Chapter 8: The Price of the Crown
The warehouse became a battlefield.
But somehow, everything felt quiet.
Maybe because I finally understood.
The danger had always been around me.
I just never knew where to look.
Matteo fired toward the entrance while his guards pushed the attackers back.
My mother pulled me toward a hidden hallway.
“We need to go.””
“No.””
She stopped.
“What?””
I looked at her.
“I’m done running.””
Her expression changed.
“You don’t understand what’s happening.””
“No, Mom.””
I held my son closer.
“I understand perfectly.””
I pointed toward the chaos.
“My whole life, people made decisions for me.””
My voice cracked.
“My husband.””
“My mother.””
“My father’s enemies.””
“Everyone.””
I looked at Matteo.
“And now I know why.””
Matteo lowered his weapon.
He looked at me differently.
Not like someone he needed to protect.
Like someone he respected.
My mother sighed.
“You sound like your father.””
I looked at her.
“Was that supposed to scare me?””
A small sadness crossed her face.
“No.””
She looked toward the battlefield.
“It was supposed to warn you.””
Before I could respond, Adrian appeared from the hallway.
He was holding another folder.
“You want the truth?””
I stared at him.
“You owe me that.””
He nodded.
“Your father wasn’t killed by an enemy.””
The room went silent.
“What?””
Adrian looked at Matteo.
“He was betrayed from inside.””
Matteo’s face hardened.
“Who?””
Adrian opened the folder.
Inside were photographs.
Old photographs.
My father.
Matteo’s father.
And another man.
Daniel.
I felt sick.
“No.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“I can explain.””
I turned toward him.
“Explain what?””
He looked broken.
“My father worked with yours.””
I stared.
“You knew all along.””
“I knew pieces.””
“Pieces?””
I laughed.
“My entire life is pieces!””
Daniel lowered his eyes.
“I was sent to watch you.””
“By who?””
He hesitated.
Then answered:
“Your father.””
The words shocked me.
“My father?””
Daniel nodded.
“He knew there would be people coming after you.””
My mother whispered:
“He knew the empire would need a successor.””
I looked at Matteo.
“And you?””
He looked away.
“My father left me the same instructions.””
My heart sank.
“What instructions?””
Matteo was silent.
Then:
“Find Elena.””
The room froze.
I stared at him.
“You knew about me?””
“Not who you were.””
“But you were looking.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
His eyes met mine.
“Because your father believed you were the only person who could stop the war.””
I shook my head.
“I’m not a leader.””
Matteo stepped closer.
“You saved my daughter when everyone else failed.””
I looked at him.
“That was different.””
“No.””
His voice softened.
“That was exactly the same.””
A baby cried.
Not mine.
His daughter.
I looked toward her.
The little girl who had started everything.
The little girl who had brought me onto that plane.
I remembered the first moment I held her.
How scared she was.
How scared I was.
And somehow, two broken mothers had found each other.
Then Adrian said something that made my blood run cold.
“There’s one more thing.””
I turned.
“What?””
He looked at my son.
“Your twins weren’t taken only because of who you are.””
My stomach tightened.
“Then why?””
He opened another file.
“Their DNA.””
I frowned.
“What about it?””
Adrian looked at Matteo.
“Your son has the same genetic marker as Matteo’s daughter.””
Nobody spoke.
I stared.
“What does that mean?””
Adrian answered quietly.
“It means someone wasn’t just trying to control the empire.””
He looked at the babies.
“They were trying to create the next generation.””
A chill ran through me.
Someone wanted my children.
Not to kill them.
Not to hide them.
To use them.
Matteo’s phone suddenly rang.
He answered.
A few seconds later, his expression changed.
“What?””
Everyone watched him.
Then he looked at me.
“Elena…”
I stood.
“What happened?””
His voice was barely audible.
“The hospital records were fake.””
My blood froze.
“What?””
“The babies we thought were yours…”
He looked toward my son.
“Only one of them is.””
The room went silent.
I stopped breathing.
“What are you saying?””
Matteo looked at the screen.
May you like
Then whispered:
“One of your twins was never born in that hospital.””
