Chapter 3 - The Room Nobody Was Supposed to Open

The nursery was on the third floor of the Russo estate.

Alexander had not entered it in twenty-three years.

The wallpaper was faded.

The wooden horse still stood beside the window.

Dust covered everything.

Except the floor near the wardrobe.

Someone had been there recently.

Alexander noticed immediately.

“So Leo came in.”

Mrs. Bell nodded.

“Or someone who works for him.”

Victoria stayed near the door.

Alexander looked at her.

“You can leave.”

“I’m staying.”

“Why?”

“Because I helped create this mess.”

He said nothing.

Mrs. Bell crossed the room.

She knelt beside an old cedar chest.

The brass key fit.

Inside were baby clothes.

Hospital bracelets.

Letters.

And two blankets.

One white.

One blue.

Alexander touched the blue one.

His face changed.

Mrs. Bell whispered:

“Sofia held you in this.”

Under the blankets was a cassette recorder.

A label had been written across it.

FOR ALEXANDER AND ELENA.

Alexander stared.

“Elena?”

Mrs. Bell nodded.

“Your sister.”

He repeated the name quietly.

“Elena Russo.”

Victoria looked at him.

“She uses Elena Moretti now.”

Alexander turned.

“You know her name.”

“Yes.”

“Of course you do.”

He pressed PLAY.

Static filled the room.

Then a man’s voice.

Alexander froze.

His father.

Dominic Russo.

“If you are hearing this, I failed to fix what I allowed my brother to do.”

Nobody moved.

The tape continued.

“Sofia did not leave because she stopped loving you.”

Alexander’s eyes lowered.

“I sent her away because Leo threatened to expose where Elena was hidden.”

Mrs. Bell covered her mouth.

Dominic’s voice cracked.

“I believed separating you would keep both children alive.”

Alexander whispered:

“You chose.”

The tape continued.

“I chose badly.”

Silence.

Then:

“Leo learned something before I did.”

Alexander looked up.

“Your grandfather’s trust does not pass to the first son.”

Victoria’s head turned.

“It passes to the first child.”

Alexander stopped breathing for a second.

Mrs. Bell closed her eyes.

Dominic continued:

“Elena was born first.”

Alexander looked at the photograph of the newborns.

June 18.

Then at his card.

June 21.

“Three days.”

Mrs. Bell nodded.

“Sofia had a delayed twin delivery.”

Alexander stared at her.

“She gave birth to Elena on the eighteenth.”

“Yes.”

“And me on the twenty-first.”

“Yes.”

The tape continued.

“Leo changed Alexander’s birth record so the dates would never lead anyone back to Elena.”

Alexander’s voice hardened.

“Why?”

Dominic answered from twenty-three years in the past.

“Because at thirty-three, the first child receives controlling rights over the family trust.”

Victoria whispered:

“Today.”

Alexander looked at her.

Elena had turned thirty-three that morning.

June 18.

The wrong birthday gala.

The right inheritance date.

Dominic’s voice continued.

“Leo has spent his life preparing to control those shares before Elena can claim them.”

The tape clicked.

Then one final sentence.

“If Leo knows Elena is alive, he will not let midnight pass quietly.”

The recording ended.

Alexander looked at the clock.

9:42 p.m.

Victoria whispered:

“Three hours.”

Alexander picked up the tape.

“No.”

He looked toward the window.

“Three hours and eighteen minutes.”

My phone rang.

Unknown number.

I answered.

A woman said:

“Is Alexander with you?”

I looked at him.

“Yes.”

Alexander took the phone.

“Who is this?”

Silence.

Then:

“My name is Elena.”

Alexander’s face went still.

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The woman breathed shakily.

“I think I’m your sister.”