Chapter 5 - Luca’s Grandfather Buried Sofia Alive on Paper

Luca did not speak for nearly a minute.

Emma understood.

A dead person could be mourned.

A missing person could be searched for.

A hidden person meant someone had chosen the lie.

“Why?” Luca finally asked.

Isabella’s voice trembled.

“Because Sofia threatened to expose Moretti.”

Belini looked sick.

Luca’s gaze moved to her.

Not accusation.

Not yet.

Isabella continued.

“Your grandfather discovered part of the theft after Antonio died. Sofia had copies.”

“So he protected her,” Emma said.

“No.”

Isabella’s answer came too quickly.

“He protected the family.”

Emma understood the difference.

He had not saved Sofia because he loved her.

He had hidden her because her evidence could destroy everyone.

Luca’s expression became stone.

“What did he do?”

“He arranged new identities for Sofia and Marianne. New cities. New documents. No contact with the Castellanos.”

Emma felt anger rise.

“My mother was forced to run?”

“At first.”

“At first?”

“Later she chose it. Because you were born.”

Emma looked down at the hospital photograph.

The baby.

Her.

Sofia beside the bed.

Marianne watching.

A family nobody had allowed to exist openly.

“What happened to Sofia?”

Isabella hesitated.

“Eight years ago, Marianne called me.”

Emma’s pulse jumped.

“My mother died eight years ago.”

“Yes.”

“She told me she was sick.”

Emma gripped the table.

“She knew.”

“Marianne knew she was dying.”

“And Sofia?”

“She was alive then.”

Luca stood.

“Where?”

“I don’t know.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“Your grandfather made sure none of us knew.”

“He has been dead twelve years.”

“Yes.”

“Then why didn’t you look?”

Isabella cried again.

“Because Sofia asked me not to.”

Silence.

Luca’s anger changed shape.

“Why?”

“Because someone was still watching Marianne.”

Emma turned toward Belini.

Her second medallion.

Her father’s safe.

Moretti.

Belini whispered:

“My father.”

Isabella heard.

“Belini?”

Belini stepped closer to the phone.

“Yes.”

Isabella’s voice became cold.

“Your father never stopped looking for Sofia.”

Belini closed her eyes.

Emma looked at her.

“Why did he have my medallion?”

Belini’s voice broke.

“Maybe he found Marianne.”

No one needed to say when.

Eight years ago.

The year Emma’s mother died.

Emma’s stomach turned.

Luca ended the call only after Isabella agreed to come to New York.

Then he looked at Belini.

“You are going to tell me everything your father left behind.”

Belini nodded.

“For once, yes.”

They went to the Moretti townhouse that afternoon.

Belini opened her father’s private safe.

Most of it was ordinary.

Property deeds.

Old contracts.

Cash.

Then Emma found a narrow envelope.

No name.

Inside:

Three photographs.

One showed Marianne outside a clinic.

Eight years ago.

One showed Emma at seventeen.

And one showed an older woman walking beside them.

Emma stared.

Luca leaned closer.

Same sharp cheekbones.

Same dark eyes.

Older.

Alive.

Sofia.

Belini whispered:

“My father found them.”

Emma flipped the photograph.

One date.

Three days before Marianne died.

Luca’s voice went quiet.

“And if Moretti found Sofia then…”

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Emma finished.

“He may have found her again.”