Chapter 3 - The Father Who Had Been Hiding Beside Their Mother

Adrian could not speak.

Michael Bell's voice came through the phone.

"Son."

"You are alive."

"Yes."

"All this time."

"No."

Adrian frowned.

Michael continued:

"Lucia found me nine years ago."

"And before that?"

"Hiding."

"From Gabriel?"

"Mostly."

Father Thomas looked away.

Adrian saw it.

"Mostly?"

Michael sighed.

"From the consequences of what I did."

Adrian stepped closer to the phone.

"Tell me everything."

Michael replied:

"I stole money."

"I moved church donations through companies I controlled."

Adrian said nothing.

Michael continued:

"I told myself I was borrowing it."

"For what?"

"Business."

"Your business?"

"Yes."

Adrian laughed bitterly.

"So the beginning is exactly what Father Thomas said."

"Yes."

"And Gabriel?"

"He discovered it."

Lucia interrupted.

"No."

Michael went silent.

Lucia continued:

"He encouraged it."

Michael sighed.

"She's right."

Adrian looked at Father Thomas.

The priest nodded.

Michael continued:

"Gabriel showed me how to move the money because he was already doing it."

Victor added:

"And making you useful."

"Yes."

Adrian asked:

"Then why give Elena to Victor?"

Victor answered:

"Because I wanted out too."

Silence.

"I threatened to expose the network."

"And Michael gave you his daughter?"

"No."

Victor shook his head.

"Gabriel threatened Alessandra."

Alessandra froze.

Victor continued:

"She was an infant."

Adrian looked at him.

"So you made a deal."

"Yes."

"What deal?"

"Gabriel left Alessandra alone if I kept Elena under my roof."

Elena stared.

"Why me?"

"Because the account in your name was evidence against him."

Adrian understood.

"You were holding the evidence."

"In her trust."

"Without her knowing."

"Yes."

Elena stepped backward.

"You raised me because I was evidence."

Victor's face broke.

"At first."

She stared.

"At first?"

"Then you became my daughter."

Father Thomas shook his head.

"Not entirely."

He opened the register again.

A handwritten note.

MICHAEL BELL REQUESTS RETURN OF ELENA.

Date:

Twenty-six years ago.

Elena stared.

Victor closed his eyes.

Adrian looked at him.

"You refused."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because Gabriel was still watching."

Father Thomas said:

"And because by then Victor loved her."

Victor looked at Elena.

"I did."

Adrian said:

"So you kept someone else's child."

Victor did not deny it.

Michael spoke through the phone.

"I let him."

Adrian turned.

"What?"

"I stopped fighting for her."

Elena looked at the phone.

"Why?"

"Because I believed she was safer with him."

Her face crumpled.

"You never asked me."

"No."

Michael's voice broke.

"I was wrong."

Adrian stared at the phone.

"So both of you decided."

"Yes."

"Without her."

"Yes."

Then Adrian asked:

"Why did you stop Mom from returning?"

Michael did not answer.

Lucia did.

"Because I knew where the ledger was."

Adrian frowned.

"What ledger?"

"The original charity ledger."

Father Thomas went pale.

Victor stared at Lucia.

"You kept it?"

"Yes."

Michael whispered:

"Lucia."

She ignored him.

Adrian leaned closer.

"Where is it?"

"Mexico."

"With you?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you give it to police?"

"Because Gabriel was still alive."

Adrian froze.

"Is he alive now?"

Father Thomas answered.

"No."

"When did he die?"

"Six months ago."

Silence.

Lucia continued:

"That is why I wrote the letter."

Father Thomas said:

"That is why I came tonight."

Alessandra looked at her father.

"You knew Gabriel was dead."

Victor nodded.

"For six months."

"You still said nothing."

"Yes."

Adrian turned to Alessandra.

"And you?"

She looked down.

"Three months."

His expression hardened.

"Three months."

"I was going to tell you."

"When?"

"After the engagement."

Adrian laughed once.

"Why after?"

Alessandra whispered:

"Because my father said if you saw the ledger before we married, you would destroy both families."

Adrian looked at Victor.

"What is in it?"

"Names."

"What names?"

"Judges."

"Politicians."

"Priests."

"Businessmen."

Father Thomas added:

"And donors who never knew where their money went."

Adrian's face hardened.

Michael spoke through the phone.

"My name is in it."

"So is Victor's?"

"Yes."

"Gabriel's?"

"Everywhere."

Adrian asked:

"And mine?"

Lucia went quiet.

Adrian noticed.

"Mom."

She whispered:

"Yes."

His face emptied.

"I was a child."

"I know."

"Why is my name in the ledger?"

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Michael answered:

"Because I used you too."