Chapter 5: The Woman Who Vanished Before She Could Speak
The garden was silent.
Too silent.
I hated silence.
Silence meant something was happening where I could not see it.
I stepped outside with Marco and two security officers behind me. The night air was cold, but I barely felt it.
My mind was somewhere else.
Elena was gone.
The one person who had brought hope back into my daughter's life had disappeared from my home.
And the worst part was that I knew exactly what it looked like.
To everyone else, it would appear simple.
A maid accused of theft.
A woman afraid of being exposed.
A person who ran before facing the consequences.
But I knew better.
People who were guilty usually tried to escape quietly.
They took money.
They took valuables.
They took whatever they could carry.
Elena left everything.
Her clothes.
Her personal items.
Even the small photograph she kept inside her room.
People did not abandon their entire lives unless they were running from something far more dangerous than an accusation.
Or unless someone forced them to.
We reached the garden.
The security lights illuminated the grass.
Near the old stone path beside the rose bushes were Elena’s belongings.
A small suitcase.
A folded coat.
A bag containing her personal things.
Everything placed carefully.
Almost as if someone wanted us to find them.
I crouched down and opened the suitcase.
Inside were simple things.
Nothing expensive.
A few dresses.
A notebook.
A small wooden cross.
A photograph.
I picked it up.
It showed Elena standing beside an older woman.
They were smiling.
The woman looked familiar.
I turned it over.
There was writing on the back.
"To Elena. Never forget that kindness is the strongest weapon.""
I stared at the words.
Then I looked at Marco.
"Find out who this woman is.""
He nodded.
"Already working on it.""
I closed the suitcase.
"Where are the cameras?""
"Checking now.""
A minute later, one of the guards approached.
"Mr. Moretti.""
"What?""
"We found footage.""
I stood.
"Show me.""
The guard opened the tablet.
The garden camera appeared.
The timestamp was twenty minutes after we discovered the necklace.
The video showed Elena walking through the back entrance.
She was carrying nothing.
She looked calm.
Not like someone preparing to run.
Then another person appeared.
My entire body became tense.
A man stepped out from the shadows.
He was wearing dark clothing.
His face was hidden.
But his posture was familiar.
Too familiar.
"Can you enhance it?"" I asked.
The guard tried.
The image became clearer.
Still not enough.
But then the man turned slightly.
And I saw something.
A watch.
A silver watch with a black face.
My breathing stopped.
Because I had seen that watch before.
Many times.
It belonged to Matteo.
My brother.
I immediately turned around.
"Find him.""
Marco looked at me.
"Matteo?""
"Yes.""
"Do you think—"
"I don't think.""
My voice cut through the night.
"I know enough.""
But before we could move, my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
"Who is this?""
For several seconds, there was only silence.
Then a woman's voice.
Quiet.
Shaking.
"Mr. Moretti.""
My grip tightened.
"Elena?""
A small breath.
"Yes.""
I walked away from the others.
"Where are you?""
"I can't tell you.""
"Why?""
"Because if they know you found me, they will come.""
My eyes narrowed.
"Who?""
She didn't answer.
That frightened me more than anything.
"Elena, listen carefully. You are not a suspect anymore.""
A pause.
"I know.""
"Then come back.""
"I can't.""
"Why?""
Her voice broke slightly.
"Because I know what happened to Sofia.""
Everything stopped.
The world seemed to narrow to those words.
"What did you say?""
"I know why she couldn't walk.""
My heart started pounding.
"Explain.""
"I found something in the medical room weeks ago.""
"What?""
"A hidden file.""
My hand tightened around the phone.
"The same file we found tonight?""
"No.""
Her answer came quickly.
"Something else.""
A cold feeling moved through me.
"What was inside?""
"A report.""
"About what?""
"Sofia's injury.""
I waited.
Then Elena said:
"It wasn't just an accident.""
I closed my eyes.
Three years.
Three years of doctors.
Three years of questions.
Three years of wondering why my daughter had suffered.
And now the answer might have been hidden inside my own home.
"Where are you?"" I asked again.
"I can't tell you until I know who I can trust.""
My anger rose.
"You called me.""
"Because I trust you.""
The words surprised me.
"Then why won't you come back?""
"Because someone inside your family wants me gone.""
Silence.
I looked toward the mansion.
The place where my family lived.
The place where my daughter slept.
The place where someone had been hiding secrets.
"Elena.""
"Yes?""
"Did Matteo take you?""
Another silence.
Then:
"No.""
A strange relief mixed with confusion.
"Then who did?""
Her voice became barely a whisper.
"Your mother.""
My body froze.
"What?""
"Mrs. Moretti found me before I left.""
I felt the blood leave my face.
"My mother?""
"She told me I needed to disappear.""
"Why?""
"Because she said if Adrian knew the truth, he would destroy everyone.""
I closed my eyes.
Another person.
Another secret.
Another betrayal.
"Where is my mother now?""
"I don't know.""
"Elena, listen to me. Stay where you are. I will find you.""
"Mr. Moretti...""
"What?""
"I need you to understand something.""
Her voice became serious.
"Your daughter is not the only person who was hurt.""
I frowned.
"What does that mean?""
But before she could answer, the call ended.
I immediately called back.
No answer.
I looked at the phone.
Then at the mansion.
Everything was connected.
My family.
The hospital.
The necklace.
The camera.
Elena disappearing.
And Sofia.
My daughter was at the center of all of it.
I returned inside.
Clara was still in the medical room.
She looked up when I entered.
"Where is Elena?""
"Safe.""
Her expression changed.
"You found her?""
"No.""
I walked toward her.
"She found me.""
Clara became pale.
"What did she tell you?""
I studied her.
That reaction was enough.
She knew.
Maybe not everything.
But something.
"You knew there was more.""
Clara looked away.
"Adrian...""
"No more lies.""
My voice shook the room.
"Not one more.""
She wiped her tears.
"I was trying to protect you.""
"Everyone says that.""
I stepped closer.
"But every person who claims they are protecting me keeps hiding the truth.""
She whispered:
"You don't understand what you're dealing with.""
"Then explain.""
She was silent.
Too silent.
Finally she said:
"When Sofia was born, Matteo wasn't the only person involved.""
My eyes narrowed.
"What does that mean?""
She looked toward the door.
As if afraid someone was listening.
"Your father.""
I froze.
"My father died six years ago.""
"I know.""
"Then why are you saying his name?""
"Because he left something behind.""
The room became colder.
"What?""
Clara looked at me.
"A recording.""
I stared at her.
"Where?""
"I don't know.""
Another lie.
I could see it.
She knew more.
Much more.
Before I could question her, the lights suddenly went out.
The entire mansion went dark.
Security alarms started ringing.
Marco's voice came through the radio.
"Mr. Moretti!""
"What happened?""
"The main system has been compromised.""
"By who?""
A pause.
Then his answer came.
"Someone inside the house.""
Emergency lights turned on.
Red lights flashed through the hallway.
Then came another sound.
A scream.
From upstairs.
Sofia's room.
I ran.
I didn't think.
I didn't wait.
I ran.
Because no matter how many secrets surrounded me, no matter how many enemies I had faced, no matter how powerful I was...
I was still a father first.
When I reached the nursery, the door was open.
The room was empty.
Sofia was gone.
And on her bed was a single piece of paper.
Three words written in black ink.
"Ask your brother.""
I stared at the message.
My hands shook.
Because for the first time in my life, I was afraid.
Not of losing power.
Not of losing money.
Not of losing my empire.
I was afraid because someone had taken my daughter.
May you like
And the person who knew why...
Was my own brother.
