Chapter 9: The Night Luca Costello Remembered
The sound of engines outside the warehouse grew louder.
Not one vehicle.
Several.
The kind of arrival that wasn't meant to negotiate.
Victor moved immediately.
"Everyone away from the entrance.""
For once, nobody questioned him.
Luca watched the man who had spent fifteen years protecting him move with the same precision he always had.
But now Luca saw something different.
Not just a security chief.
A witness.
A man who had carried the weight of one terrible night for twelve years.
"Victor.""
The older man stopped.
Luca looked at him.
"You said I was in the passenger seat.""
Victor slowly turned.
"Yes.""
"Why don't I remember?""
Victor's expression softened.
"Because someone made sure you wouldn't.""
The warehouse shook as a vehicle stopped outside.
Antonio looked toward the door.
"We don't have time.""
Luca ignored him.
"No.""
Everyone looked at him.
"I need the truth before we run again.""
Victor stared at him.
"Luca.""
"No.""
His voice was steady.
"I spent twelve years being moved around like a piece on a chessboard.""
He looked at everyone.
"Not anymore.""
The footsteps outside became louder.
Victor glanced at the entrance.
Then back at Luca.
"Fine.""
He took a slow breath.
"I'll tell you.""
The warehouse went quiet.
"The night of the accident, you and Matteo came here.""
Luca frowned.
"Here?""
"Yes.""
"You said Matteo was driving.""
Victor nodded.
"You were going to confront your father.""
Antonio looked surprised.
"About the documents.""
Victor nodded.
"Matteo had found proof that Dante Costello had been hiding financial crimes for years.""
Luca tried to remember.
Nothing.
Just flashes.
"The warehouse.""
Victor continued.
"Your father was supposed to meet you here.""
"Did he?""
"No.""
Victor looked down.
"Someone else came.""
"Who?""
Victor didn't answer.
Luca already knew.
"Mother.""
Victor nodded.
"Elena Costello.""
The name felt strange.
Hearing his mother's name connected to betrayal felt like hearing someone say the sky was falling.
"What happened?""
Victor looked at the floor.
"Your mother tried to convince Matteo to leave.""
"Leave?""
"Leave the company. Leave the family.""
"Why?""
"Because she knew Dante would destroy anyone who exposed him.""
Luca looked at Gabriel.
The older man said nothing.
Victor continued.
"Matteo refused.""
A memory surfaced.
His brother's voice.
"I can't let him keep doing this.""
Luca closed his eyes.
"I was there.""
Victor nodded.
"You were.""
"I remember arguing.""
"Yes.""
"With who?""
Victor looked at him.
"Your father.""
The memory hit.
Not clear.
But closer.
A room.
A desk.
His father's angry voice.
"You have no idea what you're risking.""
Luca opened his eyes.
"What happened after?""
Victor hesitated.
"The fire started.""
Antonio stepped forward.
"The warehouse fire.""
Victor nodded.
"But it wasn't an accident.""
The engines outside stopped.
Everyone heard doors opening.
Victor continued.
"Someone locked the exits.""
Sofia covered her mouth.
"People were inside?""
Victor nodded.
"Yes.""
Luca felt sick.
"Who?""
"Employees who had discovered the same thing Matteo found.""
The warehouse suddenly felt heavier.
All those years.
All those people.
A fire.
A cover-up.
"How did I survive?""
Victor looked at him.
"Matteo saved you.""
Luca froze.
"What?""
"He pulled you out.""
The words broke something inside him.
His brother.
The person he had spent hours suspecting.
The person everyone had questioned.
Had saved his life.
"Then why...""
Victor continued.
"Because when Matteo pulled you from the car, he was injured.""
"Car?""
Victor nodded.
"The crash happened after the fire.""
Luca looked confused.
"The fire?""
Victor looked toward the entrance.
"We need to move.""
"No.""
The sound of vehicles outside became louder.
But Luca refused.
"Finish.""
Victor looked at him.
"The fire was meant to destroy the evidence.""
A pause.
"But when Matteo escaped with you, someone followed.""
Luca felt his heart tighten.
"Who?""
Victor looked at Gabriel.
Everyone followed his eyes.
Gabriel's face remained calm.
Until Victor spoke.
"The person who caused the crash.""
Silence.
Gabriel shook his head slowly.
"Victor.""
"You were there too.""
Gabriel smiled.
"And you still couldn't stop it.""
Luca looked at Gabriel.
"You?""
Gabriel said nothing.
Victor continued.
"Gabriel followed them.""
"No.""
Antonio stepped forward.
"That's impossible.""
Victor looked at him.
"You don't know everything either.""
Gabriel laughed softly.
"You finally decided to tell the truth?""
Victor ignored him.
"He sabotaged the car.""
Luca stared.
"Why?""
Victor looked at him.
"Because Matteo had the evidence.""
The pieces began connecting.
The fire.
The documents.
The crash.
The missing memories.
Luca looked at Gabriel.
"You wanted the files.""
Gabriel smiled.
"I wanted what your father stole.""
"And you almost killed me.""
"No.""
Gabriel's voice became colder.
"I almost killed Matteo.""
The warehouse fell silent.
Luca looked at him.
"Why?""
Gabriel looked away.
"Because your brother was the only person who could expose everything.""
A sound came from outside.
The warehouse doors began opening.
Victor immediately reacted.
"Now.""
Everyone moved.
But Luca stayed still.
Because there was one question left.
One question that mattered more than everything else.
"What about my mother?""
Nobody moved.
Victor looked at him.
"She was in the car.""
Luca felt his breathing stop.
"What?""
"She followed you.""
"Why?""
Victor's voice became quiet.
"Because she wanted to stop Matteo from confronting your father.""
Luca shook his head.
"No.""
"She got there too late.""
The memories came faster now.
A woman's voice.
His mother's voice.
"Luca, listen to me.""
A crash.
Glass breaking.
Someone screaming.
Then a hand.
A hand holding his.
Not Matteo's.
His mother's.
Luca grabbed his head.
Images flooded back.
The road.
The rain.
The car.
Matteo driving.
His mother in the back seat.
Someone chasing them.
The brakes failing.
Matteo losing control.
The impact.
And then...
Fire.
But before he lost consciousness, he remembered something else.
His mother leaning close.
Whispering.
"Don't trust anyone who tells you I wanted this.""
Luca opened his eyes.
Tears filled them.
"My mother.""
Nobody spoke.
"She was trying to save us.""
Victor nodded.
"Yes.""
"And Matteo...""
"He saved you.""
Luca looked down.
Twelve years.
Twelve years of anger.
Twelve years of blaming the wrong person.
A gunshot suddenly shattered the silence.
Everyone dropped.
The warehouse windows exploded.
Victor pushed Luca behind cover.
"Move!""
This time, Luca listened.
They moved through the back exit as armed men entered the warehouse.
Outside, rain began falling.
Like that night.
Like twelve years ago.
Luca looked back at the burning building.
Then at Matteo's absence.
"Where is he?""
Everyone froze.
Matteo was gone.
The man who had called him.
The man who had warned him.
The man who had told him the truth.
Missing.
Antonio looked around.
"He was here.""
Victor's face changed.
"No.""
Luca looked at him.
"What?""
Victor stared at the warehouse.
Then whispered:
"He wasn't running from them.""
A pause.
"He was leading them away from us.""
Luca's chest tightened.
Before anyone could respond, Luca's phone buzzed.
A message.
From Matteo.
Only one line.
*I found the person who started this.*
A second message appeared.
A photograph.
Luca opened it.
And froze.
It showed Matteo standing in a dark room.
Behind him was a woman.
Older.
Weak.
Alive.
A woman Luca had mourned since childhood.
His mother.
Elena Costello.
Under the photograph were four words.
*She knows everything.*
Luca stared at the screen.
Impossible.
May you like
His mother was alive.
And somewhere in the darkness, she had been waiting twelve years for him to find her.
