Chapter 6 - The Child Nobody Buried

Leonardo did not shout.

That made it worse.

He looked at Maria.

“What baby?”

Maria sat down.

Mrs. Miller stood beside her.

Victor looked confused.

Cassandra looked terrified.

Maria whispered:

“Elena was pregnant.”

Leonardo stared.

“With my father’s child?”

Maria shook her head.

“No.”

Victor closed his eyes.

He knew.

Leonardo turned.

“Victor.”

Victor sat slowly.

Maria continued.

“Elena was seven months pregnant when she died.”

Leonardo looked toward the portrait.

“No one told me.”

“No one knew publicly.”

“Who was the father?”

Maria looked at Victor.

Cassandra followed her gaze.

Then understood.

“No.”

Victor looked at his daughter.

“Elena and I were together before she married Antonio.”

Cassandra stepped back.

Leonardo stared at him.

“You fathered Elena’s child?”

“Yes.”

Maria said:

“That was why Elena wanted to leave Antonio.”

Leonardo frowned.

“She was carrying Victor’s baby.”

“Yes.”

Leonardo looked at Victor.

“And after Elena died?”

Victor’s eyes filled.

“Dr. Crest performed an emergency delivery.”

Cassandra whispered:

“The baby lived?”

Victor nodded.

“A girl.”

Silence.

Leonardo looked from Victor to Cassandra.

Then asked the question nobody wanted.

“Where is she?”

Victor looked at Maria.

Maria answered:

“Marcus took her.”

Cassandra’s face went white.

“My uncle?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Maria said:

“Because a child belonging to both the Russo and Vale families could become dangerous.”

Leonardo frowned.

“She was not a Russo.”

Maria looked at him.

“Legally, she was.”

Because Elena was married to Antonio.

Any child she delivered would be presumed Antonio’s.

Leonardo understood.

“So Marcus had a child he could someday present as my father’s daughter.”

Victor nodded.

“A rival heir.”

Leonardo’s voice became quieter.

“Where did he take her?”

Maria shook her head.

“I never knew.”

Mrs. Miller spoke.

“I did.”

Everyone turned.

Victor stood.

“You knew?”

Mrs. Miller nodded.

“I helped Dr. Crest after the delivery.”

Leonardo stared at her.

“And?”

“The baby was taken to a convent outside Richmond.”

“Name?”

“Saint Catherine’s.”

Cassandra whispered:

“That convent closed years ago.”

Mrs. Miller nodded.

“When the girl was four.”

Leonardo asked:

“What happened to her?”

Mrs. Miller looked directly at Cassandra.

“She was adopted.”

Cassandra’s breathing stopped.

“By whom?”

Mrs. Miller did not answer.

Leonardo looked at Cassandra.

Then at Victor.

Victor looked horrified.

“No.”

Cassandra whispered:

“Dad?”

Mrs. Miller reached into her handbag.

One last envelope.

“I kept this because Dr. Crest told me someone would eventually need the truth.”

She handed it to Cassandra.

Cassandra opened it.

Inside was an adoption certificate.

She read the name.

Then dropped the paper.

Leonardo picked it up.

CHILD: FEMALE.

BIRTH NAME: ELENA RUSSO.

ADOPTIVE NAME: CASSANDRA VALE.

No one moved.

Leonardo read it twice.

Then looked at his wife.

Cassandra stared back at him.

“I didn’t know.”

Victor sank into the chair.

“My God.”

Cassandra looked at him.

“You adopted me?”

Victor was crying now.

“Yes.”

“You knew I wasn’t your biological daughter?”

“Yes.”

“Did you know who I was?”

Victor shook his head.

“No.”

“I swear.”

“Marcus arranged it.”

Mrs. Miller nodded.

Victor covered his face.

“He told me the child’s mother had died.”

Maria whispered:

“She had.”

Cassandra looked at her.

“Then Elena…”

Maria nodded.

“Was your mother.”

Cassandra turned toward the portrait.

The woman she had helped Leonardo believe was his mother.

Was actually her own.

Leonardo looked stunned.

He looked at Cassandra.

“You are Elena’s daughter.”

She nodded slowly.

“And Victor’s.”

Victor whispered:

“Yes.”

Leonardo looked at the marriage ring on his hand.

Then at Cassandra’s.

Maria suddenly stood.

“Wait.”

Everyone turned.

She looked terrified.

“If Marcus arranged Cassandra’s adoption…”

Leonardo understood.

“He always knew who she was.”

Maria nodded.

Leonardo’s phone rang.

Marcus again.

This time Leonardo answered immediately.

Marcus said:

“Now you know why I encouraged the wedding.”

Leonardo’s face hardened.

“You wanted Cassandra inside my house.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Marcus replied:

“Because the last thing Elena hid does not belong to you.”

“What is it?”

Marcus laughed softly.

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“The reason she died.”

Then the line went dead.