Chapter 4: The Son Who Was Never Supposed to Exist
“Leo isn't your son because he's mine.””
Antonio's words hung in the basement like smoke after an explosion.
Ricardo stood perfectly still, his gun aimed at his younger brother.
Sarah struggled against the ropes.
“Antonio, stop lying!””
Antonio pressed the barrel harder against her temple.
“Quiet, Sarah. You've lied to this family long enough.””
I looked at Ricardo.
His face had become terrifyingly calm.
“Are you telling me,” he said slowly, “that you've been raising your brother's child?””
Antonio laughed.
“Fourteen months of playing the grieving husband. You should have seen yourself at the funeral. All those flowers.
All those speeches. It was almost touching.””
Ricardo's finger tightened around the trigger.
“Did you sleep with my wife?””
Antonio tilted his head.
“Would you like the honest answer?””
“Try me.””
“Yes.””
Sarah began crying.
“Ricardo, please. It wasn't what you think.””
He didn't look at her.
“Then explain it.””
Antonio smiled.
“Sarah came to me because she was terrified of you. She knew what kind of man you were. She wanted to escape. I gave her somewhere to go.””
“You gave her my bed?””
“I gave her a future.””
Ricardo suddenly lunged forward.
Antonio fired.
The bullet struck the concrete pillar beside Ricardo's head.
I screamed and ducked.
Ricardo fired back, forcing Antonio behind a filing cabinet.
“Clara!”” Sarah shouted.
“Get the folder!””
I looked toward the desk.
A thick brown folder lay beside an open medical file.
I ran for it.
Antonio saw me.
“Don't touch that!””
He stepped out and aimed his gun.
But Marco, despite his injured shoulder, threw himself against Antonio's legs.
The gunshot went into the ceiling.
The weapon slipped from Antonio's hand.
Ricardo kicked it away and struck his brother across the jaw.
Antonio fell.
“Enough!”” Sarah screamed.
“Ricardo, don't kill him!””
Ricardo stood over Antonio, breathing heavily.
“Give me one reason.””
“Because Leo is innocent,” Sarah whispered.
That stopped him.
I grabbed the brown folder and opened it.
Inside were birth certificates, hospital records, and photographs.
The first document was a DNA report.
I looked at the names.
*PATERNITY TEST: ANTONIO MORETTI — 99.98% PROBABILITY.*
My stomach dropped.
The report was dated three years earlier.
I turned toward Sarah.
“It's true?””
She lowered her eyes.
“Clara, I can explain.””
“You let me hold him. You let me comfort him. You watched me believe he was Ricardo's child.””
“He is Ricardo's child in every way that matters.””
“That's not what I asked!””
Sarah flinched.
Ricardo picked up the DNA report.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he turned toward Antonio.
“You knew?””
Antonio wiped blood from his lip.
“Of course I knew.””
“And you let me raise him?””
Antonio laughed bitterly.
“You were the perfect father. You gave him everything I couldn't. A name.
A home. A fortune.””
Ricardo crouched.
“Why?””
“Because I wanted what was yours.””
Antonio's smile disappeared.
“Your position. Your money. Your family. Everything Father gave you.””
Ricardo looked toward the old photographs on the wall.
“And Sarah?””
Antonio glanced at her.
“She was part of the arrangement.””
Sarah shook her head violently.
“No. That's not true.””
Antonio laughed.
“Tell him about the first night, sweetheart.””
Sarah closed her eyes.
I stepped toward her.
“Sarah, what happened?””
Before she could answer, Ricardo's phone rang.
The caller ID showed Leo's bedroom camera.
He answered immediately.
“Leo?””
A child's frightened voice came through.
“Daddy?””
Ricardo straightened.
“I'm here, champ. What's wrong?””
“There's a man in my room.””
Ricardo's face drained of color.
“Where's the guard?””
The little boy began crying.
“He said Mommy wants me to go.””
Then the call disconnected.
Ricardo looked at Antonio.
May you like
His brother smiled.
And whispered, “You should have protected your son.””
