Chapter 4 - Sophia Was the Witness Everyone Thought Had Never Seen AnythingMarco disappeared before the police arrived.
He escaped through a hidden tunnel.
Alessandro stayed silent.
Too silent.
We returned to the main estate.
He sat in his office with the ledger open.
I stood by the window.
“You have a sister.”
He stared at the page.
“I thought I had one.”
“Tobias?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
He pointed to a name.
Elena Moretti.
I recognized the photograph from the blue room.
The woman standing beside Tobias.
“She was my father's daughter.”
Alessandro looked at me.
“And your mother's sister?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
He swallowed.
“Because Elena was Tobias's daughter.”
I froze.
“And my daughter?”
“My family.”
The pieces collided.
Tobias had not disappeared alone.
He had taken Elena.
And my mother knew.
But where did I fit?
Alessandro turned the ledger.
A note had been written inside.
Mara's child is the key.
My hands shook.
“Sophia?”
He looked toward her.
“She's not the key.”
“Then who?”
“You.”
I stared.
“Why me?”
“Because your father hid the original ledger in your family's bloodline.”
I laughed bitterly.
“This is insane.”
“I know.”
“No.”
I looked at him.
“You expect me to believe my dead father was connected to your family, my mother knew Tobias, your father trafficked people, and somehow my daughter is the center of a seven-year conspiracy?”
“Yes.”
“I don't.”
“You don't have to.”
He closed the ledger.
“But I do.”
That night, Sophia wouldn't sleep.
She stood in the hallway.
“Uncle Toby says he's sad.”
“Why?”
“He misses Daddy.”
My chest tightened.
“Who is Daddy?”
She looked confused.
“Daddy.”
I realized she wasn't talking about her father.
She was talking about someone else.
“Who is Daddy?”
She whispered:
“Mr. Blue Room.”
Alessandro looked at me.
We both went still.
The blue room.
Tobias.
The man behind the wall.
Someone had been talking to Sophia for months.
Not imaginary.
Real.
We followed her.
She led us into the old east wing.
Behind a portrait was a narrow opening.
A staircase.
At the bottom was another room.
Blue.
Smaller.
And inside was a monitor.
A camera.
A microphone.
An old recording system.
Someone had been communicating with her through the walls.
Alessandro stared at it.
“Who installed this?”
Marco's name appeared in the system files.
But then something else.
A second account.
T.M.
Tobias Moretti.
Alessandro's hands shook.
“He's been alive.”
I looked at the screen.
A live camera opened.
A man appeared.
Older.
Scarred.
But unmistakable.
Tobias.
Sophia waved.
“Uncle Toby!”
The man smiled.
“Hello, sweetheart.”
I cried.
“Where are you?”
Tobias looked at me.
“I know who you are.”
“You know my mother.”
“Yes.”
“Was my father involved?”
“Yes.”
“Did he betray you?”
“No.”
“Then what happened?”
Tobias sighed.
“Your father tried to expose mine.”
“Did Marco work for him?”
“Yes.”
“Why is Sophia involved?”
“Because children remember.”
“Remember what?”
He looked directly at the camera.
“The night your husband died.”
My blood ran cold.
“My husband?”
Tobias nodded.
“He wasn't killed by a random accident.”
“What happened?”
“He was going to expose Marco.”
Alessandro stepped closer.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because you wouldn't have believed me.”
Tobias's expression changed.
“You trusted Marco more than you trusted blood.”
Alessandro looked away.
“That was my mistake.”
A loud crack came through the microphone.
The camera went black.
Tobias disappeared.
Then a message appeared.
NINE DAYS.
I stared.
“What does that mean?”
Alessandro's phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
A voice said:
“You have nine days before your empire belongs to me.”
The line ended.
May you like
Alessandro looked at me.
“Marco isn't working alone.”
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