Chapter 2 - The Call Their Mother Had Waited Twenty-Eight Years to Hear

Adrian stared at the phone.

Elena stood beside him.

His sister.

A woman he had known for years as Alessandra's aunt.

Now everything had changed.

Father Thomas pressed the number.

One ring.

Two.

Three.

Then a woman's voice answered.

"Thomas?"

The priest looked at Adrian.

"No."

Silence.

Adrian could barely speak.

"My name is Adrian Bell."

A breath.

Then a sob.

"Adrian?"

Elena covered her mouth.

Adrian looked at her.

Then said:

"Elena is here too."

The woman on the phone stopped breathing.

For several seconds, nothing came through.

Then:

"My children."

Elena began crying.

Adrian closed his eyes.

"My mother?"

"Yes."

Her name was Lucia Bell.

Sixty-one.

Living outside Mérida.

For twenty-eight years, Adrian had believed she died when he was four.

Elena had been raised believing Lucia Morel was a distant family friend who abandoned her.

Both stories were lies.

Adrian asked:

"Why didn't you come back?"

Lucia whispered:

"I tried."

He looked at Alessandra's father.

Victor Morel.

The older man stood near the orchestra.

His face had gone gray.

Lucia continued:

"Three times."

"When?"

"The first year."

A pause.

"The third."

Another.

"And when you were sixteen."

Adrian froze.

"I was sixteen?"

"Yes."

"What happened?"

Lucia did not answer immediately.

Father Thomas lowered his eyes.

Adrian looked at him.

"You know."

The priest nodded.

Lucia finally said:

"Your father stopped me."

Adrian's jaw tightened.

"My father was alive then."

"Yes."

"Why would he stop you?"

"Because by then, the charity money was bigger than the family."

The ballroom went silent.

Victor Morel closed his eyes.

Adrian asked:

"What charity money?"

Lucia answered:

"The Saint Gabriel accounts."

Father Thomas looked at Victor.

Adrian noticed.

"What are those?"

Father Thomas spoke.

"Church relief accounts."

"For what?"

"Food."

"Housing."

"Medical care."

Adrian waited.

The priest continued:

"Some of the money never reached those things."

Adrian looked at Victor.

"My father stole from the church."

Victor said:

"Not alone."

Silence.

Lucia whispered through the phone:

"Victor was involved."

Alessandra turned toward her father.

"No."

Victor looked at her.

"I was."

Adrian stared.

"You blackmailed my father over money you were also stealing?"

Victor shook his head.

"It started that way."

"Started?"

Father Thomas interrupted.

"Adrian."

He pointed toward the register.

"Your father did not give Elena away because Victor wanted a daughter."

Adrian looked at him.

"Then why?"

"Because Elena's name was attached to one of the accounts."

Elena froze.

"I was a child."

"Exactly."

Father Thomas continued:

"Money had been placed in a trust under your name."

Elena stared at Victor.

"You used me."

Victor whispered:

"I protected you."

Adrian laughed once.

"That sentence again."

Lucia spoke through the phone.

"Victor did protect her later."

Adrian frowned.

"What does that mean?"

Lucia continued:

"Your father wanted the money moved back."

"When?"

"After I discovered it."

"And?"

"He planned to close the accounts."

Victor said:

"He couldn't."

Adrian looked at him.

"Why?"

"Because someone else controlled them."

"Who?"

Victor hesitated.

Father Thomas answered.

"A bishop."

Silence.

Adrian stared.

"Name."

Father Thomas shook his head.

"Not yet."

Adrian stepped forward.

"Not yet?"

The priest looked at Lucia's phone.

"Your mother should tell you first."

Lucia took a breath.

"The bishop was my brother."

Adrian went still.

"My uncle."

"Yes."

Elena whispered:

"Uncle Gabriel."

Lucia began crying.

"You remember the name."

Elena shook her head.

"Only from prayers."

Father Thomas whispered:

"Bishop Gabriel Santoro."

Adrian looked at him.

"What did he do?"

Lucia answered:

"He created the charity network."

"With my father?"

"Yes."

"And Victor?"

"Later."

Victor looked ashamed.

Adrian said:

"So all three men were stealing."

Victor replied:

"At first, yes."

Alessandra whispered:

"Dad."

Victor continued:

"Then Gabriel began moving money for people outside the church."

Adrian frowned.

"What people?"

Victor said:

"Criminal clients."

The word hung in the ballroom.

Adrian's expression changed.

He understood.

The money was not only stolen.

It was laundered.

Father Thomas said:

"Your father wanted out."

Lucia continued:

"Gabriel threatened Elena."

Adrian's eyes sharpened.

"That is why Dad sent her away."

Victor nodded.

"He believed my house was safer."

Adrian looked at Elena.

"And Mom?"

Lucia answered:

"I wanted both of you."

Her voice broke.

"But your father said separating you made you harder to use against him."

Adrian closed his eyes.

Elena whispered:

"So he chose Adrian."

Lucia said:

"No."

A long pause.

"He chose the child Gabriel already knew less about."

Adrian opened his eyes.

"What?"

Lucia continued:

"Gabriel knew Elena's location."

"He didn't know yours?"

"Not after we moved."

Adrian stared.

"Then why did you leave?"

"Because Gabriel found us."

Father Thomas looked down.

Lucia whispered:

"Your father told me to run."

Adrian's face changed.

"You said he stopped you from coming back."

"He did."

"Why?"

"Because every time I tried, Gabriel found out."

Victor whispered:

"Michael believed distance was protection."

Adrian turned.

"Michael?"

"My father."

Victor nodded.

Adrian asked:

"Is he dead?"

Silence.

Too long.

Adrian looked at the phone.

"Mom."

Lucia whispered:

"No."

The ballroom became still.

Adrian stared.

"My father is alive?"

"Yes."

Elena gasped.

Adrian's voice went flat.

"Where?"

Lucia said:

"With me."

No one moved.

Then a man's voice came through the phone.

Older.

Weak.

But clear.

"Adrian."

Adrian stopped breathing.

His father.

May you like

[COMPLETED] “GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY DRESS! YOU’RE NOTHING BUT AN OLD SEAM...

[COMPLETED] At the Mafia Boss's Engagement Party, I Served His Hungry So...

[COMPLETED] The Mafia Boss’s Fiancée Tried to Dismiss His Father’s Loyal...

Michael Bell.

Alive.