Untitled Episode1
1082 Words
The Secret Explodes
Adriana Vale's eyes got hit with a light. It felt like someone had punched her in the face.
She stopped walking on the sidewalk in front of Daniel's school, holding his hand really tight. She could feel how scared Daniel was. It was the fear she also had.
Then a lot of cameras started clicking. People were shouting at each other. The noise was like a punch to her chest.
"Miss Vale, look here!" someone yelled out.
"Is this your kid?" another person asked.
"Did the rich guy know about him?" someone else shouted out.
Everything around her started to blur. All she could see was Daniel's face. Her heart was beating fast.
"No... This can't be happening, " she said in a voice.
Daniel pulled on her sleeve. "Mommy, why are they yelling?" he asked. "Why are there cameras, Mommy?"
"They are reporters, sweetie, " she said. "Do not worry about them."
Her voice was shaking. She knew something was very wrong.
More reporters pushed forward. Microphones were stuck in her face. Cameras kept flashing over.
"Miss Vale! Why did you hide the boy for five years?"
"Did Luca Deveraux abandon his son?"
"Is the child the heir to Deveraux Holdings?"
The questions felt like punches.
For five years she had kept Daniel safe from the world. She had kept his father's name a secret from him. She had built a life where no one knew their secret.
Now everything was falling apart.
Suddenly a car showed up. It was a sedan. The reporters all turned their cameras flashing even faster.
It stopped in front of them. The doors opened.
Luca Deveraux got out.
He was the man who had given her nightmares for years. He looked calm, like he was walking into a meeting or something, not into all this chaos.
A cold wind seemed to blow through her when she saw him again after five years.
Daniel gripped her coat tighter.
"Mommy, who is that...?" he asked.
She swallowed hard.
"That's Luca Deveraux, " she said in a voice.
The reporters rushed closer.
"Mr. Devereux! Is this your son?"
"Did you hide a child from the public?"
"Did someone leak this information from inside your company?"
Adriana went still.
Leak?
Her mind was racing. This could not be a coincidence. Someone had told the media about Daniel. Someone who knew the truth. Someone who wanted the world to know.
Luca walked closer until he was right in front of her and Daniel.
His eyes looked at the boy.
Daniel stared back, looking curious.
Then Luca looked at Andriana.
"You should have told me, " he said in a voice.
Anger flashed through her.
"Told you what?" she asked.
"That he exists."
Before she could answer, a reporter shouted again.
"Mr. Devereux! Is it true that someone inside Deveraux Holdings exposed the child?"
The words felt like ice.
This was not gossip.
This was a setup.
Someone inside Lucas' company had deliberately exposed Daniel to the media.
So if someone powerful wanted Daniel exposed, then Daniel was no longer just a secret.
He was a weapon.
Daniel squeezed her hand.
"Mommy… I’m scared."
Her heart broke.
Luca spoke again calm but firm.
"Get in the car."
"Excuse me?" she asked.
"The reporters won't stop, " he said. "If my enemies know about him now, this will only get worse."
Daniel tugged at her hand.
"Mommy please?"
She took a breath. Nodded.
"Okay baby. Stay close to me."
They got into the car while cameras kept flashing. Adriana's heart was racing. Her jaw was tight. For a moment there was silence.
Daniel sat between them looking forth.
Then he asked, "Is that my daddy?"
Andriana answered quickly.
"No baby, he's a friend."
Lucas' eyes never left hers. He was studying Daniel like he was trying to understand something.
"You should have trusted me, " he said finally.
The sound of his voice made her stomach twist.
Her jaw tightened.
"I didn’t want you involved."
Luca held her gaze.
"And now the whole world is involved, " he said. "You can’t hide him anymore."
She turned toward him.
"Why are you here? Why are you doing this?"
Luca leaned back in his seat.
"Because people already know about Daniel, " he said. "Soon the wrong people will start looking for him. I have to protect him."
Her heart skipped a beat. She was scared and furious at the time.
"So you just show up. Act like you care?"
"I do care, " he said. "If I’m going to protect him, I have to do it in person."
Daniel slowly reached out. Touched Lucas sleeve.
"Are you… my daddy?" he asked.
Adriana's breath caught in her throat.
She saw something in Lucas' eyes. Recognition. Shock. Something deeper.
"Yes, " Luca said softly. "I am.. I will do everything to keep you safe."
Adriana looked away. She did not know if she believed him, but for Daniel's sake, she might have to trust him.
"What about me?" she asked quietly. "How do I stay safe?"
Luca looked at her. "Your life is tied to Daniel. I have to protect you both," he said.
A chill ran down her spine.
"What’s coming?" she asked.
"Enemies, " Luca replied. "People who want to hurt me. Now they’ll want to hurt you and Daniel."
Her hands started shaking.
"So what do we do?" she asked.
Luca answered without hesitation.
"We take control." He replied.
She frowned.
"We will make this public, " he said. "We are getting married. Show the world we’re a family. That way, no one can touch Daniel."
Adriana felt like she had been punched in the stomach.
"You can’t be serious."
"I am serious."
"This is insane."
"Maybe, " he said. "I will do whatever it takes to keep my son safe."
The car fell quiet again.
Outside the window, the city passed by in a blur.
Her whole world was crashing down. What she thought she was done with is now back to her. Everything she had buried was rising again.
Then Luca spoke more.
"We have to do this Adriana. We have to make this work."
She looked at him.
There was something in his eyes.
Determination.
Then she realized something. Someone had dragged them back into this on purpose. Whoever exposed Daniel's secret had just started a game.
She had to protect Daniel.
No matter the cost.
The whole world was watching so she had to choose.
- Writer
