HIDDEN LEGACIES

CHAPTER 4-Threads of betrayal

It's late at night. The DeLuca estate was always quiet at night, but it was never peaceful. Just quiet. It was a kind of quiet that felt unnatural, like the whole place was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen. James was sitting in his room, staring at the ceiling, tapping his fingers against the armrest of his chair. He couldn’t sleep. Not after what he found in Luca's study two nights ago.

He couldn't get that picture of Miss Emma Dawson and Luca out of his mind. They looked so happy.

James couldn't stop thinking about it. Why did his father have that picture? What was his connection to Miss Emma? Why had he never spoken about her before? He needed answers and there was only one way to find out.

James stood up and grabbed his phone for light. He moved slowly, leaving his room and going into the dark hallways of the big house.

There were security cameras all over the place, but James had learned to memorize their blind spots. He'd spent years studying how to move through the house without being seen and tonight, he needed that skill because tonight, he was going to search his father's study for the truth.

He pushed open the heavy door to Luca’s study, the same place where he had found the first photo. He had been here before too many times to know that Luca didn’t leave things lying around. If there were secrets, they were hidden.

He ran his fingers along the bookshelves, examining the spines, tugging at anything that appeared out of place. Then, his gaze landed on a wooden cabinet against the far wall. He went for a closer look, but it was locked. He reached for one of the tools he had stolen from the garage earlier and began working on the lock. A few seconds later, it clicked open.

Inside the cabinet were mostly old files and books, but at the bottom, there was a small, locked box. He grabbed it and set it on the desk. His pulse picked up, he examined it and noticed another lock. He worked fast, picking it open, his heart pounding with anticipation. The lid creaked open as he lifted it. Inside, he found a stack of old photographs.

James frowned as he pulled out the first one. It was of Luca and Emma, but it wasn't just one picture, there were dozens of them.

There was one of them at a beach. They were laughing over dinner. Emma was sitting in Luca’s lap and smiling at him as if he were her whole world. Luca looked at her the same way.

James stared at the images, his chest tightening, this wasn’t just some woman. Miss Emma Dawson meant something to him, and whatever it was, he made sure he had it kept hidden.

But why?

Why didn't he or anyone talk about her? James let out a slow breath, slid the photos back into the box, and locked them up.

He quickly put everything back exactly as he had found it, because if Luca ever noticed something was out of place, there would be hell to pay.

James turned toward the door, ready to slip out, but then he hesitated. An uneasy feeling stayed with him long after he left the study and disappeared into the darkness of the mansion.

The next morning, at Montcrest Academy, the sun had barely risen, but the school was already awake.

The morning air carried the scents of freshly cut grass and expensive perfume. The school was full of life. Students moved through the halls in crisp uniforms, their voices a mix of chatter, laughter, and whispered gossip. Teachers are getting ready for class.

James walked through the halls, barely hearing any of it. His mind was somewhere else still thinking about what he discovered last night, the photographs. Luca and Emma. Together. Happy. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw them.

He needed answers, and Miss Emma was the only person who could provide them.

As he walked through the halls, he approached the door to the history class. He pushed the door open, and there she was. She was exactly where he expected her to be. She sat at her desk in the history classroom, flipping through a book while a cup of coffee steamed beside her.

For a second, James just watched her. She looked calm. Focused, she looked like a woman who hadn’t just turned his entire world upside down.

James stepped inside, letting the door click shut behind him.

Emma looked up, her hazel eyes blinking in surprise. “James?”

He leaned casually against the desk beside her, but his posture was deliberate. "Got a minute?"

Emma straightened slightly. "Class hasn't started yet."

James smirked. "Exactly. That means we can talk.”

Emma set her book down and watched him carefully. “Talk about what?”

James looked directly at her. "Do you know who my father is?"

And there was silence. For a moment, Emma held her breath. She concealed it well, but James noticed the subtle shift in her expression.

She exhaled slowly, tilting her head back. "Luca DeLuca. Everyone knows who your father is.”

James studied her. She had answered too quickly, almost like she was expecting the question.

James nodded slowly. "And you're acquainted with him?"

Emma smiled tightly. "No, not really, but everyone in this city knows who Luca DeLuca is."

James narrowed his eyes, and then he looked away. She wasn’t lying. But she wasn’t telling the whole truth, either. She was choosing her words carefully.

He let the silence hang for a moment before speaking again. “You knew him before he adopted me.”

Emma blinked. “Excuse me?”

James pulled out his phone and flipped the screen toward her, showing her one of the photos from last night. It was Luca and Emma standing in front of a sleek black car with his arm wrapped around her waist. Her head was tipped back, and she was laughing.

For a split second, just one, Emma's whole mask cracked. She inhaled sharply, and her eyes flashed as she did so. Then she looked away.

James noticed how she clenched her jaw. He saw the way her fingers curled into her lap, as if she were trying to steady herself.

Then, her expression smoothed, and she faced James, "Where did you get that?"

James raised an eyebrow. "So, you do remember."

Emma let out a sigh, rubbing her temple. "That was a long time ago."

James didn’t look away; his eyes locked on her. “Who were you to him?”

She exhaled slowly and met his gaze. "Someone he used to know."

He could tell that it was a lie; he didn’t have proof, but he sensed it. She wasn’t going to tell him everything, but before he could press her further,

The school bell rang.

Emma immediately stood up and grabbed her books. James recognized a perfect escape when he saw one.

Emma forced a polite smile. "You should get to class, James."

James watched her walk away, and his mind was totally buzzing. He wasn't able to get the whole truth, but he got something just as important: Proof that she was hiding something.

The Montcrest Academy English classroom was always filled with the quiet sound of students finishing their assignments at the last minute, the faint sound of pens scratching against paper, and the occasional rustle of book pages being turned.

Today, however, there was a different kind of tension in the air, one that felt like excitement. James sat in the back of the room, arms crossed and looking away. His mind was still tangled in his conversation with Emma; she was hiding something.

And now, James had more questions than answers, but his thoughts were interrupted when the teacher's voice cut through the air.

"Vittoria Romano."

Vita, who was seated three rows ahead, looked up. “Yes?”

The teacher frowned and held up a crumpled printout. "Is this your idea of a joke? Holding up a folded piece of paper."

James sat up straighter.

Vita blinked. “What?”

The teacher unfolded the paper completely, revealing a love letter written in the most cringeworthy, over-the-top poetry imaginable.

Students began to snicker and whisper under their breath.

Gabi gasped dramatically. "Oh my God, Vita, did you write that? Crushing on old Mr. Collins, you could do better."

The class erupted in quiet laughter.

Vita's jaw tightened, and she held her pen more tightly.

She knew exactly what this was: a setup.

The teacher sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Miss Romano, I assume this is yours?”

Vita exhaled sharply. "No."

The teacher raised an eyebrow. "Then why does it have your name on it?"

Gabi smirked from across the room.

James, seeing what was going on, immediately understood that it was a trap.

Vita sighed and tilted her head slightly. "Well, I'm guessing your name is on your underwear, Mr. Collins, but you wouldn't claim someone else put it there, would you?"

Everyone in the room started laughing.

A few students choked on their laughter. Even James smirked.

The teacher’s jaw tightened. "Be careful with your words, Miss Romano."

Vita just smiled politely, but she wasn't very impressed. "Then don't ask me dumb questions."

James, on the other hand, noticed Gabi's smirk falter slightly.

Vita, however, wasn't falling for it. She was well aware of the culprit's identity.

The teacher sighed and shook his head. "You can see me after class."