Chapter 13 - The Betrayal Luca Never Expected
Sofia had grown up believing Signora Russo was her aunt.
The truth was more complicated.
At seventeen, Signora Russo—then Lucia Bianchi—became pregnant.
Her wealthy family considered the pregnancy a disgrace.
The child was raised publicly as Lucia's younger sister.
That child was Sofia.
Elena listened in stunned silence.
"So Matteo is your grandson."
Signora Russo nodded.
"He always was."
Luca looked as if the floor beneath him had moved.
"Why didn't Sofia tell me?"
"She knew."
"What?"
"I told her when she turned twenty."
"Then why keep it from me?"
Lucia looked at him.
"Because she asked me to."
"Why?"
"Your family."
Luca laughed bitterly.
"Of course."
"Sofia loved you."
Lucia's voice cracked.
"But she never trusted what surrounded you."
Luca looked away.
"She was right."
Lucia continued.
"After her death, I stayed because of Matteo."
"So you lied to me for six years."
"I protected him."
"From me?"
"No."
She looked toward Vittorio.
"From them."
Vittorio said nothing.
Luca turned back.
"You contacted Bellini."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because he claimed he had Sofia's ledger."
"Did he?"
"No."
Lucia's eyes filled with anger.
"He used my grief."
Elena understood.
Just as he had used Matteo's.
Bellini found vulnerable people and offered them what they wanted most.
A dead mother.
A dead daughter.
Truth.
Then weaponized it.
"What did you tell him?" Luca asked.
"That Matteo spoke often about visiting Sofia."
Luca's face tightened.
Lucia began crying.
"I never knew he would tell the boy to leave."
"You gave him information."
"I know."
"You nearly got Matteo killed."
"I know."
Luca turned away.
Elena could see rage fighting grief.
Lucia whispered, "I would give my life to undo it."
Matteo stood near the doorway.
"Nonna?"
Lucia looked at him.
The boy walked forward.
"You're really Mama's mama?"
She nodded.
Matteo looked confused.
"Then you're my grandma."
Lucia covered her mouth.
"Yes."
He approached.
She dropped to her knees.
Matteo hugged her.
The entire room changed.
Luca looked toward Elena.
This family, she realized, had been surviving on secrets so long they no longer knew how to live without them.
That evening Luca spoke with Lucia alone.
Elena didn't ask what happened.
When he emerged, he looked tired.
"She's staying."
Elena nodded.
"You forgive her?"
"No."
"But she's staying."
"Because forgiveness and love are not always the same thing."
Elena smiled faintly.
"That's progress."
He looked at her.
"Don't become proud."
"Too late."
They walked onto the terrace.
"What happens now?"
"Vittorio leaves."
"Voluntarily?"
"Enough."
Elena accepted that.
"Stefano?"
"Will testify."
"Lucia?"
"Will help us find Bellini."
Elena frowned.
"How?"
"He contacted her again."
"When?"
"This afternoon."
"What does he want?"
"The ledger."
"But nobody knows where it is."
"Bellini thinks Lucia does."
"Does she?"
Luca looked toward the city.
"No."
"You hesitated."
"Sofia once told Lucia that if anything happened, the truth would remain close to Matteo."
Elena thought.
"Close how?"
"We don't know."
For two hours they searched Matteo's belongings.
Nothing.
Then Elena noticed his favorite wooden dinosaur.
He had carried it from room to room since she arrived.
"Where did he get that?"
Luca looked.
"Sofia."
"When?"
"Before she died."
Elena picked it up.
Heavy.
Too heavy.
She turned it.
A tiny seam ran along the bottom.
"Luca."
He took it.
Using a small screwdriver, they opened the base.
Inside was a miniature memory card.
For several seconds nobody spoke.
Sofia had hidden evidence inside her son's toy.
Luca inserted the card into an offline computer.
Files appeared.
Bank transfers.
Names.
Corporate structures.
Payments.
Recordings.
And one video.
Sofia appeared on screen.
Younger.
Alive.
Luca stopped breathing.
She looked directly into the camera.
"If you're watching this, then I couldn't fix what I found."
Luca sat slowly.
Elena stood behind him.
Sofia continued.
"Luca, I need you to understand something first."
Her eyes filled.
"I love you."
Luca closed his eyes.
"But the world your father built is going to destroy Matteo."
She explained the clinic.
The embryo manipulation.
Vittorio's knowledge.
Stefano's father's involvement.
Bellini's brother.
Then something unexpected.
"Marco Bellini tried to warn me."
Luca opened his eyes.
Elena stared.
Sofia continued.
"He is not innocent. But he is not the person directing this."
The video became harder to watch.
Sofia described an older network of Santoro relatives and associates who wanted control over Luca.
Matteo's disputed biological status was intended as future leverage.
Then she said a name.
"Vittorio."
Luca stood.
But Sofia continued.
"If Vittorio discovers I know, he may try to stop me."
Elena's stomach tightened.
Vittorio had claimed he merely gave Bellini information.
Sofia believed he had been involved from the beginning.
The final part was worse.
"If something happens to me, don't trust the accident report."
Luca stared at the screen.
"I am being followed."
Then Sofia smiled sadly.
"And please don't become your father because you lose me."
The video ended.
Silence.
Luca did not move.
Elena walked toward him.
He whispered, "I did."
"What?"
"I became exactly what she feared."
"No."
"I built higher walls."
"You were grieving."
"I controlled Matteo."
"You were afraid."
"I trusted people who helped destroy her."
Elena touched his face.
"But now you know."
He looked at her.
"And what does knowing change?"
"Everything you do next."
His eyes filled.
This time Luca did not hide it.
He cried.
Not dramatically.
Not loudly.
Just years of grief finally losing the walls around it.
Elena held him.
Hours later, when Luca was calmer, he called Inspector Romano.
He turned over copies of everything.
Every name.
Every account.
Every recording.
Even information that could implicate his own companies.
Elena realized the decision could destroy him financially.
Maybe legally.
"Luca."
He looked at her.
"Are you sure?"
"No."
"But you're doing it."
"Yes."
"Why?"
He looked upstairs toward Matteo's room.
"Because I want my son to inherit my name without inheriting my sins."
Before dawn, police went to Vittorio's home.
He was gone.
On his desk, they found one envelope.
Addressed to Luca.
Inside were three words.
Bring me Matteo.
And beneath them, an address Elena recognized immediately.
May you like
San Giovanni Hospital.
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