Chapter 8: The Brother Who Was Supposed to Die
Luca had spent twelve years believing one person had taken his life away.
Now, standing inside the burned remains of his family's warehouse, he discovered something far more painful.
The person everyone thought he was protecting...
Might have been the person everyone was trying to save.
"Matteo?""
The name left Luca's mouth like a question.
Gabriel Moretti stood in the darkness, calm and confident, as if he had been waiting years for this exact moment.
"Yes.""
Luca stared at him.
"No.""
Gabriel tilted his head.
"You still protect him.""
"He is my brother.""
"That is why you are weak.""
The words struck something inside Luca.
Not because they were true.
Because they sounded exactly like something his father would have said.
"You don't know my family.""
Gabriel smiled.
"I know your family better than you do.""
Victor stepped forward.
"Enough.""
Gabriel looked at him.
"Still playing the loyal soldier?""
Victor's face tightened.
"You were never loyal to anyone.""
Gabriel laughed softly.
"Interesting. Coming from the man who spent twelve years hiding the truth from the person he claimed to protect.""
The accusation landed.
Luca looked at Victor.
The older man said nothing.
That silence told Luca everything.
Again.
Another piece of the puzzle he had never been allowed to see.
"Everyone stop.""
His voice echoed through the warehouse.
The tension froze.
Luca looked at Gabriel.
"You said the accident was meant for Matteo.""
Gabriel nodded.
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because Matteo found something he shouldn't have.""
"What?""
Gabriel looked toward the burned walls.
"Your father's final plan.""
Luca frowned.
"My father's final plan?""
"Before he died, Dante Costello discovered someone was stealing from the company.""
"I know that.""
"No.""
Gabriel stepped closer.
"You know the version everyone gave you.""
Luca felt anger rising.
"Then give me the real one.""
Gabriel smiled.
"Your father discovered the company was never completely his.""
Antonio's expression changed.
"What are you saying?""
Gabriel looked at him.
"Your father built an empire on a foundation of stolen power.""
Antonio shook his head.
"That's impossible.""
"Is it?""
Gabriel turned toward Luca.
"Ask him.""
Luca looked at Antonio.
The man who had been his friend.
His protector.
His father's former enemy.
"What does he mean?""
Antonio looked away.
And that hurt more than anything.
"Luca.""
"No.""
His voice sharpened.
"Don't.""
Antonio closed his eyes.
"Your father and my father didn't create the company together.""
Everyone went still.
Luca stared.
"What?""
Antonio looked at him.
"They were partners.""
"That's what you said.""
"No.""
Antonio's voice was heavy.
"They were partners before your father betrayed mine.""
The warehouse became silent.
Antonio continued.
"My father invested everything into the original business. Money, contacts, resources.""
"And Dante?""
"He took control.""
Luca shook his head.
"My father wouldn't.""
Antonio gave him a sad look.
"You spent your whole life trying not to become him.""
A pause.
"Maybe because part of you knew exactly who he was.""
The words hurt.
Because Luca had spent years fighting against his father's shadow.
But never against the possibility that the shadow was real.
Gabriel continued.
"When Dante realized someone knew the truth, he started removing problems.""
"Problems?""
"People.""
Luca looked at him.
"Who?""
Gabriel's eyes moved to Matteo.
"Your brother.""
A memory surfaced.
Matteo at seventeen.
Angry.
Standing in the driveway after a fight with their father.
Luca had asked him what happened.
Matteo had only said:
"One day, you'll understand what he did.""
Luca had forgotten.
Until now.
"What did Matteo find?""
Gabriel looked toward the floor.
"The original company documents.""
Antonio stepped forward.
"The documents proving the partnership?""
Gabriel nodded.
"And proving Dante stole control.""
Luca looked at him.
"Why would Matteo care?""
Gabriel laughed.
"Because your brother was not like you.""
The sentence surprised Luca.
"What does that mean?""
"Matteo didn't want power.""
Everyone looked toward him.
"He wanted justice.""
The room went quiet.
Luca thought about all the years.
Matteo managing the company.
Matteo visiting him.
Matteo sitting beside his hospital bed.
Was it all an act?
Or was there something else?
"Then why did he hide everything?""
Gabriel smiled.
"Because after the accident, he became afraid.""
"Of what?""
"Of becoming like your father.""
A sudden sound interrupted them.
A phone ringing.
Everyone looked.
It was Luca's phone.
The number was unknown.
He answered.
"Who is this?""
A familiar voice responded.
"Luca.""
His blood froze.
Matteo.
But the voice sounded different.
Broken.
Urgent.
"Where are you?""
Luca looked around.
Nobody moved.
"Why?""
"Because Gabriel is lying.""
Gabriel smiled.
As if he had expected the call.
Luca's eyes narrowed.
"You're alive.""
"Yes.""
"Where are you?""
A pause.
Then Matteo said:
"I need you to listen carefully.""
The warehouse lights flickered.
Everyone looked up.
"Someone is coming.""
Luca gripped the phone.
"Who?""
Matteo's voice dropped.
"The person who actually ordered the accident.""
The line crackled.
Then Matteo whispered:
"It wasn't Gabriel.""
Luca looked at the man standing across the warehouse.
Gabriel's expression had changed.
Just slightly.
But enough.
"Who was it?""
Matteo didn't answer immediately.
Then:
"Your mother.""
The call ended.
Nobody spoke.
Luca stared at the phone.
His entire reality broke apart.
"My mother.""
No one answered.
Even Gabriel looked surprised.
Only for a second.
Then he smiled.
"Now you understand.""
Luca turned toward him.
"Did you know?""
Gabriel said nothing.
"Did you know?""
Finally, Gabriel answered.
"I knew she was involved.""
Involved.
The word felt impossible.
"My mother died before I built my company.""
"Yes.""
"She couldn't have ordered anything.""
Gabriel looked at him.
"You don't know what happened before she died.""
Luca's hands tightened.
"I was there.""
"No.""
Gabriel's voice became quiet.
"You were a child.""
The sentence stopped him.
Because that was true.
He remembered his mother.
But only pieces.
A perfume.
A song.
A hand holding his.
But not the last year of her life.
Not the arguments.
Not the secrets.
Not what she had done.
Victor suddenly spoke.
"He's manipulating you.""
Everyone turned.
Victor stepped closer.
"He wants you angry.""
Gabriel smiled.
"And you want him confused.""
Victor's expression hardened.
"Because confusion keeps him alive.""
Luca looked at Victor.
"What does that mean?""
Victor hesitated.
Then something changed.
He looked tired.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
Like he had finally reached the end of something.
"It means...""
Victor swallowed.
"Your mother wasn't trying to destroy you.""
Luca stared.
"Then what was she trying to do?""
Victor looked at the burned warehouse.
"She was trying to save you.""
The answer made no sense.
Luca shook his head.
"Save me?""
Victor nodded.
"Your mother discovered what your father had done.""
"Then why would she hurt me?""
"She didn't.""
Victor looked directly at Luca.
"The accident wasn't meant to kill Matteo.""
A pause.
"It wasn't meant to kill you.""
Luca felt cold.
"Then what was it meant to do?""
Victor's voice dropped.
"It was meant to remove both brothers from the game.""
Silence.
Antonio looked at Victor.
"You knew.""
Victor nodded.
"I was there.""
Luca stared.
"You were there?""
Victor closed his eyes.
"Yes.""
"Then tell me what happened.""
For twelve years, Victor had carried the answer.
Now there was nowhere left to hide.
He looked at Luca.
And said:
"The night of the accident...""
A pause.
"Matteo was driving.""
Luca felt the world tilt.
No.
That was impossible.
He remembered driving.
He remembered the road.
He remembered the crash.
Didn't he?
Victor continued.
"You were in the passenger seat.""
Luca gripped the wheels of his chair.
Fragments appeared.
Rain.
A voice.
A hand reaching across.
Someone shouting.
Not him.
Matteo.
Then the crash.
Then darkness.
Luca looked at his own hands.
Twelve years of memories built on a lie.
The warehouse suddenly felt too small.
Because if Victor was telling the truth...
Then Luca had not lost his legs because someone attacked him.
He had lost his life because someone erased what happened before.
Gabriel stepped closer.
"Now you see.""
Luca looked up.
"See what?""
Gabriel's smile disappeared.
"Your family has been protecting one truth for twelve years.""
The lights flickered again.
A sound came from outside.
Multiple vehicles.
Approaching.
Victor looked toward the entrance.
His face changed.
"We need to leave.""
Luca looked at him.
"Why?""
Victor reached for his weapon.
"Because whoever is coming...""
May you like
He looked at Luca.
"...doesn't want you to remember what happened next.""
