Chapter 10 - The Enemy Sitting at Rico’s Table
“No.”
Rico said it three times.
“No.”
Vittorio remained seated.
Clara looked between them.
“You said Sofia is Elena's biological mother.”
“Yes.”
“That would mean—”
Clara stopped.
Rico looked sick.
“Sofia is my mother.”
Vittorio nodded.
“No.”
Rico stepped closer.
“If Elena was Sofia’s daughter—”
“She isn't your sister.”
Rico froze.
Clara exhaled.
Vittorio continued.
“You were adopted.”
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Rico laughed once.
Nobody joined him.
He looked at Vittorio.
“Try again.”
“Antonio and Sofia couldn't have children.”
Rico shook his head.
“You're lying.”
“Antonio adopted you privately.”
“From whom?”
Vittorio looked toward the dark windows.
“That's buried deeper than anything else.”
Rico grabbed the older man's collar.
“WHO?”
Clara moved closer.
“Rico.”
He released Vittorio.
The old man adjusted his shirt.
“Sofia never knew Elena was her daughter.”
Clara frowned.
“How is that possible?”
“She gave birth when she was seventeen.”
Rico stared.
Vittorio continued.
“The baby was taken from her. Her father arranged everything.”
“Why?”
“Unmarried pregnancy. Wealthy family. Different era.”
“And that baby was Elena.”
“Yes.”
Clara's mind raced.
“Then how did Elena end up with Evelyn and Samuel?”
“She didn't initially.”
Vittorio sighed.
“Margaret adopted her first. Years later, Margaret met Evelyn.”
“So Evelyn wasn't our biological mother either?”
“No.”
Clara's entire identity shifted again.
“Then who was my mother?”
Vittorio hesitated.
“Your biological mother died giving birth to you.”
Clara sat.
Samuel was her biological father.
Evelyn raised her.
Elena shared Samuel as father?
“No.”
Vittorio saw her confusion.
“Elena and you were not biological sisters.”
Clara stared.
“But the letters—”
“You were sisters by choice.”
“But Evelyn called us her girls.”
“She and Margaret made a pact.”
Clara’s eyes filled.
“So Elena knew?”
“Yes.”
“And still called me sister.”
“Yes.”
Somehow that hurt and healed at the same time.
Clara had spent days chasing blood.
Elena had apparently chosen family without needing it.
Rico whispered, “Why hide Sofia’s connection?”
“Because it connected Elena directly to your family.”
“But not biologically to me.”
“No.”
Rico looked away.
Relief crossed his face.
Then anger.
“So everyone knew parts of my life except me.”
Vittorio nodded.
“That's what powerful families do best.”
Clara looked toward the door.
“We need the ledger before Gabriel gets it.”
They reached St. Catherine’s Hospital shortly before dawn.
Fire alarms had stopped.
Police searched the building.
Gabriel was gone.
The memorial plaque had been removed.
Behind it, a cavity in the wall stood empty.
Rico stared.
“He has everything.”
“No,” Clara said.
She crouched.
Something remained inside.
A plastic sleeve.
Inside was another note from Samuel.
Clara read it.
Then laughed.
“What?”
“He knew someone would find the fake hiding place.”
Rico stared.
“Fake?”
“The plaque wasn't where the ledger was.”
“Where is it?”
Clara read.
If you're reading this, someone believed guilt would bring them to Evelyn.
But the guilty rarely visit children.
She looked around.
“Pediatric wing.”
They ran.
At the old pediatric ward stood a mural painted decades earlier.
Stars.
Clouds.
Animals.
Clara spotted a four-pointed star.
Of course.
Behind a loose panel was a metal box.
Rico opened it.
Ledger.
Birth certificate.
Photographs.
Audio tapes.
Everything.
Clara laughed from relief.
Then slow applause came from behind them.
Gabriel Shaw stood in the doorway.
No visible weapon.
Just exhaustion.
Rico moved in front of Clara.
Gabriel smiled.
“Always protective.”
“It's over.”
“No.”
Police footsteps sounded in the distance.
Gabriel glanced behind him.
“Give me the ledger.”
“Why?”
“Because those records don't just expose Vittorio.”
Rico held the box.
“They expose you.”
“Yes.”
“At least you're finally honest.”
Gabriel’s expression hardened.
“I spent thirty years serving men like Vittorio.”
“Your choice.”
“You think men like him allow choices?”
Clara stepped beside Rico.
“My father made one.”
“And died.”
“He still made it.”
Gabriel stared at her.
“You sound like Samuel.”
“Good.”
Gabriel’s shoulders dropped.
For a moment, Clara thought he might surrender.
Then he said something unexpected.
“I loved your father.”
Clara froze.
“What?”
“He was my friend.”
“You helped kill him.”
“I gave Vittorio the records Samuel copied.”
“You betrayed him.”
“Yes.”
Gabriel’s eyes filled.
“And I've spent twenty-four years trying to erase what I did.”
“By betraying Elena too?”
Gabriel flinched.
“I didn't kill Elena.”
“Who did?”
“Marco caused the route change.”
“No. Sofia did.”
Gabriel stared.
“You know.”
“Answer her,” Rico said.
Gabriel looked at Clara.
“Elena called me that night.”
“Gabriel.”
Rico stepped closer.
“Who ordered the attack?”
Gabriel closed his eyes.
“Nobody.”
Rico frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“It wasn't ordered.”
“Then what happened?”
“Elena was leaving.”
“We know.”
“She had Marco arrange another car.”
Rico nodded.
“She believed Vittorio's people were following her.”
Gabriel continued.
“One of Vittorio's drivers saw Marco's car and followed.”
Clara felt cold.
“He thought Marco was betraying Vittorio?”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
Gabriel stared at the floor.
“The driver tried to force them to stop.”
Rico's face became white.
“Elena wasn't murdered.”
“No.”
“The crash?”
Gabriel nodded.
“The reports were altered afterward to look like an attack intended for you.”
“Why?”
“Vittorio feared what you would do if you discovered his man caused Elena's death.”
Rico sat down.
Six months of guilt.
Six months believing his wife had died because enemies targeted him.
All built on another lie.
Clara touched his shoulder.
Gabriel looked toward the ledger.
“I can testify.”
Rico looked up.
“What?”
“I can give federal investigators everything.”
“Why now?”
Gabriel smiled bitterly.
“Because I am tired.”
Police appeared behind him.
Gabriel slowly raised his hands.
Before they took him away, Clara stopped him.
“One question.”
He turned.
“Did Elena know Sofia was her mother?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't she tell her?”
Gabriel's eyes softened.
“She planned to.”
“When?”
“The night she left.”
Clara closed her eyes.
One more conversation Elena never got to have.
Gabriel was escorted away.
Rico opened the metal box.
Inside, beneath Samuel’s records, lay Elena's final diary.
He opened to the last page.
Her final entry was dated the day she died.
Tonight I tell Rico everything.
Rico’s breath caught.
I tell him about Clara.
About Sofia.
About Vittorio.
About his father.
And then I ask him the hardest question.
Clara leaned closer.
The next line made Rico close the book.
“What?” Clara asked.
He stared at her.
“Elena was going to ask me to leave the family business.”
Clara said nothing.
Rico opened the diary again.
If he chooses power, I leave.
If he chooses us, I stay.
Rico looked toward the hospital corridor.
For the first time, the question Elena never got to ask was finally in front of him.
Power.
Or family.
His phone rang.
Dante.
Rico answered.
“What?”
Dante’s voice sounded shocked.
“Boss, Vittorio is gone.”
Rico stood.
“What?”
“He disappeared from police custody.”
“How?”
“We don't know.”
Rico looked at Clara.
Dante continued.
“And he left you a message.”
“What message?”
A pause.
“He said he's going to Il Destino.”
“Why?”
“Because Marco is waiting there.”
Clara’s blood ran cold.
Marco.
Still alive.
Still missing.
May you like
And apparently waiting at the same restaurant where all of this had begun.
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