Chapter 11 - THE TRUTH ABOUT ISABELLA'S LAST NIGHT
The final reconstruction of the fire took months.
Investigators examined financial records.
Security logs.
Witness statements.
And surviving digital evidence.
The findings suggested that Marco had provided access information to criminals seeking documents Annie's father had hidden.
Isabella had discovered the threat.
She tried to move Annie and the triplets to safety.
The girls had been in the garden when the intruders arrived.
Annie led them through the three connected paths behind the fountain.
The triangle.
She helped them reach a service gate.
Then returned toward the house because Isabella had not followed.
The fire began shortly afterward.
Investigators concluded that it had been deliberately set.
Isabella died while attempting to escape.
Annie survived because Evelyn reached the property and helped her flee.
The triplets were rescued separately by emergency responders.
Valentino listened to the findings in silence.
For two years, he'd believed his daughters were trapped in a meaningless tragedy.
Now he knew their silence was connected to a night of terror, loss, and desperate attempts to protect one another.
He returned home.
Found the girls in the sunroom.
And sat on the floor beside them.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
They looked at him.
"I couldn't save your mother."
His voice broke.
"But I love you. And I'm here."
Luna reached for his hand.
Stella leaned against his shoulder.
Nova climbed into his lap.
Then Luna whispered:
"Mommy loved us."
Valentino closed his eyes.
"Yes," he said.
May you like
"She loved you more than anything."
And for the first time, the family began speaking about Isabella without turning away from the pain.
