Chapter 7: The Truth Buried Under Fifteen Years
Clara Whitmore was not waiting for us at the estate.
She was waiting somewhere else.
Somewhere Anthony Vale had already prepared.
Victor found out within ten minutes.
A message.
A location.
One sentence.
*Come alone if you want the truth.*
Of course, Victor didn’t go alone.
Men like Victor Romano never truly went anywhere alone.
They just allowed people to believe they did.
I sat beside him in the car.
Neither of us spoke.
Finally, I said:
“You don’t believe Anthony.””
Victor stared out the window.
“I believe everyone.””
“That sounds impossible.””
“It means I believe everyone is capable of anything.””
I looked at him.
“Even you?””
He was quiet.
Then:
“Especially me.””
That answer stayed with me.
Because for the first time, I saw something behind the reputation.
Not a mafia king.
A man who had spent his whole life surrounded by betrayal.
The location was an old church outside the city.
Empty.
Abandoned.
The perfect place for secrets.
Clara stood near the altar.
She looked exhausted.
When she saw Victor, her expression changed.
“You came.””
“You knew I would.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because you always search for the truth.””
Victor laughed once.
“No.””
His voice was cold.
“I search for the person who lied best.””
Clara looked at me.
“I’m sorry.””
I frowned.
“For what?””
“For your father.””
The words made my body freeze.
“What do you know about my father?””
Clara looked down.
“More than I wanted to.””
Victor stepped forward.
“Start talking.””
Clara took a breath.
“My father worked for Anthony Vale.””
Nobody moved.
“He wasn’t a businessman,” she continued.
“He was one of Vale’s accountants.””
Victor’s expression changed.
“Then why are you connected to me?””
“Because my father tried to escape.””
“And?””
“He failed.””
Silence.
Clara looked at me.
“Your father helped him.””
I felt like the floor disappeared.
“My father?””
“Yes.””
“No.””
“I know what it sounds like.””
“You don’t know anything about him.””
Clara nodded sadly.
“You’re right.””
She reached into her coat.
Removed a small notebook.
And handed it to me.
I recognized it instantly.
My father’s handwriting.
My hands shook.
“Where did you get this?””
“Your father gave it to me.””
The world went silent.
“When?””
“The night before he disappeared.””
I opened the notebook.
The first page had one sentence.
*If Lena ever finds this, tell her I tried to protect everyone.*
My vision blurred.
Victor read over my shoulder.
The pages contained names.
Payments.
Meetings.
But one name appeared more than any other.
Anthony Vale.
My father had been tracking him.
But then I saw something else.
A final entry.
A date.
The night he disappeared.
*The betrayal came from someone I trusted. Someone inside the Romano family.*
Victor looked at the page.
His face became unreadable.
“Someone inside my family.””
Clara nodded.
“Yes.””
“Who?””
She looked at him.
“I don’t know.””
Anthony’s voice came from the doorway.
“You do.””
Everyone turned.
He walked inside slowly.
Victor immediately reached for his weapon.
Anthony smiled.
“You’re still predictable.””
“You’re still alive.””
“Both are true.””
Victor stared at Clara.
“You knew he was alive.””
Clara’s silence answered.
The betrayal hit harder than any bullet.
Victor looked away.
“Why?””
Clara’s eyes filled with tears.
“Because he threatened my family.””
Anthony smiled.
“She’s lying.””
Clara looked at him.
“No.””
Anthony stepped closer.
“She’s telling the truth.””
That surprised everyone.
He continued:
“Because unlike everyone else, Clara had something worth protecting.””
Victor’s eyes narrowed.
“What?””
Anthony looked directly at me.
“Your father.””
I stopped breathing.
“What about him?””
Anthony’s expression changed.
For the first time…
He looked human.
“Daniel Hart didn’t die.””
Victor stepped forward.
“Where is he?””
Anthony looked toward the church doors.
And whispered:
“He’s been here the whole time.””
The doors opened.
A figure stood outside.
Older.
Broken.
But familiar.
My knees almost gave out.
Because even after fifteen years…
I knew that face.
My father looked at me.
May you like
And said:
“Lena.””
