Chapter 10: The Woman Behind the Iron Door
“Little Elizabeth... Mommy's here.””
My knees nearly gave way.
Nobody had called me Elizabeth since I was a baby. Daniel and Margaret had always called me Clara. Even my school records carried that name.
But the woman behind the door knew something nobody else had mentioned.
I looked at Vincent.
“Who is she?””
My grandfather closed his eyes.
“Your biological mother.””
I turned toward Helena.
“That's impossible. You told me Margaret was my mother.””
Helena's face crumpled.
“I lied about many things, sweetheart. But not that.””
Margaret stepped forward.
“Clara, please don't listen to him.””
I looked at her.
“Then tell me the truth.””
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Antonio laughed.
“Isn't this wonderful? Three generations of Morettis and not one honest conversation.””
Ricardo raised his weapon.
“Move away from that door.””
Antonio tightened his grip on Vincent.
“Put the gun down, brother.””
“Let him go.””
“You still think you can give orders?””
Antonio reached into his jacket and removed a small key.
“The original will is behind this door. So are the records proving who Clara really is.””
Vincent shook his head.
“Antonio, don't.””
Antonio smiled.
“You should have killed me when you had the chance, Father.””
Then he turned the key.
The metal door opened.
A woman sat inside a narrow room.
She was perhaps in her late forties, with dark hair falling over her shoulders. Her face was pale, and a thin scar ran from her left temple toward her cheek.
She wore a hospital bracelet.
I couldn't move.
She looked at me.
“Elizabeth?””
My lips trembled.
“Who are you?””
The woman began crying.
“I'm your mother. My name is Isabella.””
I stared at her.
“Why have you been locked in here?””
She looked toward Vincent.
“Because I discovered what he did to my children.””
Vincent's expression hardened.
“That's enough.””
Isabella laughed weakly.
“You still think you can silence me?””
Ricardo stepped toward her.
“Father, explain.””
Vincent looked at him.
“Your mother died giving birth to you. Isabella was my second wife. She gave birth to Clara.””
Helena suddenly shook her head.
“No. That's not what happened.””
Vincent's eyes narrowed.
Helena stepped forward.
“Isabella gave birth to twins.””
The room went silent.
I felt my stomach turn.
“Twins?””
Isabella nodded through her tears.
“You had a brother, sweetheart.””
I looked at Vincent.
“Where is he?””
Nobody answered.
Then Antonio smiled.
“That's the question that destroyed this family.””
He pulled a document from his jacket.
“Your twin brother was the firstborn heir. Father took him away because he believed the boy would be easier to control without his mother.””
Isabella shook her head.
“No. He told me the baby died.””
Vincent looked away.
Antonio laughed.
“He didn't die.””
I stepped toward him.
“Where is my brother?””
Antonio pointed his gun toward Ricardo.
“Standing right in front of you.””
Ricardo froze.
I stared at him.
“No.””
Antonio nodded.
“Ricardo was Isabella's firstborn. Clara was the second.””
My entire body went cold.
Ricardo looked at Vincent.
“Is that true?””
Vincent said nothing.
“FATHER!””
The old man finally nodded.
“Yes.””
Ricardo lowered his weapon.
For a moment, he looked like a little boy who had just discovered that everything he'd ever known was a lie.
Isabella reached toward him.
“Ricardo, my baby.””
He stepped backward.
“Don't.””
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
“I searched for you.””
“You let me grow up believing you were dead.””
“I was imprisoned. Your father told me you had been taken overseas.””
Ricardo turned toward Vincent.
“You told me my mother died.””
Vincent's voice remained cold.
“I did what was necessary to protect the family.””
Ricardo laughed bitterly.
“Protect the family? You destroyed it.””
Antonio suddenly moved toward the desk.
He grabbed the original inheritance file and tucked it beneath his arm.
“Enough family therapy.””
Ricardo raised his gun.
“Put it down.””
Antonio aimed at Isabella.
“Let me leave, or she dies.””
I stepped forward.
“Antonio, stop!””
He looked at me.
“You're going to give me that pendant.””
I removed the silver heart from my neck.
“You want this?””
“Put it on the table.””
I did.
Antonio lowered his gun slightly.
Then Isabella whispered something.
“Elizabeth, the red button.””
I glanced at the wall.
A small red button sat beside the metal door.
“What does it do?””
“Locks the chamber.””
Antonio saw my eyes move.
“Don't you dare!””
He fired.
The bullet struck the desk.
Ricardo tackled him.
I lunged toward the wall and slammed my palm against the button.
A heavy metallic crash echoed through the chamber.
The door began closing.
Antonio's screams filled the room.
“OPEN IT!””
But before the door completely shut, he threw the inheritance file toward the staircase.
It landed at my feet.
Ricardo disarmed him.
Vincent collapsed into his chair.
And Isabella reached for my hand.
“Elizabeth,” she whispered.
I looked at her.
“There's something else you need to know.””
She glanced toward Vincent.
“Your father didn't separate us because he wanted to protect you.””
May you like
Her voice broke.
“He separated us because one of his sons was born with a secret that could destroy the entire Moretti empire.””
