Chapter 14: The Truth My Sister Hid
I stared at Sarah.
“No.””
She didn’t look at me.
“Sarah.””
Her eyes filled.
“I’m sorry.””
The apology felt familiar.
Too familiar.
Everyone had been sorry.
Everyone except the people who told the truth.
“What role?””
Ricardo looked at her.
“What is he talking about?””
Sarah closed her eyes.
“I wanted to protect you.””
My voice shook.
“You keep saying that.””
I stepped closer.
“But you keep lying.””
The words hurt her.
Good.
For once, I wanted her to feel what I had felt.
The confusion.
The loneliness.
The grief.
“I was trying to keep you away from this world.””
“By leaving me?””
“By making sure you had a normal life.””
I laughed.
“Normal?””
I pointed at the gun on the floor.
“At the mafia families.””
“At dead bodies.””
“At finding out my sister was alive.””
My voice broke.
“You didn’t protect me.””
Sarah cried.
“I know.””
A long silence.
Then Ricardo spoke.
“What did he mean?””
Sarah looked at him.
“Your father knew Clara before.””
My blood went cold.
“What?””
She nodded.
“Years ago.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
“Clara, listen.””
“No.””
I backed away.
“I would remember.””
Sarah’s tears fell.
“You were sixteen.””
The room disappeared.
Memories.
A hospital.
A stranger.
A woman crying.
A man asking questions.
“I don’t understand.””
Sarah looked at Ricardo.
“Your father was searching for information.””
“About what?””
“About a witness.””
My heartbeat quickened.
“What witness?””
Sarah looked at me.
“You.””
The silence was unbearable.
“Me?””
She nodded.
“Years ago, you saw something you shouldn’t have.””
My hands shook.
“What?””
“The beginning of your father’s downfall.””
Ricardo looked at me.
“What did she see?””
Sarah answered.
“You saw him ordering an attack.””
I felt dizzy.
“No.””
“You were young. You didn’t understand.””
My memories came back in pieces.
A dark street.
A black car.
A man yelling.
A gunshot.
I covered my mouth.
“I forgot.””
Sarah nodded.
“That was the point.””
Ricardo looked furious.
“He tried to erase her memory?””
“He tried.””
Sarah looked at me.
“But I found her.””
My eyes filled.
“You knew?””
“Yes.””
“And you never told me?””
“I was afraid.””
“Of him?””
Sarah looked at Ricardo.
“Of everyone.””
The answer hurt.
Because she meant him too.
Ricardo looked away.
Then a sound came from outside.
Sirens.
Lots of them.
The FBI had arrived.
Within minutes, the hidden room filled with agents.
Ricardo raised his hands.
But he wasn’t looking at them.
He was looking at Sarah.
At me.
At Leo.
The family he almost lost.
An agent approached.
“Ricardo Moretti?””
“Yes.””
“You’re being asked to come with us.””
I stepped forward.
“What?””
The agent looked at me.
“We need your statement too, Ms. Vance.””
Ricardo didn’t resist.
That surprised everyone.
He simply took Leo’s hand.
Then looked at me.
“Clara.””
I looked at him.
“Take care of him.””
My eyes burned.
“You’re coming back.””
It wasn’t a question.
Ricardo looked at Leo.
Then smiled slightly.
“I plan to.””
As they led him away, Sarah stood beside me.
For the first time in fourteen months.
My sister was truly back.
But she looked broken.
“You hate me.””
I looked at her.
“I don’t know what I feel.””
She nodded.
“I understand.””
I looked toward the door where Ricardo disappeared.
Then at Leo.
“Does he know?””
Sarah looked confused.
“Know what?””
“That he saved all of us.””
She smiled sadly.
“He always does.””
That night, while the world learned the truth about the Moretti empire, I sat beside Leo.
He held the necklace.
“The heart is broken.””
I looked down.
The pendant had split completely open.
Inside was one final message.
Not a key.
Not evidence.
A handwritten note.
From Sarah.
I unfolded it.
And my blood froze.
Because it wasn’t addressed to me.
It was addressed to Ricardo.
May you like
The first line said:
*If you are reading this, it means I failed to stop you from becoming your father.*
