Even Silence Screams
755 Words
The child who entered stopped mid-step - and Ricco's world shifted beneath him.
A little boy, no older than five, stood clutching a toy in his hand. His hair curled at the ends, catching the golden office light. His skin glowed warm, but it was his eyes that struck Ricco like lightning - those eyes... so impossibly familiar. So undeniably his.
The boy glanced shyly at him, and Emilia quickly turned, her face pale.
"Henry," she said tightly, trying to steady her voice, "go wait outside, please."
The boy nodded and turned away without a word.
Ricco watched every step he took. The resemblance was undeniable - like staring into a faded photograph of his own childhood. Every instinct inside him screamed.
"Who is he?" Ricco asked, his voice low but trembling.
Emilia stiffened, her posture suddenly taut. She didn't look at him when she answered.
"My son."
Ricco's heart thundered in his chest. "He... he looks like me."
Emilia's eyes flickered, but her lips remained sealed.
"Emilia..."
She turned away, brushing past him. "The meeting is over."
"No," Ricco said, his voice deepening - raw and unsteady. "Don't walk out. I want the truth."
"You don't deserve it," she snapped, finally locking eyes with him. Her eyes shimmered with pain - and fury.
His voice softened. "Then why didn't you tell me the truth... then?"
She hesitated for a heartbeat... then lifted her chin. Her gaze was steady now - icy.
"Because he's not yours."
The words struck like a blade.
Ricco staggered a step back, disbelief darkening his face. "What?"
"Henry is Matteo's son," she said coldly.
Ricco blinked. His jaw tightened. "That's a lie."
"I'm not here to debate Matteo's bloodline," Emilia said. "We're done for today. Tomorrow, we'll start the work. No need for separate offices."
He stared at her - at the face he once knew like a map. His chest rose and fell rapidly.
"You think I'm blind?" he growled. "Look at his face. He looks exactly like me!"
"Children resemble many people," she said flatly, turning to pack her bag.
"No." His voice sharpened like broken glass. "This is different. You're lying to my face, Emilia."
Ricco stood still for a moment, his eyes locked on hers, searching. She turned away, walking slowly toward the door.
"Don't let this go, Emilia," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "You can lie to one... but you can't lie to my blood."
She paused, but didn't turn. "He's not your blood, Mr. Leo."
With that, she left.
Still inside the office, Ricco leaned against the edge of his desk. His fists clenched.
Every instinct in him screamed, That boy is mine.
She could lie. She could deny it. But her eyes hadn't. And neither had he.
Henry. Matteo's son? No - it was impossible. The more Ricco thought about it, the more the truth dug claws into his soul.
"I will know," he whispered to himself, his voice like smoke over fire. "I will uncover everything you've hidden."
His mind spiraled, fury and clarity colliding beneath the surface.
Ricco remained still, his body tense, eyes fixed on the door even though it had been shut for minutes. The image of Henry wouldn't leave him - not his eyes. The boy's presence haunted him like a ghost that finally demanded to be seen.
His thoughts swirled. Was it really possible? Was Emilia capable of hiding something so massive?
The silence in the office roared louder than any storm.
Then - a knock.
Soft. Hesitant.
He didn't answer.
The door creaked open anyway.
Ricco straightened slightly, expecting a familiar figure. For a second, he thought-hoped-it might be Emilia. But it wasn't.
A young man entered awkwardly, dressed in a too-tight suit and holding a folder as if it weighed a thousand pounds. His nervous energy hit the room before he even spoke.
"S-sir," the assistant stammered, clearly rattled by Ricco's stony expression. "Your schedule for tomorrow."
Ricco didn't move. Didn't blink. Just stared at him, barely registering the words.
The assistant took a step forward, then faltered, eyes flicking to Ricco's clenched fists, his stiff posture, the barely contained storm on his face.
" I-I'll just leave this here, sir," he said quickly, placing the file gently on the desk and backing away as if from a sleeping lion. "If... if there's anything else..."
Ricco said nothing.
The door clicked shut behind him.
Still, Ricco didn't move.
The silence returned. But this time, it carried a vow - silent and strong.
- Writer
