your father called me that night. He told me someone had discovered his plans to protect you.”
“What plans?”
“To get you away from the De Luca family.”
Valentina stared at him.
Adrian continued.
“Your father believed Victor had discovered that Isabella was investigating the Fourth Rose. He knew Victor would come after her.”
“So my father sent my mother away?”
“Yes.”
“And me?”
“He wanted me to take you somewhere safe.”
Valentina remembered the night.
She remembered her father's frightened face.
She remembered him kneeling in front of her.
She remembered him telling her to trust the man who would come for her.
Then everything had become confused.
She had been taken away.
She had never seen her parents again.
“You said you found my father that night,” she whispered.
“I did.”
“Where?”
“At the old warehouse.”
“The Moretti warehouse?”
Adrian nodded.
“Your father was there with your mother and Victor.”
Valentina frowned.
“Why would they meet Victor?”
“Because your father believed Victor had information about the people behind the Fourth Rose.”
“So Matteo trusted him?”
“Not completely.”
Adrian looked serious.
“He believed Victor was dangerous, but he also believed Victor knew something important.”
“What happened?”
Adrian's expression darkened.
“I arrived too late.”
Valentina waited.
“Your father and Victor were arguing. Your mother was trying to convince them to stop.”
“What were they arguing about?”
“Your father wanted to know who had betrayed him.”
“And Victor knew?”
“I believe so.”
Valentina's hands tightened.
“Then what happened?”
“Victor showed your father something.”
“What?”
“A file.”
“What was inside?”
“I never saw it.”
“Why?”
“Because your father ordered me to leave.”
Valentina stared at him.
“He ordered you to leave?”
“Yes.”
“Why would he do that?”
“I didn't know then.”
“And now?”
Adrian hesitated.
“Now I think he wanted to protect me.”
Valentina looked confused.
“From Victor?”
“No.”
Adrian looked at her.
“From the person who was coming.”
Valentina's heart began beating faster.
“Who?”
Adrian shook his head.
“I never saw the person.”
“Then how do you know someone was coming?”
“Because your father told me.”
Valentina stepped closer.
“What exactly did he say?”
Adrian looked down.
“He said, ‘If I don't come back, tell my daughter I never abandoned her.’”
Valentina's eyes filled with tears.
She turned away.
For years, she had believed her father had abandoned her.
Now she was beginning to understand that he may have sacrificed his entire life to keep her alive.
But one question remained.
“What happened to my mother?”
Adrian's expression changed.
“She left with Matteo.”
“Where?”
“I don't know.”
“Adrian.”
“I swear.”
Valentina studied his face.
He looked honest.
But she had learned one thing during the past few days.
Honesty could be complicated.
She walked toward the table and picked up the photograph of her parents.
“My mother survived.”
“Yes.”
“My father survived.”
“Yes.”
“Then they must have been together.”
“Maybe.”
Valentina looked at him.
“Unless something happened between them.”
Adrian didn't answer.
Before she could ask another question, Marcus entered the room.
“We have a problem.”
Adrian turned.
“What?”
Marcus placed his phone on the table.
“The location signal from the old Moretti warehouse has disappeared.”
Adrian frowned.
“When?”
“Five minutes ago.”
Valentina looked at him.
“Someone knew we found it.”
Marcus nodded.
“There is something else.”
He opened another file.
“The warehouse wasn't abandoned.”
Valentina's eyes narrowed.
“What do you mean?”
“Someone has been using it.”
“Who?”
Marcus turned the screen toward them.
A security photograph appeared.
It showed a man entering the warehouse.
His face was partially visible.
Valentina stared at it.
She recognized him.
It was the same man who had appeared at the old clinic.
“The man from the photograph,” she whispered.
Adrian looked closely.
“That's Victor.”
Valentina's stomach tightened.
“He's been there recently.”
Marcus nodded.
“According to the camera records, he entered the warehouse three days ago.”
“Three days ago,” Valentina repeated.
“The same day Elena disappeared.”
Adrian immediately understood.
“Victor took Elena.”
Valentina shook her head.
“Or Elena went to him.”
They all became silent.
Then Valentina noticed something in the photograph.
Behind Victor was another person.
A woman.
Her face was turned away from the camera.
Valentina leaned closer.
“Wait.”
Adrian looked at her.
“What?”
“Zoom in.”
Marcus enlarged the image.
Valentina stared at the woman.
She couldn't see her face clearly.
But something about her posture looked familiar.
The way she held her bag.
The way she stood.
The way she turned her head.
Valentina whispered:
“My mother.”
---
They drove to the warehouse immediately.
The building stood in an isolated industrial area.
The gates were open.
There were no guards.
No cars.
No movement.
Adrian raised his hand before they entered.
“Stay close.”
They walked inside.
Dust covered the floor, but fresh footprints crossed the room.
Someone had been there recently.
Marcus followed the footprints.
“They lead downstairs.”
They entered a basement.
There were several old rooms.
Most were empty.
Then Valentina saw something on the wall.
A photograph.
Her mother.
She stepped closer.
Underneath it was a date.
Three days ago.
Valentina's heart raced.
“She was here.”
Adrian nodded.
Marcus found another photograph.
This one showed Matteo.
The date was the same.
Valentina stared at it.
“They were both here.”
Then a voice came from behind them.
“Yes.”
Everyone turned.
Lorenzo stood at the entrance.
Valentina's expression hardened.
“What are you doing here?”
“I came to stop you.”
“Stop me from finding my parents?”
“Stop you from walking into Victor's trap.”
Adrian stepped forward.
“Where is Victor?”
Lorenzo shook his head.
“Gone.”
“And Isabella?”
“I don't know.”
Valentina stared at him.
“You always say you don't know.”
“Because I don't.”
She moved closer.
“Then tell me something you do know.”
Lorenzo looked at her.
“I know why Victor wanted you to return.”
Valentina froze.
“Why?”
Lorenzo's voice became quiet.
“Because you have something he needs.”
“What?”
“Your father's final inheritance.”
Valentina frowned.
“I already have the family inheritance.”
“No.”
Lorenzo shook his head.
“I'm not talking about money.”
He looked at the small metal card Valentina was holding.
“I'm talking about the information your father left for you.”
Valentina looked at the card.
“What information?”
“Everything.”
Lorenzo pointed toward the card.
“That number isn't a date.”
Adrian examined it.
“Then what is it?”
“A code.”
Valentina's eyes widened.
“What does it unlock?”
Lorenzo looked at her.
“The original De Luca vault.”
She stared at him.
“There is a vault?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
Lorenzo's face became serious.
“Under the first De Luca property.”
Valentina remembered her father's message.
The truth is hidden where the family began.
She finally understood.
The first estate.
The original home.
The place where the De Luca family had built its power.
Her father had been sending her there all along.
Adrian looked at Lorenzo.
“When do we leave?”
Lorenzo answered:
“Now.”
Suddenly, Marcus heard a sound.
A phone ringing.
They all looked around.
The sound was coming from a small room at the end of the basement.
Valentina walked toward it.
Inside was an old telephone.
It stopped ringing.
Then it rang again.
She picked it up.
“Hello?”
Silence.
Then a familiar voice spoke.
Her heart stopped.
“Valentina.”
She knew that voice.
She had heard it in recordings.
She had heard it in memories.
She had dreamed about hearing it again.
Her father's voice.
“Dad?”
Adrian and Lorenzo stared at her.
Matteo spoke again.
“Don't go to the vault.”
Valentina's eyes widened.
“Why?”
“Because Victor wants you to open it.”
“What is inside?”
A pause.
Then Matteo whispered:
“The truth about your mother.”
The call suddenly became distorted.
“Dad! Where are you?”
Static.
“Dad!”
The line went dead.
Valentina slowly lowered the phone.
Nobody spoke.
Then Marcus noticed something on the floor.
A small envelope.
He picked it up and handed it to Valentina.
Her name was written across the front.
She opened it.
Inside was a photograph of her mother.
On the back were six words.
Come alone if you want answers.
Below it was an address.
Valentina looked at Adrian.
He immediately shook his head.
“No.”
“I have to go.”
“Not alone.”
“The message says alone.”
“That's exactly why you shouldn't go.”
Valentina looked down at the photograph.
For ten years, she had wanted one thing.
Her family back.
Now she was closer than ever.
But she also knew the truth.
Someone had planned this.
Someone wanted her to follow the clues.
Someone wanted her to open the vault.
And somewhere in the darkness, Victor De Luca was waiting.
Valentina folded the photograph.
“We're going.”
Adrian looked at her.
“Together.”
She nodded.
But none of them noticed the small camera hidden above the doorway.
On the other side of the city, someone watched them leave.
Victor De Luca smiled.
“They found the vault.”
A woman stood behind him.
Her face remained hidden.
Victor turned toward her.
“Now we find out whether Valentina is really Matteo's daughter.”
The woman finally stepped into the light.
Valentina's mother.
Isabella De Luca.
And she was alive.
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