Chapter 4 - The Brother in the Photograph
Adrian Moretti had supposedly died twenty-six years ago.
Yet the ledger showed records of money sent to a private account under another name.
The payments began twenty years ago.
They continued until three months earlier.
Alejandro ordered a complete financial audit.
The name appeared everywhere.
Daniel Rossi.
That was the false identity used for Adrian.
He had been educated abroad.
He had traveled frequently.
And he had recently returned to the city.
He was alive.
Alejandro's brother was alive.
But he had no idea who he could trust.
The search led to a small apartment downtown.
Inside, they found Adrian.
He was thirty-four.
Dark-haired.
Calm.
And he looked remarkably like Alejandro.
When the brothers saw each other, neither spoke.
Adrian finally said:
“You got taller.”
Alejandro almost laughed.
“You disappeared for thirty years.”
“Twenty-six.”
“You were supposed to be dead.”
“I know.”
“Who told you to hide?”
“Father.”
“Why?”
Adrian looked toward the floor.
“Because he thought you were safer without me.”
Alejandro stared.
“Safer?”
“Yes.”
“From whom?”
“From the people who wanted one heir.”
Adrian explained.
Their father had discovered that several members of the organization planned to use a second heir to remove Alejandro.
If Adrian existed, they could claim Alejandro was unnecessary.
If Adrian disappeared, they could manipulate him later.
Their father chose the second option.
It had worked for years.
Until Victor discovered Adrian's existence.
Then the old plan started again.
Alejandro asked:
“Why didn't you come back?”
“I did.”
“What?”
“Three months ago.”
Alejandro stared.
“I came back quietly.”
“Why?”
“I wanted to see what you'd become.”
Adrian looked at him.
“And I was proud.”
Alejandro looked away.
They had never been raised together.
They had no shared memories.
No childhood fights.
No birthdays.
No school stories.
Yet there was something unmistakable between them.
Blood.
I didn't understand it then.
I only knew Alejandro looked different when he looked at Adrian.
Less guarded.
More human.
Then Adrian noticed me.
“And who's this?”
“Emma.”
“The little girl who saved you.”
I nodded.
Adrian smiled.
“Thank you.”
I liked him.
But Mama didn't trust him.
Neither did Tommy.
The investigation continued.
Victor had disappeared.
Clara was under surveillance.
Lorenzo insisted he was innocent.
Dr. Gabriel was questioned.
Vittorio was still missing.
Then someone tried to poison the mansion's water supply.
Nothing happened because Alejandro's new security team caught the contamination during routine testing.
That proved one thing.
The traitor had access to every part of the house.
The kitchen.
Security.
Maintenance.
Family rooms.
And maybe medical records.
Alejandro looked at Dr. Gabriel.
“You treated me that night.”
“Yes.”
“You knew what I had eaten?”
“Yes.”
“Did you know I had allergies?”
“Of course.”
Alejandro stared.
The doctor looked offended.
“You think I poisoned you?”
“No.”
“But you don't trust me.”
“I don't trust anyone.”
Dr. Gabriel sighed.
“After tonight, I understand.”
Then Emma tugged Mama's sleeve.
“Mama.”
“What?”
“That's the lady.”
I pointed toward a photograph.
A woman standing behind Dr. Gabriel at a charity event.
Mama frowned.
“I don't know her.”
“She was in the kitchen.”
Dr. Gabriel looked.
“That's my sister.”
Alejandro stared.
“Your sister?”
“Yes.”
“Name?”
“Helena.”
Everyone became still.
The same Helena from the old family photograph.
The nurse who had held Adrian as a baby.
Dr. Gabriel's sister.
And the woman who had disappeared twenty-six years earlier.
Alejandro demanded to know where she was.
Gabriel shook his head.
“She died.”
“No.”
Alejandro placed the photograph on the desk.
“This woman?”
“Yes.”
“She was your sister.”
“Yes.”
“Was she alive three months ago?”
Gabriel hesitated.
Then:
“Yes.”
Alejandro's eyes hardened.
“Where?”
“I don't know.”
That was enough.
Gabriel was taken into custody.
Meanwhile, Tommy found another camera.
Not in the study.
In the kitchen.
Then another.
In the hallway.
Another inside the private elevator.
Someone had built an entire surveillance network throughout the mansion.
The cameras were independent.
They were not controlled by security.
Someone had been watching every movement.
Every conversation.
Every meal.
Every visitor.
Alejandro realized the poison attack was only one part of a much larger plan.
The cameras were not just recording him.
They were studying him.
His habits.
His routines.
His weaknesses.
His family.
And me.
One recording showed Clara entering the kitchen two weeks earlier.
She handed a sealed envelope to Helena.
The woman turned away from the camera.
But the necklace was visible.
The same necklace Clara wore.
Alejandro demanded answers.
Clara finally broke.
“Yes.”
She cried.
“I knew Helena.”
“Who is she?”
“She was your father's nurse.”
“I know.”
“No.”
Clara shook her head.
“She was more than that.”
Alejandro waited.
“She's Adrian's mother.”
Adrian stepped forward.
“My mother?”
Clara nodded.
“She didn't die.”
Alejandro looked toward Adrian.
“You were hidden with her?”
“No.”
“She gave you to your father.”
Adrian looked stunned.
Clara continued.
“She wanted to protect you.”
“Then where is she?”
Clara whispered:
“With Victor.”
Everything changed.
Victor had Helena.
He had Adrian's mother.
He had the secret ledger.
He had access to the mansion.
And someone was helping him from inside.
Alejandro's gaze moved around the room.
Everyone was silent.
Then Emma pointed toward the ceiling.
“Up.”
Alejandro looked.
“What?”
“The camera.”
Tommy scanned the ceiling.
A tiny red light blinked.
Another hidden camera.
It had been recording them.
Alejandro reached for it.
The screen connected.
The live feed opened.
Victor appeared.
He sat in a dark room.
Beside him stood Helena.
She looked frightened.
Victor smiled.
“Good evening, Alejandro.”
Alejandro's face became ice.
“Let her go.”
Victor laughed.
“I will.”
“When?”
“When you give me Adrian.”
Adrian stepped forward.
Victor smiled wider.
“There he is.”
Alejandro moved between them.
“You want me.”
“No.”
Victor shook his head.
“I want the thing your father was willing to destroy the family to protect.”
“What?”
“The legacy.”
The screen went black.
A message appeared.
MIDNIGHT TOMORROW.
CHOOSE WHICH BROTHER SURVIVES.
Alejandro stared.
Adrian looked at him.
“I'll go.”
“No.”
“They want me.”
“They want us divided.”
I didn't understand everything.
But I understood one thing.
May you like
The two brothers had finally found each other.
And someone wanted to tear them apart before they had the chance to become a family.
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