Chapter 6 - The Woman Behind the Wall
The search for Matteo's mother led them to an abandoned monastery outside Philadelphia.
The building had been empty for years.
But one room was heated.
Inside, they found photographs.
Food.
Medicine.
Fresh clothing.
Someone had been living there.
Clara walked toward the hallway.
"Matteo."
He followed.
A door opened.
An elderly woman stood there.
Matteo stopped.
His face changed.
"Mom?"
The woman covered her mouth.
Her eyes filled with tears.
"Matteo."
He crossed the room.
They embraced.
Clara watched quietly.
The most frightening man she had ever met became a son again.
His mother held his face.
"You grew up."
He laughed softly.
"I had to."
"You shouldn't have."
She looked at Clara.
"And you must be Clara."
Clara smiled.
"Yes."
The woman hugged her.
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For making him laugh."
Clara looked at Matteo.
He looked embarrassed.
His mother smiled.
"I have never seen him this happy."
They returned to the safe house.
Matteo finally learned the full truth.
Victor had kidnapped his mother years earlier.
She escaped.
She spent years hiding.
Helen had helped her.
Nathan had protected both women.
Victor had believed them dead.
Now the evidence was complete.
There was only one problem.
Victor still had enough loyal men to start a war.
And he wanted Clara.
He made that clear.
Every television station received an anonymous message.
A photograph of Clara.
A warning.
Bring her to me.
Matteo refused.
He moved Clara into the center of a protected network.
But Clara had another idea.
"What if I go?"
Matteo stared.
"No."
"It ends this."
"No."
"He'll come for me."
"And I will not let him."
"What if that's the point?"
He looked at her.
"What do you mean?"
"Victor thinks I'm your weakness."
"He's wrong."
"Exactly."
Clara spread the documents across the table.
"He expects you to react emotionally."
Matteo nodded.
"So we give him what he expects."
His eyes narrowed.
"You want to set a trap."
"Yes."
Bianca looked at her.
"That could work."
Matteo stared at both women.
"I dislike this plan."
Clara smiled.
"That's how I know it's good."
The trap was arranged at an abandoned theater.
Clara would appear.
Victor would come for her.
Police would surround the building.
Matteo would be hidden nearby.
Everything seemed perfect.
Until Victor called.
"Hello, Clara."
She held the phone.
"What do you want?"
"I want you to come alone."
"Why?"
"Because your mother is here."
Clara's blood ran cold.
"What?"
Helen stood beside her.
"He's lying."
Victor laughed.
"Ask your mother."
Silence.
Then Helen whispered, "Don't go."
Clara closed her eyes.
Victor continued.
"Bring me the drive, or your mother dies."
The call ended.
Clara looked at Matteo.
"He knows."
Matteo took her hands.
"This ends tonight."
"Together."
"Together."
But when the theater doors opened, Clara walked inside alone.
The lights came on.
Victor stood on stage.
Helen was there.
Alive.
Tied to a chair.
Clara stepped forward.
"You lied."
Victor smiled.
"Sometimes truth needs convincing."
She looked around.
"Where's Matteo?"
"Not here."
Clara smiled.
Victor frowned.
"Why are you smiling?"
"Because you made one mistake."
"What?"
"You gave me a reason to stop being afraid."
She pulled a small device from her pocket.
The room filled with police lights.
Victor's men panicked.
Victor grabbed Helen and raised his gun.
Matteo appeared from the balcony.
"Drop it."
Victor laughed.
"You came."
Matteo looked at Clara.
"I'm always coming."
Gunfire erupted.
Clara ducked.
Helen rolled away.
Matteo shot the weapon from Victor's hand.
Victor ran.
Clara followed.
He escaped through the backstage corridors.
Bruno intercepted him.
Victor fell.
Police arrested him.
The war ended that night.
But Matteo walked away with a gunshot wound in his shoulder.
Clara cried.
"You promised."
"I promised to come back."
"You did."
He smiled.
"Exactly."
She pressed her forehead to his.
"Never do this again."
"I'll try."
"That's not good enough."
He laughed.
"Then I'll promise."
She kissed him.
And for the first time, Matteo believed the worst was over.
He was wrong.
May you like
Because before Victor was taken into custody, he whispered one last sentence to a detective.
"You don't know what Matteo has inherited."
