Chapter 6 - THE WOMAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH
We reached my father's house before midnight.
The gates were locked.
No lights were on.
Matteo's men surrounded the property.
We entered through the back.
My father was in his study.
Evelyn was with him.
And Varga stood beside the desk.
He looked at me.
Then smiled.
“You found the bookstore.”
I froze.
“You knew?”
“Of course.”
My father stood.
“Lucia, this has gone too far.”
I laughed.
“You knew about my mother's account.”
He said nothing.
“You knew she was investigating you.”
Still nothing.
“You knew her brakes had been tampered with.”
Evelyn looked away.
That was enough.
My entire childhood rearranged itself.
The nights my father told me my mother had been careless.
The photographs of the wreck.
The way he refused to let me ask questions.
The scar on my face.
The years I had blamed myself for surviving.
My voice shook.
“You knew.”
My father finally spoke.
“I didn't cause the accident.”
“You knew it would happen.”
“I didn't know.”
“You knew enough.”
His silence was an answer.
Matteo stepped forward.
My father laughed.
“Careful, De Luca.”
Matteo's eyes became dangerous.
But I touched his arm.
“No.”
He looked at me.
“This is mine.”
I faced my father.
“For fifteen years, I thought you hated me because I looked like her.”
His face changed.
“I never hated you.”
“You hid me.”
“I protected the family.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“You protected yourself.”
Evelyn suddenly spoke.
“Your mother was going to destroy everything.”
I turned.
“Everything you stole?”
She flinched.
“We built this family.”
“You built it on my mother's death.”
Varga moved toward the door.
Matteo's men blocked him.
Varga laughed.
“You think you can expose us?”
I held up the flash drive.
“Yes.”
His face changed.
“Do you know what's on that?”
“No.”
“Then you should.”
He looked at Matteo.
“Ask your husband why he never told you what happened the night you were attacked three years ago.”
I looked at Matteo.
His expression went completely still.
“What is he talking about?”
Varga smiled.
“Ask him.”
I turned toward Matteo.
“Three years ago?”
He didn't answer.
My heart sank.
“Matteo.”
He closed his eyes.
Then spoke.
“Three years ago, someone tried to abduct you.”
I stared at him.
“What?”
“You were leaving a restaurant.”
“I remember.”
“You thought the car accident outside was random.”
“It wasn't?”
“No.”
My voice broke.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because you were unconscious.”
“And after?”
“I thought if I told you, you would never feel safe again.”
I stepped away.
“You lied.”
“Yes.”
The room became silent.
Then Matteo said something I never expected.
“I was wrong.”
He looked at me.
“Not because I wanted control.”
His voice was raw.
“Because I was terrified.”
Varga laughed.
“You see? He has been lying to you from the beginning.”
Matteo turned toward him.
“No.”
His voice became cold.
“I lied to protect my wife.”
Then he looked at me.
“And I destroyed her trust doing it.”
I stared at him.
For the first time, Matteo wasn't defending himself.
He was accepting the consequences.
Then the flash drive in my hand vibrated.
A notification appeared.
Someone had accessed the files remotely.
Varga's smile disappeared.
Matteo looked at the screen.
“Someone is deleting the evidence.”
I whispered:
“Who?”
The screen displayed one name.
ELENA DE LUCA.
May you like
Matteo went pale.
“My mother.”
