Chapter 13: The Woman Behind the Experiment
The file shook in my hands.
Not because I was afraid.
Because I was finally angry.
For months, I had blamed myself.
I blamed my body.
My choices.
My failure to protect my children.
I replayed that hospital room every night.
The screams.
The machines.
The doctor’s calm voice.
The empty feeling afterward.
But now I knew.
The worst moment of my life had not been an accident.
It had been designed.
“Adrian.””
The name left my mouth like a warning.
Nobody spoke.
Matteo took the tablet from me and studied the screen.
His expression changed with every line he read.
“This isn’t possible.””
My mother looked over his shoulder.
Then she covered her mouth.
“No.””
Daniel stepped closer.
“What?””
Matteo turned the screen.
“Project Elena Volkov Reclamation.””
Daniel’s face went pale.
“I thought that was destroyed.””
I looked at him.
“You knew about this?””
He shook his head.
“Not this.””
“Then what did you know?””
He looked ashamed.
“That there were people searching for you.””
I laughed quietly.
“Everyone knew something.””
I looked around the room.
“Everyone except me.””
The silence was unbearable.
Then the door opened.
Adrian walked inside.
Slowly.
Calmly.
Like he belonged there.
Like he hadn’t destroyed my life.
“You finally understand.””
Every person in the room reached for a weapon.
But I raised my hand.
“No.””
Everyone looked at me.
I stared at Adrian.
“I want him to talk.””
Adrian smiled.
“Your father always said you were different.””
“Don’t talk about my father.””
His smile faded.
“Fair.””
I stepped closer.
“Why?””
That was the only question that mattered.
“Why did you take my child?””
Adrian looked down.
“Because I needed proof.””
“Proof of what?””
“That the bloodline survived.””
My stomach twisted.
“You experimented on my family.””
“No.””
His voice remained calm.
“I protected it.””
I almost laughed.
“You sound exactly like everyone else.””
Adrian sighed.
“Your father built an empire based on fear. Matteo’s father continued it. But both men made the same mistake.””
“What mistake?””
“They believed power came from weapons.””
He looked at my children.
“Power comes from blood.””
Matteo stepped forward.
“You used children.””
Adrian looked at him.
“You used people.””
The words hit.
Because they were true enough to hurt.
Adrian continued.
“Your daughter and Elena’s sons were the future.””
“They are children,” I said.
“Yes.””
“And they are not yours to control.””
For the first time, Adrian looked uncertain.
Maybe because he saw something he didn’t expect.
A mother.
Not a victim.
Not a successor.
A mother.
“You think you can walk away from this?”” Adrian asked.
I held my son tighter.
“Yes.””
He smiled sadly.
“No, Elena.””
He looked around.
“You still don’t understand.””
The lights suddenly went out.
Everyone moved.
A crash came from outside.
Then another.
Matteo pulled me behind him.
“Stay close.””
Gunfire erupted.
The building shook.
Adrian disappeared into the darkness.
“Find him!”” Matteo shouted.
But then something happened.
A voice came through the speakers.
Adrian’s voice.
“Elena.””
I looked up.
“You spent your entire life believing you were ordinary.””
The speakers crackled.
“But ordinary people don’t survive what you survived.””
I held my son.
“I’m not listening.””
“You should.””
The voice became colder.
“Because your children were never the only ones I studied.””
My blood froze.
“What?””
A screen turned on.
A medical file appeared.
Mine.
My childhood.
My DNA.
My entire history.
Then another file appeared.
Matteo’s.
He stared.
“What is this?””
Adrian answered:
“The reason you two were always meant to find each other.””
Matteo looked at me.
The screen changed again.
A final document.
A genetic match.
A percentage.
A connection neither of us expected.
My hands went cold.
Because beneath the results were the words:
*Shared paternal lineage confirmed.*
Matteo stared.
“No.””
I looked at him.
My brother.
My family.
But there was something else.
Something impossible.
Adrian’s voice returned.
“You thought you were half-siblings.””
The room went silent.
“You’re not.””
I stopped breathing.
“What are you saying?””
The answer came through the speakers.
“You and Matteo were never separated by blood.””
A pause.
May you like
Then:
“You were separated by a lie.””
