Chapter 5: The Grave That Was Never Empty
The cemetery was colder than I expected.
The rain had stopped, but everything still felt soaked.
The trees.
The stone paths.
The memories nobody wanted to carry.
I sat in the back seat of Ricardo’s car while Dante watched the surroundings.
Nobody spoke.
Because nobody knew what to say.
An hour ago, I was a waitress.
Now I was standing in the middle of a war between families I didn’t know existed.
Ricardo looked at me from the driver’s seat.
“You can stay in the car.””
I looked at him.
“No.””
“Clara.””
“My sister is buried here.””
His expression softened.
“You don’t know what you’ll find.””
I opened the door.
“I already found out my entire life was a lie.””
I stepped outside.
“That means I can handle the truth.””
Ricardo followed.
The guards spread out around us.
Then we saw her.
A woman standing beside Isabella’s grave.
She wore a black dress.
Her blonde hair moved in the wind.
And when she turned around, I knew.
I knew immediately.
Because her face was everywhere in the old photographs.
Isabella.
No.
Impossible.
My feet stopped moving.
Ricardo stopped breathing.
“Isabella?””
The woman smiled sadly.
But she wasn’t Isabella.
She was younger.
Different.
Yet painfully similar.
“Hello, Ricardo.””
His hand moved toward his weapon.
“Who are you?””
The woman looked at me.
“My name is Sofia.””
She stepped closer.
“I’m Isabella’s daughter.””
The world tilted.
“What?””
Ricardo stared at her.
“That’s impossible.””
Sofia laughed quietly.
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
She looked at Isabella’s grave.
“But impossible things happen when powerful people are desperate enough.””
Dante stepped forward.
“Where is Isabella?””
Sofia’s expression changed.
“She died protecting Clara.””
I felt my chest tighten.
“Protecting me?””
Sofia nodded.
“She found out the Belluccis planned to kill you.””
“Why?””
“Because you were the last piece of evidence.””
Ricardo looked furious.
“Evidence of what?””
Sofia looked at him.
“Your father’s murder.””
Silence.
She continued.
“Anthony Vance recorded everything.””
My heart raced.
“My father?””
“He knew who ordered the attack.””
Ricardo stepped forward.
“Who?””
Sofia looked toward the grave.
“The person standing behind all of this.””
A branch cracked behind us.
Everyone turned.
A man stepped from the trees.
Older.
Gray hair.
A scar across his cheek.
Dante immediately raised his weapon.
“Boss.””
Ricardo’s face became ice.
Because he recognized him.
“Victor Bellucci.””
The man smiled.
“Ricardo Moretti.””
The hatred between them filled the cemetery.
“You should’ve stayed away from the past.””
Ricardo moved in front of me.
“You killed my wife.””
Victor laughed.
“No.””
He looked at me.
“Your sister killed herself the moment she chose to protect Clara.””
My blood ran cold.
“What does that mean?””
Victor smiled.
“It means Isabella knew the truth.””
“What truth?””
He looked at Ricardo.
Then me.
“She knew Clara wasn’t your sister.””
I froze.
“What?””
Victor stepped closer.
“She knew Evelyn Vance stole something from my family.””
Ricardo’s eyes narrowed.
“What did Evelyn steal?””
Victor smiled.
“The only thing that could destroy us.””
The cemetery fell silent.
Sofia whispered:
“The ledger.””
I looked at her.
“What ledger?””
Victor’s smile widened.
“The one your mother hid inside your necklace.””
My hand immediately went to the silver heart.
No.
That wasn’t possible.
It was just a necklace.
A childhood gift.
Wasn’t it?
Victor laughed.
“Your mother was clever.””
Ricardo looked at my necklace.
Then at me.
“Clara…”
Before he could finish, a gunshot echoed through the cemetery.
Everyone dropped.
I felt Ricardo grab me.
The world spun.
When I opened my eyes, Sofia was on the ground.
Blood spread across her dress.
And Victor Bellucci was gone.
Dante ran toward her.
“Who shot?””
Sofia grabbed my hand weakly.
Her eyes filled with fear.
“Clara…”
I leaned closer.
“What?””
She coughed.
“The necklace…”
I touched it.
“What about it?””
Her voice became a whisper.
“Your mother didn’t hide the ledger inside it.””
My heart stopped.
“Then where?””
May you like
Sofia looked toward Isabella’s grave.
“She hid the key.””
