CHAPTER SIX: THE SECOND BETRAYAL
1961 Words
The hidden passage was narrow and almost completely dark.
Valentina followed Adrian through it, holding the small recorder tightly against her chest.
Her father's voice continued to echo in her mind.
Do not trust Lorenzo.
She had suspected her uncle from the moment she returned.
But hearing her father's warning made everything different.
Matteo had known.
He had known Lorenzo was involved.
Yet there was something even more disturbing.
Lorenzo did not act alone.
Who had helped him?
Valentina hurried after Adrian.
“Where does this passage lead?”
“I don't know.”
“You don't know?”
“No.”
“Then how are you so calm?”
Adrian glanced back at her.
“I'm not.”
It was the first time she had heard uncertainty in his voice.
Behind them, they heard a loud sound.
Someone had discovered the hidden entrance.
“They're coming,” Marcus whispered.
Adrian looked ahead.
“Keep moving.”
They continued through the passage until they reached a metal door.
Marcus pushed it open.
They emerged behind the estate, near a small abandoned chapel hidden among the trees.
Valentina looked back at the mansion.
Several lights were moving through the windows.
“They're searching the house.”
Adrian nodded.
“We need to leave.”
“But the recording—”
“We have it.”
“And the notebook?”
Valentina looked down.
She still had it.
“Good.”
They hurried toward the vehicle.
Before they reached it, Adrian suddenly stopped.
“Wait.”
Everyone froze.
“What?” Valentina whispered.
Adrian pointed toward the road.
A black vehicle was parked beneath the trees.
The lights were off.
Marcus quietly moved closer.
“There could be someone inside.”
Adrian nodded.
“Stay here.”
He approached the vehicle carefully.
The driver's door opened.
A man stepped out.
Valentina recognized him.
“Lorenzo.”
Her uncle looked exhausted.
His suit was wet from the rain, and his face was unusually pale.
Adrian immediately stood between him and Valentina.
“What are you doing here?”
Lorenzo raised his hands.
“I'm not here to hurt her.”
Valentina stepped forward.
“Then why are you here?”
Lorenzo looked at her.
“I came to warn you.”
“About what?”
“About Adrian.”
Valentina's eyes narrowed.
“You already warned me about him.”
“This time, I'm telling you the truth.”
Adrian's expression hardened.
“Lorenzo, you have five seconds to leave.”
“Let me speak to her.”
“No.”
Valentina looked at Adrian.
“Let him.”
Adrian stared at her.
“Valentina—”
“I want answers.”
Lorenzo took a deep breath.
“Your father trusted Adrian too much.”
Adrian stepped forward.
“You're lying.”
“Am I?”
Lorenzo looked at Valentina.
“Ask him about the night your father died.”
Valentina's eyes moved to Adrian.
“I already did.”
“And what did he tell you?”
“That he found my father alive.”
Lorenzo laughed bitterly.
“That's not the whole story.”
Adrian's jaw tightened.
Valentina looked between them.
“What are you hiding?”
Neither man answered.
Lorenzo finally spoke.
“Your father didn't die that night.”
Valentina froze.
“What?”
“He disappeared.”
Adrian looked at Lorenzo sharply.
“You weren't supposed to know that.”
“I know because I was there.”
Valentina's heart began pounding.
“You said my father was dead.”
“I believed he was.”
“Then why did you take control of the family?”
Lorenzo looked away.
“Because someone told me Matteo was never coming back.”
“Who?”
Lorenzo hesitated.
“The Fourth Rose.”
Valentina remembered the message.
The Fourth Rose knows.
“What is the Fourth Rose?”
Lorenzo shook his head.
“I don't know.”
“You're lying.”
“I swear I'm not.”
Valentina stepped closer.
“Then tell me everything.”
Lorenzo looked at Adrian.
“He should tell you.”
Adrian's eyes darkened.
“Don't do this.”
“You owe her the truth.”
“I owe her protection.”
“No. You owe her honesty.”
Valentina turned to Adrian.
“What happened that night?”
Adrian remained silent.
She stepped closer.
“Tell me.”
Adrian looked at her.
“I found your father in the study.”
“You said that.”
“He was alive.”
“You said that too.”
“He gave me the key.”
“And then?”
Adrian's voice became quieter.
“Someone entered the room.”
“Who?”
“I didn't see his face.”
“What happened?”
“He attacked your father.”
Valentina's expression changed.
“Did you fight him?”
“Yes.”
“Did you stop him?”
“No.”
“Why?”
Adrian looked away.
“Because I was protecting you.”
Valentina frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“The attacker wasn't alone.”
She waited.
“Another man had you.”
Valentina's breath caught.
“Me?”
Adrian nodded.
“He had already found you.”
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did you take me away?”
“Because your father ordered me to get you out.”
“Where was my father?”
“I thought he was behind me.”
Valentina stared at him.
“You thought?”
Adrian closed his eyes briefly.
“When I returned, he was gone.”
“And you never found him?”
“No.”
Lorenzo spoke quietly.
“Neither did I.”
Valentina looked at him.
“Then why did everyone say he died?”
Lorenzo swallowed.
“Because someone wanted us to believe it.”
Silence followed.
The rain began falling harder.
Valentina looked at Adrian.
“Why didn't you tell me this before?”
“Because you were safe.”
“I was safe because I didn't know?”
“Yes.”
“That doesn't make sense.”
“It does when the people searching for your father are still alive.”
Valentina's expression hardened.
“Who are they?”
Adrian didn't answer.
Lorenzo stepped forward.
“I can tell you one thing.”
Everyone looked at him.
“The person behind this has been inside the De Luca family for years.”
Valentina's heart sank.
“Who?”
Lorenzo shook his head.
“I don't know.”
“Then why should I believe anything you say?”
“Because I'm giving you this.”
He reached into his coat and pulled out a small envelope.
Adrian immediately moved toward him.
Lorenzo handed it to Valentina.
“Your father left it with me.”
Valentina stared at the envelope.
“Why?”
“Because he knew you would eventually come back.”
She opened it.
Inside was a single photograph.
Her father stood beside a young woman.
Valentina didn't recognize her.
But Adrian did.
His face changed.
“Who is she?” Valentina asked.
Adrian didn't answer.
Lorenzo looked at him.
“You know.”
Adrian finally spoke.
“Her name was Elena.”
“Who was Elena?”
“My father's secretary,” Lorenzo said.
Valentina looked at him.
“My father's secretary?”
Lorenzo nodded.
“She disappeared shortly before Matteo did.”
Valentina studied the photograph.
“Why did my father keep this?”
“Because Elena knew something.”
“What?”
“We never found out.”
Adrian looked at the photograph.
“There was another copy.”
Valentina turned toward him.
“Where?”
“I don't know.”
“Adrian.”
He looked at her.
“I swear.”
Valentina lowered the photograph.
There were too many secrets.
Too many missing people.
Too many unanswered questions.
And somehow, all of them seemed connected.
A sound came from the forest.
Adrian immediately looked toward the trees.
Marcus reached for his weapon.
“Someone is there.”
Lorenzo turned.
“Go.”
Valentina looked around.
“What?”
“Someone followed me.”
Adrian grabbed Valentina's arm.
“Get in the car.”
They moved quickly.
A vehicle started somewhere beyond the trees.
Headlights appeared.
Adrian pushed Valentina toward the car.
“Move!”
They got inside.
Marcus started the engine.
The vehicle sped away.
Another car followed.
Valentina looked behind them.
“Who are they?”
Adrian watched the pursuing vehicle.
“People who don't want you to find your father's truth.”
Lorenzo remained behind.
Valentina looked back at him through the window.
Her uncle stood alone in the rain.
She couldn't tell whether he was an enemy or an unwilling prisoner of the same secret.
The car disappeared around a bend.
---
An hour later, they reached Adrian's safe house.
Valentina immediately went inside.
She placed the notebook, recorder, and photograph on the table.
Marcus locked the doors.
Adrian entered last.
Valentina turned toward him.
“I want the truth.”
“You have most of it.”
“No.”
She pointed at the photograph.
“Who is Elena?”
Adrian looked at the photograph.
“She worked for your father.”
“I know that.”
“She was more than a secretary.”
“How?”
“She handled some of Matteo's most confidential affairs.”
“Financial?”
“Some.”
“Then what else?”
Adrian hesitated.
“She knew about the Fourth Rose.”
Valentina stared at him.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I wasn't sure.”
“You always have an excuse.”
Adrian looked at her.
“I know.”
She picked up the recorder.
“Let's listen again.”
She pressed the button.
Static.
Then Matteo's voice.
“Valentina…”
The recording continued.
“Do not trust Lorenzo.”
A pause.
“Lorenzo did not act alone.”
Another pause.
Then Matteo said something that neither of them had heard clearly before.
The sound was distorted.
Valentina replayed it.
Again.
And again.
Finally, Adrian adjusted the recorder.
A few words became clearer.
“...the person beside you…”
The recording ended.
Valentina stared at Adrian.
“The person beside you.”
Adrian looked at her.
“What does that mean?”
She didn't answer.
Then she remembered the photograph.
Her father.
Lorenzo.
Adrian.
And the mysterious fourth man.
Four people.
Four roses.
Four secrets.
Valentina slowly turned toward the window.
Someone had been beside her father that night.
Someone had been beside Lorenzo.
And someone might already be beside her.
Her eyes moved toward Adrian.
For the first time, doubt entered her mind.
Could the person her father warned her about be someone she had trusted for ten years?
Before she could speak, Adrian's phone rang.
He answered.
“Hello?”
His expression changed.
“What?”
He listened.
Then slowly lowered the phone.
Valentina stood.
“What happened?”
Adrian looked at her.
“Someone just sent us a message.”
“What message?”
He turned the phone toward her.
A photograph appeared on the screen.
It showed Valentina as a twelve-year-old girl.
Standing beside her father.
The picture had been taken on the night she disappeared.
Underneath it were six words:
You are looking in the wrong place.
Valentina stared at the screen.
Then another message appeared.
Your father is still alive.
Her heart stopped.
For ten years, she had believed her father was dead.
Now someone was claiming the impossible.
Matteo De Luca might still be alive.
And if he was...
Then the real question was no longer who killed him.
It was:
Who had been hiding him all these years?
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