Chapter 5: The Secret Behind the Twins
The warehouse was hidden outside the city.
No signs.
No cameras.
No obvious security.
Which made it more terrifying.
People who lived in fear didn’t need walls around them.
They made others afraid enough to stay away.
I sat in the car beside Matteo.
Neither of us spoke for several minutes.
The baby slept in the back seat, protected by a bodyguard.
I looked at her.
The little girl whose cries had brought me here.
The little girl who somehow connected my life to a world I never knew existed.
“Why me?”” I finally asked.
Matteo looked out the window.
“I don’t know.””
“You’re lying.””
He looked at me.
“I don’t lie.””
“You hide.””
That made him silent.
I continued.
“Everyone around me knew something.””
Daniel.
My mother.
The hospital.
Even you.
Matteo looked down.
“I knew your name before tonight.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
He didn’t answer.
“Matteo.””
His jaw tightened.
“My security team found information about you when you boarded.””
“What kind of information?””
He hesitated.
“Your connection to my enemies.””
The words felt like a punch.
“I’m not connected to anyone.””
“I believe you.””
“Then why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because I didn’t know if you were involved.””
I stared at him.
For the first time, I saw something other than fearlessness in his face.
Regret.
“I was wrong.””
Before I could answer, the car stopped.
The warehouse door opened.
My mother walked out.
She looked older.
Tired.
But she still had the same eyes.
“Mom.””
She looked at me.
“I knew you would come.””
I stepped forward.
“Where are they?””
She didn’t move.
“You need to understand what happened.””
“I don’t need an explanation.””
My voice shook.
“I need my sons.””
Her expression broke.
“They are inside.””
I almost ran.
But Matteo stopped me.
“Wait.””
My mother looked at him.
“You brought him.””
“Yes.””
“Then you still don’t know the truth.””
I turned.
“What truth?””
She looked between us.
“Matteo Volkov is the reason your sons were targeted.””
The world stopped.
I looked at Matteo.
He didn’t react.
And that scared me.
“Tell me she’s lying.””
He remained silent.
“Matteo.””
His eyes lowered.
“I didn’t know.””
My mother laughed bitterly.
“Of course you didn’t.””
I stepped back.
“What does that mean?””
She looked at me.
“Three months ago, Matteo’s organization discovered that someone inside their own circle was planning a takeover.””
I listened.
“The person behind it needed leverage.””
Her eyes moved toward me.
“And your sons were that leverage.””
My chest tightened.
“No.””
My mother nodded.
“They discovered Matteo cared about one thing.””
She looked toward the warehouse.
“Family.””
Matteo’s face hardened.
“Enough.””
“No,” my mother said.
“You don’t get to hide anymore.””
I turned toward Matteo.
“Is this true?””
He looked at me.
“I knew there were threats.””
“But not my children?””
“No.””
“Then why did they choose me?””
His silence answered.
I covered my mouth.
My mother stepped closer.
“Elena, your sons weren’t chosen because of Matteo.””
“Then why?””
“Because of you.””
I frowned.
“What?””
She reached into her coat.
She pulled out an old photograph.
A photograph of me.
But younger.
Standing beside a man I had never seen before.
My blood went cold.
“Who is that?””
My mother looked at me sadly.
“Your real father.””
I stared.
“My father died when I was five.””
“No.””
Her voice dropped.
“He disappeared.””
The warehouse doors opened behind her.
A nurse walked out.
Holding one of my sons.
My knees nearly collapsed.
My baby.
My son.
Three months old.
Alive.
The nurse handed him to me.
He looked at my face.
And then he did something that shattered me.
He smiled.
I held him against my chest, crying.
Then my mother whispered behind me:
“Elena, there’s something else you need to know.””
I looked up.
“What?””
She stared at Matteo.
“Your father built the organization Matteo controls today.””
Silence.
May you like
And then she said the words that changed everything.
“You were born into the mafia.””
