Chapter 7: The Night My Father Disappeared
For twelve years, I had lived with one truth.
My father was dead.
A funeral.
A closed casket.
A room full of people telling me he had left this world peacefully.
I had never questioned it.
Because some wounds hurt too much to touch.
But now, standing in the middle of the same house where my mother had been imprisoned, I was being told everything I believed was built on a lie.
I looked at Victor.
He didn’t move.
That was almost worse.
A guilty man usually panicked.
Victor looked like a man who had been waiting for this moment.
“Who is on the phone?”” my mother asked.
I kept the phone against my ear.
“Tell me your name.””
The stranger was silent for several seconds.
Then:
“Daniel Rossi.””
The name meant nothing to me.
But Victor reacted.
Just slightly.
A small movement.
A tightening of his jaw.
And I noticed.
“You know him,” I said.
Victor looked away.
That was all the confirmation I needed.
“Where are you?””
Daniel answered.
“Somewhere your father trusted.””
“Why should I come?””
“Because Adelaide is running out of time.””
My mother stepped closer.
“What did he say?””
I looked at her.
“He knows what happened the night Father died.””
Her face went pale.
Not surprised.
Afraid.
That told me everything.
“Mother.””
She sat down slowly.
“I was hoping that part would never come back.””
I knelt in front of her.
“Tell me the truth.””
She looked at the floor.
“Your father didn’t die that night.””
The words felt impossible.
I stood frozen.
“What?””
My mother’s eyes filled with tears.
“He disappeared.””
The room went silent.
I looked around.
At the walls.
The furniture.
The memories.
All of it suddenly felt different.
“Why did everyone say he died?””
My mother looked toward Victor.
Because even after everything, she still didn’t want to say his name.
Victor finally spoke.
“Because that was the only way to keep you alive.””
I turned toward him.
“You expect me to believe that?””
“No.””
His voice was tired.
“But it’s true.””
I stepped closer.
“You helped fake my father’s death?””
Victor looked down.
“Yes.””
The confession landed harder than any accusation.
“You were his closest friend.””
“I was.””
“Then why?””
Victor took a breath.
“Because your father discovered someone was trying to take control of everything he built.””
“Who?””
Victor didn’t answer.
I already knew.
Nolan.
Hattie.
But there was something bigger.
“Who was the person behind them?””
Victor looked at my mother.
And my mother whispered:
“Your father never found out.””
That stopped me.
“You mean there was someone else?””
She nodded.
“Someone who was moving everyone like pieces on a chessboard.””
My phone buzzed.
A location appeared.
Daniel had sent an address.
An abandoned warehouse outside the city.
My first instinct was to go alone.
My second was to take everyone with me.
But my mother grabbed my hand.
“No.””
I looked at her.
“I’m not leaving you.””
“You need answers.””
“I need you safe.””
She shook her head.
“Salvatore, listen to me.””
Her voice became stronger.
“Your father spent his final days trying to protect you from this.””
She looked at Victor.
“And now you are walking directly into it.””
I held her gaze.
“Then I’ll walk into it prepared.””
Two hours later, I arrived at the warehouse.
The building looked abandoned.
Broken windows.
Rust-covered doors.
No signs of life.
But I knew better.
People like Daniel Rossi didn’t choose places randomly.
I entered.
The inside was dark.
Then a light turned on.
An older man stood near a table.
Gray hair.
Tired eyes.
A scar across his cheek.
“Salvatore Moretti.””
I didn’t lower my guard.
“Daniel Rossi.””
He nodded.
“You look like your father.””
I hated hearing that from strangers.
“Tell me what happened.””
Daniel reached into his coat.
He pulled out a small recording device.
“I kept this for twelve years.””
He placed it on the table.
“Your father recorded everything before he disappeared.””
I stared at the device.
“Why didn’t you release it?””
Daniel looked at me.
“Because the person who betrayed your father was someone you loved.””
My heart sank.
“Who?””
Daniel pressed the button.
Static filled the room.
Then a voice came through.
My father’s voice.
Older.
Tired.
Afraid.
“If you are hearing this, then they found Adelaide.””
I stopped breathing.
The recording continued.
“Salvatore, I’m sorry.””
My hands tightened.
Then my father said the words that changed everything.
“The person who planned this was never outside the family.””
The recording cut off.
Daniel looked at me.
“There’s more.””
I stared at him.
“What else did he say?””
May you like
Daniel’s expression darkened.
“He named the person who betrayed him.””
