Chapter 13: The Truth About Isabella
The room stayed silent after Marco's words.
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
My father stood in front of me, but for the first time in my life, he didn't look powerful.
He looked like someone carrying a wound that never healed.
"Tell me what happened," he said.
Marco smiled.
"You still think you deserve the truth.""
My father's voice became colder.
"I deserve to know what happened to my wife.""
Marco looked at the necklace in his hand.
"Isabella was different from us.""
"Don't talk about her.""
"She believed people could change.""
The words hurt because I knew they were true.
My mother had spent her life trying to change my father.
And maybe she had succeeded.
"She found out about your business," Marco continued.
My father's expression changed.
"Stop.""
"No.""
Marco stepped closer.
"She found the files. The payments. The people you threatened.""
I looked at my father.
He didn't deny it.
That hurt.
"Isabella wanted to leave.""
My voice was quiet.
"Leave you?""
My father closed his eyes.
"Yes.""
The honesty broke something inside me.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
He looked at me.
"Because I was ashamed.""
I had spent years believing my mother was taken away from us by some mysterious tragedy.
But the truth was more painful.
She had tried to escape a world my father had created.
Marco continued.
"She came to me because she believed I was different.""
My father laughed once.
A bitter sound.
"She was wrong.""
Marco didn't answer.
"Where is she?"" my father asked.
The question shook.
"Where is Isabella?""
Marco looked away.
For the first time, his confidence disappeared.
"She died.""
My father's breathing stopped.
I grabbed his hand.
He didn't move.
"When?""
Marco swallowed.
"The night she tried to leave the city.""
"How?""
Marco hesitated.
That hesitation said everything.
My father stepped forward.
"How?""
"I didn't kill her.""
"But you know who did.""
Silence.
Then Marco whispered,
"Yes.""
The room changed.
My father no longer looked at his brother.
He looked at a ghost.
"Who?""
Marco looked toward the floor.
"Someone you trusted.""
I felt cold.
"Caroline?""
"No.""
"Then who?""
Marco looked at my father.
"Your closest friend.""
My father went still.
"Anthony.""
The name landed like a stone.
The missing partner.
The man connected to everything.
Marco nodded.
"Anthony believed Isabella would expose everything.""
My father's voice became empty.
"So he killed her?""
Marco shook his head.
"He didn't plan to.""
"Explain.""
"She fought back.""
I felt tears forming.
My mother.
A woman I never knew.
A woman who had tried to save me.
Marco continued.
"Anthony caused the accident. He thought she was gone.""
My father whispered,
"Accident.""
But he didn't believe it.
"Then why hide for twenty years?""
Marco looked at him.
"Because Anthony wasn't afraid of prison.""
A pause.
"He was afraid of you.""
My father stared.
"Where is he?""
Marco smiled slightly.
"Still close.""
Everyone froze.
"What?""
Marco looked at the folders.
"You think I was the only one watching Bellmont?""
My father's face changed.
"Who else?""
Marco answered.
"Anthony has been preparing for years.""
"For what?""
Marco looked at me.
"For the day Emily learned the truth.""
My stomach tightened.
"What does that mean?""
Marco didn't answer.
Instead, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small drive.
"Everything is here.""
My father took one step forward.
"Give it to me.""
Marco held it back.
"One condition.""
My father's eyes narrowed.
"What?""
"Tell Emily the whole truth.""
The room went silent.
My father looked at me.
I knew immediately.
There was more.
Something he still hadn't told me.
"Dad?""
He looked away.
And that was when I realized.
May you like
Marco wasn't lying about everything.
Because my father was still hiding something.
