Chapter 12: The Final Piece Of Sarah’s Plan
I stared at the message.
My hands shook.
Trust Ricardo.
Not me.
The words made no sense.
My entire life, Sarah had been the person I trusted most.
Now she was telling me not to trust her.
I looked up.
She was still standing in front of Antonio.
Calm.
Almost too calm.
Ricardo noticed my expression.
“What happened?””
I showed him the phone.
His eyes moved across the screen.
Then he looked at Sarah.
She didn’t react.
That told me everything.
She knew.
She had planned this.
Antonio stepped closer.
“The necklace.””
Sarah looked at him.
“Fine.””
She reached toward me.
“Clara.””
I handed it over.
Antonio took it immediately.
He opened the pendant.
Nothing.
His expression changed.
“Where is it?””
Sarah smiled.
“What?””
“The evidence.””
The smile disappeared.
“You thought I would carry the only thing that could destroy you?””
Antonio grabbed her arm.
“You’re playing games.””
Sarah didn’t flinch.
“No.””
She looked at me.
“I’m buying time.””
Suddenly, Ricardo moved.
Fast.
The room exploded into chaos.
His guards attacked.
Antonio’s men fired.
I grabbed Leo and pulled him behind a steel table.
Ricardo fought his way toward us.
But Antonio grabbed Sarah.
A gun pressed against her head.
“Stop!””
Everyone froze.
Antonio looked at Ricardo.
“Drop everything.””
Ricardo slowly lowered his weapon.
“Let her go.””
Antonio smiled.
“You still love her.””
Ricardo said nothing.
That was answer enough.
Sarah looked at him.
“Ricardo.””
He looked back.
“I’m sorry.””
His eyes softened.
“Don’t.””
“I should have told you.””
“Yes.””
The honesty hurt.
“But I understand why.””
Sarah’s eyes filled.
Antonio laughed.
“Beautiful.””
He looked disgusted.
“Love always makes people weak.””
Sarah looked at him.
“No.””
She smiled sadly.
“It makes them predictable.””
Antonio frowned.
“What?””
The warehouse lights suddenly switched off.
Darkness.
A scream.
A gunshot.
Then silence.
Emergency lights turned on.
Antonio was gone.
Sarah was gone.
And Leo was gone.
My blood ran cold.
“Leo?””
Ricardo turned.
Panic crossed his face.
Not fear.
Panic.
“Leo!””
We searched everywhere.
Then I saw it.
A small handprint on the dusty floor.
Leading toward a hidden door.
Ricardo followed.
Inside was a narrow hallway.
At the end was a room.
And inside that room…
Leo was sitting beside Sarah.
Safe.
But Sarah wasn’t alone.
A man stood behind them.
Someone I thought was dead.
Someone whose name made Ricardo stop breathing.
“Dad?””
The man smiled.
Older.
Scarred.
Alive.
Ricardo’s father.
The man who had supposedly died ten years ago.
The man who built the Moretti empire.
He looked at Ricardo.
“You’ve become exactly what I feared.””
Ricardo stared.
“This is impossible.””
The old man smiled.
“Everyone says that when the truth finally arrives.””
I stepped closer.
“Who are you?””
He looked at me.
“I’m the reason Sarah disappeared.””
Then he looked at Ricardo.
“And I’m the reason you don’t remember that night.””
Ricardo went completely still.
His father continued:
“Because I was the one who ordered the explosion.””
The room froze.
Sarah closed her eyes.
Ricardo whispered:
“Why?””
His father smiled.
“Because you were never supposed to inherit my empire.””
A pause.
“You were supposed to die with your wife.””
Leo grabbed Sarah’s hand.
And she whispered the words that made everything worse:
“Ricardo…”
May you like
She looked terrified.
“Your father wasn’t working alone.””
