Chapter 6: The Deal Behind Closed Doors
For several seconds after the call ended, nobody moved.
The silence felt unnatural.
Like the entire penthouse was waiting for someone to admit this was all a nightmare.
But nobody did.
Because we all knew it wasn't.
Victoria Vale had called.
She knew about Mia.
She knew where we were.
And she had spoken like she was already certain she would get what she wanted.
I looked at Adrian.
His face had lost all color.
"Your mother knows everything.""
He didn't answer.
"Adrian.""
His eyes finally met mine.
"I don't know how.""
"Stop saying that.""
My voice cracked.
"I am tired of hearing that.""
The words came out before I could stop them.
"I spent eight months alone because nobody told me anything.""
His expression changed.
Pain.
Guilt.
But I couldn't let that stop me.
"I was pregnant. I was scared. I had no idea if you were dead, if you left, if you believed her.""
"I didn't believe her.""
"Then why did you disappear?""
He opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Because there was no answer that could fix it.
Alessandro stood nearby, silent.
Watching.
Learning.
That was what he did.
He watched people when they thought nobody noticed.
And right now, he was watching Adrian.
"You need to tell us everything.""
Adrian looked at him.
"This is my family.""
"And this is my home.""
The words were calm.
"But your family brought a threat into it.""
Adrian looked away.
"I don't know everything.""
Alessandro's expression hardened.
"Then start with what you do know.""
A long pause.
Finally, Adrian sat down.
For the first time since he arrived, he looked exhausted.
Not rich.
Not powerful.
Just tired.
"My father had one obsession.""
He looked at Mia.
"Control.""
The word hung in the air.
"He believed the Vale family could never show weakness.""
I listened quietly.
Because somehow, I knew this wasn't just a story about money.
It was about people.
About what happened when someone valued a name more than a life.
"My father had a son before me.""
Adrian paused.
I frowned.
"What?""
He nodded slowly.
"An older brother.""
Alessandro's eyes narrowed.
"You never mentioned him.""
"Because nobody does.""
Adrian looked at the floor.
"He died.""
A cold feeling moved through me.
"How?""
"An accident.""
The way he said it told me there was more.
"What kind of accident?""
Adrian hesitated.
"My father never talked about it.""
"Why?""
"Because my brother was supposed to inherit everything.""
The room became quiet.
"And after he died," Adrian continued, "my father changed.""
I looked at Mia.
"How?""
"He became obsessed with preserving the family line.""
The words made my stomach tighten.
"That's why Mia?""
Adrian nodded slightly.
"Maybe.""
"No.""
Alessandro's voice interrupted.
"Not maybe.""
He looked at the documents.
"Your father knew about this child before birth.""
Adrian stared at him.
"What are you saying?""
"I'm saying this wasn't discovered.""
Alessandro tapped the photograph.
"It was planned.""
The idea made my skin crawl.
I hugged Mia closer.
A plan.
A family strategy.
A decision made by people who had never once asked what I wanted.
"What does she want?"" I asked.
Nobody needed to ask who.
Victoria.
Alessandro looked at me.
"I don't know.""
"She called her granddaughter.""
Adrian whispered.
"She wants access.""
"Access?""
"To Mia.""
My heart dropped.
"No.""
The answer came instantly.
"No.""
Nobody argued.
Not even Alessandro.
Because for the first time, everyone understood one thing.
Mia wasn't a business problem.
She wasn't a family dispute.
She was a child.
And she had already spent enough time being treated like something people could claim.
Alessandro walked toward the window.
"We need legal protection.""
I looked at him.
"Legal?""
"Yes.""
"I can't afford lawyers.""
"You don't need to.""
I stiffened.
"I don't want charity.""
His eyes turned toward me.
"That isn't what I offered.""
"Then what?""
"Protection.""
The word bothered me.
Because protection from powerful people usually meant another powerful person making decisions.
"I don't want to owe you anything.""
Something changed in his expression.
A small flash of surprise.
"You think that's why I would help?""
"I don't know why you would help.""
That was the truth.
Three hours ago, he thought I had betrayed him.
Now he was offering lawyers.
Security.
A safe place.
I didn't understand.
Alessandro was quiet for a moment.
Then he said:
"Because someone threatened a child in my home.""
That answer was simple.
Maybe too simple.
But somehow, I believed him.
Not completely.
Not yet.
But enough.
A knock came from the hallway.
Everyone turned.
A security officer stood outside.
"Mr. Duca.""
Alessandro walked over.
"What happened?""
"We checked the building footage.""
"And?""
The officer hesitated.
"There is no footage.""
My stomach tightened.
"What do you mean?""
"The cameras were disabled for four minutes.""
"By who?""
"We don't know.""
Alessandro's face became cold.
"Find out.""
The officer nodded.
Then looked at Adrian.
"Sir.""
Adrian frowned.
"What?""
The officer looked uncomfortable.
"The person who disabled the cameras used a security code.""
Alessandro went still.
"What code?""
The officer looked at him.
"Your personal access code.""
Nobody spoke.
The meaning was obvious.
Someone had access to Alessandro's private information.
Someone close.
"Impossible," Raymond whispered.
Alessandro didn't react.
But I saw it.
The smallest change.
The moment he realized someone inside his world might be involved.
Then his phone rang again.
This time, he didn't answer immediately.
He looked at the screen.
Unknown number.
He picked up.
"Who is this?""
A woman's voice responded.
Not Victoria.
Someone younger.
Shaking.
"Mr. Duca...""
Alessandro's expression changed.
"Who are you?""
"I need to talk to Elena.""
My heart stopped.
The woman continued.
"Before Victoria finds her.""
Adrian stood.
"Who is this?""
The voice went quiet.
Then:
"Adrian?""
His face changed.
Like he recognized her.
"Who are you?""
The woman took a shaky breath.
"My name is Clara.""
A pause.
"I'm your father's former assistant.""
Nobody moved.
"Why are you calling?""
Her voice dropped.
"Because I know what happened the night Mia was born.""
I held my breath.
The woman continued.
"And I know why Victoria wanted Elena gone.""
Alessandro stepped closer to the phone.
"Where are you?""
Another pause.
Then fear entered Clara's voice.
"I can't tell you.""
"Why?""
"Because if Victoria knows I contacted you, she'll come for me.""
The line crackled.
Then Clara whispered:
"Elena, you need to listen carefully.""
My hands tightened around Mia.
"What?""
"The man you believe is Mia's father...""
I looked at Adrian.
Clara continued.
"He isn't the only person who signed those papers.""
Nobody spoke.
"What does that mean?"" I asked.
Her answer came quietly.
"The night Mia was born, Victoria didn't come to take your baby.""
A pause.
"She came to take her because someone else had already tried.""
The call ended.
I stared at the phone.
Confused.
Terrified.
Then Alessandro looked at Adrian.
"Your father.""
Adrian's face went pale.
"No.""
"You think he wasn't involved?""
"I don't know.""
The answer was barely a whisper.
Again.
That phrase.
I don't know.
But this time, it wasn't frustrating.
It was frightening.
Because none of us knew.
And somewhere out there, someone did.
Someone who had been watching.
Someone who had the hospital photograph.
Someone who knew about Mia before anyone else.
Alessandro walked toward the desk.
He picked up the birth certificate.
Then he looked at me.
"Elena.""
Something in his voice made me nervous.
"What?""
"There is one more thing.""
My heart sank.
"What now?""
He turned the document around.
I looked.
At first, I didn't understand.
Then I saw the signature.
The father's signature.
The one that had been hidden beneath the copies.
My hands started shaking.
Because I knew that handwriting.
I had seen it before.
Not on legal papers.
Not on birth records.
On a note left at my apartment door eight months ago.
A note I thought was from Adrian.
A note that said:
*Forget me. Forget this baby. I never loved you.*
I looked at Adrian.
He saw my face.
"What?""
I couldn't speak.
Because suddenly I understood.
The note.
The disappearance.
The lie.
It hadn't been Adrian.
Someone had forged his words.
Someone had destroyed us on purpose.
And the signature on Mia's birth certificate proved it.
The person who signed as her father wasn't Adrian.
It was his father.
But underneath that signature was another message.
Written in small letters.
A message meant for me.
May you like
A warning.
*"Ask Alessandro Duca why he knows my name.""*
