Chapter 6 - Elena Russo Had Been Alive for Years

Emma did not get into the car.

Not immediately.

Luca stopped too.

Vittorio had said five words that rearranged twenty-one years of Emma’s life.

She survived.

Emma stepped toward him.

“Where is she?”

Vittorio looked at the ground.

“I don’t know now.”

“That is not an answer.”

“She lived under protection for eleven years.”

Emma stared.

“Eleven?”

“She was alive until four years ago.”

Emma’s face changed.

Four years.

Her mother had lived long enough to know Emma had become an adult.

Long enough to find her.

Long enough to call.

She had not.

“Why?”

Vittorio answered quietly.

“Because Antonio believed you were dead.”

Emma’s anger stopped.

“What?”

“Elena made a bargain. She disappeared completely. In exchange, Antonio stopped looking for you.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“No.”

Vittorio looked at Luca.

“I expect the evidence to.”

They drove back to the estate.

Too late.

Antonio was gone.

Sofia was alive.

Nico was safe.

But one thing had been taken.

The silver bracelet.

Emma’s bracelet.

Sofia explained.

Antonio had entered calmly.

No weapon.

No threat.

He had asked to speak privately.

When she refused, the lights failed.

Thirty seconds.

When they returned, Antonio had vanished.

So had the bracelet.

Luca looked at Marco.

“Why does he want it?”

Sofia answered.

“The clasp.”

Emma remembered the tiny star.

The blue stone.

Vittorio closed his eyes.

“Elena.”

“What?”

“She hid things in jewelry.”

Luca looked at Emma.

“The clasp is a key?”

“No,” Vittorio said.

“A cipher.”

Marco exhaled.

“The ledger drive is encrypted.”

Vittorio nodded.

“The bracelet opens it.”

Luca’s jaw tightened.

Antonio now had the key.

They had the drive.

Belini was still missing.

Which meant the war had finally become simple.

Each side held half the truth.

Then the house phone rang.

Not Luca’s cell.

The old landline in the west corridor.

Everyone looked at it.

Luca answered.

Belini.

“Put Vittorio on.”

Luca’s eyes shifted.

“How do you know he’s here?”

“Because Antonio told me.”

Vittorio took the receiver.

“Belini.”

Her voice changed.

Fear.

Not of Luca.

Of him.

“You lied to me.”

Vittorio almost smiled.

“Yes.”

“You said Antonio killed Elena.”

“He tried.”

Silence.

Emma stepped closer.

Belini whispered, “Then she’s alive?”

Vittorio looked at Emma.

“No.”

The word landed heavily.

Emma closed her eyes.

Vittorio continued.

“Elena died four years ago.”

Belini exhaled.

Relief.

Emma heard it.

So did Luca.

His face hardened.

Belini realized too late.

“Where are you?” Luca asked.

She said nothing.

“Belini.”

“I didn’t know Antonio would kill Alessandro.”

That was the first confession.

Small.

Accidental.

Enough.

Luca’s voice dropped.

“But you knew he wanted Sofia erased.”

Belini began breathing faster.

“I was twenty-three.”

“So was Emma.”

Silence.

“I didn’t understand what they were doing.”

“You forged Nico’s birth record.”

“No.”

“You claimed you were his mother.”

“To protect him.”

Sofia laughed once.

Cold.

Belini heard it through the speaker.

“You don’t get to use that word.”

Then another voice entered the call.

Antonio.

“Bring the drive to the old marina.”

Luca did not react.

Antonio continued.

“Bring Vittorio.”

A pause.

“And Emma.”

Luca looked at her.

Antonio finished:

“If you don’t, Belini dies first.”

The line went dead.

Emma whispered, “He has her.”

Vittorio looked almost disappointed.

“No.”

Luca turned.

“What?”

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Vittorio’s eyes hardened.

“Belini has him.”