Chapter 2 - The Woman in My Father’s PhotographLucía couldn't stop staring at the photograph.
The baby was unmistakably her.
The bracelet around the tiny wrist had been given to her by Daniel.
She had kept it until she was twelve.
Then it had disappeared.
Her mother had told her it was lost during a move.
Now she knew that wasn't true.
“You knew Sofia.”
Helena sat silently.
Lucía's voice became sharper.
“You knew her.”
“Yes.”
“Who was she?”
Helena looked at Gabriel.
He answered.
“She was your father's intelligence liaison.”
Lucía frowned.
“Then why was I with her?”
Helena whispered:
“Because she saved your life.”
“What?”
“Your father knew the operation had gone wrong.”
Lucía felt dizzy.
“He knew?”
“Yes.”
“Before he died?”
“He never died that night.”
Silence.
Lucía stared at her mother.
“Then what happened?”
Helena finally told her.
Daniel survived the attack.
He escaped with Sofia.
And with an intelligence package.
But they were being hunted.
“They couldn't return home,” Helena said.
“Why?”
“Because the people hunting them were inside their own command structure.”
Lucía looked at Gabriel.
“You were there.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you help him?”
Gabriel looked down.
“I tried.”
“Did you betray him?”
“No.”
“Then who did?”
Gabriel didn't answer.
Helena did.
“Colonel Victor Salazar.”
Lucía recognized the name.
“Isn't he dead?”
“That's what the records say.”
“Another lie.”
“Yes.”
Lucía stepped backward.
“How many lies are there?”
Helena closed her eyes.
“Too many.”
Then Gabriel said:
“Salazar is alive.”
Lucía stared at him.
“Where?”
“We don't know.”
“What about Dad?”
Gabriel hesitated.
“We don't know that either.”
Lucía looked at the photograph.
“If Dad survived, why didn't he come home?”
Helena's face broke.
“Because he believed coming home would get us killed.”
“That's not an answer.”
“It is the only one I have.”
Lucía's voice cracked.
“You let me grow up believing my father abandoned me.”
“No.”
“You let me believe he died.”
“I thought he was dead.”
“But you knew the records were wrong.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Helena looked at the floor.
“Because Daniel sent me a final message.”
“What did it say?”
“He said if I tried to find him, they would come for you.”
Lucía shook her head.
“And you believed him?”
“I was terrified.”
“Of what?”
“Of losing you too.”
The room went quiet.
Then Gabriel's phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed.
“What?”
He listened.
Then hung up.
“Where is she?” Helena asked.
Gabriel looked at Lucía.
“Sofia was found.”
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“Outside the city.”
They drove immediately.
Sofia was lying in an abandoned farmhouse.
She had been injured.
But alive.
When she saw Lucía, tears filled her eyes.
“You're Daniel's daughter.”
Lucía nodded.
“You knew my father?”
“I loved him.”
Helena looked away.
Sofia continued.
“Daniel wanted to come home.”
“Then why didn't he?”
“Because he believed the enemy had infiltrated everything.”
“Who?”
Sofia whispered:
“Gabriel.”
Lucía froze.
She looked at him.
Gabriel didn't move.
“What?”
Sofia continued.
“Daniel thought Gabriel had betrayed him.”
Helena stared.
“That isn't possible.”
Sofia looked at her.
“You trusted him?”
“For fourteen years.”
“Then you trusted the wrong man.”
Gabriel stepped forward.
“That's not true.”
Sofia looked frightened.
“You were there.”
“I was trying to save him.”
“You gave Salazar their location.”
Gabriel's face went pale.
Lucía felt the world tilt.
“Did you?”
Gabriel looked at her.
“No.”
Sofia began crying.
“You did.”
Then she reached beneath her blanket.
She pulled out a small recording device.
“Daniel left this with me.”
She pressed play.
Daniel's voice filled the room.
“If this reaches Helena, don't trust Gabriel.”
Lucía looked at her mother.
Then Gabriel.
The recording continued.
“He isn't the traitor.”
A pause.
“But he knows who is.”
Gabriel closed his eyes.
Daniel's voice returned.
“And if Gabriel is ever accused, it's because Salazar has activated the final phase.”
The recording ended.
Nobody spoke.
Then Sofia whispered:
“Daniel knew he might never return.”
Lucía asked:
“Where is he now?”
Sofia looked at her.
“I don't know.”
“Is he alive?”
Sofia's eyes filled with tears.
“I saw him fourteen years ago.”
“That isn't what I asked.”
Sofia hesitated.
Then whispered:
“Yes.”
Lucía's heart stopped.
“My father is alive?”
May you like
Sofia nodded.
“He has been alive this entire time.”
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