Chapter 7: The Choice That Broke Him
The first sound I heard was Rico dropping the phone.
Not throwing it.
Not slamming it.
Dropping it.
Like his hand had forgotten how to hold anything.
“Leo.””
His voice barely existed.
Then everything happened at once.
Guards moved.
Dante shouted orders.
Doors opened.
Phones rang.
But Rico didn’t move.
He was frozen.
I had seen him angry.
I had seen him powerful.
I had seen people fear him.
But this was different.
This was a father.
A terrified father.
I grabbed his arm.
“Where is he?””
Rico looked at me.
“He was upstairs.””
My stomach dropped.
“What?””
Dante was already running.
We followed.
The hallway felt endless.
When we reached Leo’s room, the door was open.
The bed was empty.
The window was unlocked.
Rico stopped.
Nobody spoke.
A small stuffed bear lay on the floor.
Leo’s favorite.
Rico picked it up.
His hands shook.
“He was here.””
Dante checked the window.
“No signs of forced entry.””
“What does that mean?””
Dante looked at Rico.
“It means someone inside helped him.””
The room went silent.
Rico’s face changed.
“Search everyone.””
Dante nodded.
I looked at the empty bed.
My heart hurt.
Leo’s voice echoed in my mind.
Don’t go.
I understood now.
He wasn’t afraid of being alone.
He was afraid everyone he loved would disappear.
“Rico.””
He looked at me.
“We find him.””
His eyes searched mine.
“How can you be sure?””
“Because Isabella spent her whole life protecting him.””
I swallowed.
“And now we do the same.””
For a second, he just looked at me.
Then he nodded.
Three hours later, we had nothing.
No calls.
No demands.
No location.
Only silence.
Which was worse.
Finally, Rico received a call.
Unknown number.
Everyone in the room stopped moving.
He answered.
“Matteo.””
A laugh came through the speaker.
“Little brother.””
Rico’s face became cold.
“Where is my son?””
“Always straight to business.””
“Where is Leo?””
A pause.
Then Matteo said:
“He’s with me.””
I felt sick.
“Let me speak to him.””
Another pause.
Then a small voice.
“Daddy?””
Rico closed his eyes.
“Leo.””
The relief on his face lasted only one second.
“Are you okay?””
“Yes.””
The child sounded confused.
“Uncle says we’re going on a trip.””
Rico’s jaw tightened.
“Leo, listen to me. Stay with Uncle for now.””
A silence.
Then:
“Is Clara coming?””
I looked away.
Rico looked at me.
His expression broke.
“Yes.””
He swallowed.
“She’s coming.””
The call ended.
Rico stared at the phone.
“He wants you.””
I froze.
“What?””
“Matteo.””
“Why?””
“He wants the evidence Isabella left.””
“But I don’t have it.””
“He thinks you do.””
I looked at the folder.
The truth hit me.
“The necklace.””
Rico looked at me.
“What?””
“My mother said Isabella gave her the necklace to protect me.””
I touched the pendant.
“What if she hid something inside it?””
Dante immediately grabbed a scanner.
Minutes later, the pendant was opened.
Inside was a tiny memory chip.
Everyone went silent.
Rico stared.
“She knew.””
“She always knew,” I whispered.
Dante connected it.
A video appeared.
Isabella.
My breath stopped.
She looked exactly like the woman from the photographs.
Beautiful.
Kind.
Alive.
“Clara,” she said.
My knees almost gave out.
“If you are seeing this, then the truth has finally found you.””
Rico moved closer.
The video continued.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t raise you.””
Tears filled my eyes.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you that your father loved you before you knew his name.””
Rico covered his mouth.
“But there is something you need to understand.””
Isabella looked directly into the camera.
“Matteo was never afraid of my evidence.””
A pause.
“He was afraid of what was hidden after it.””
The screen flickered.
Then Isabella said the words that changed everything.
“The person who helped Matteo kill me…”
The video stopped.
Everyone froze.
Dante checked the device.
“No.””
“What?”” Rico demanded.
“The file is damaged.””
I stared at the frozen image.
Isabella’s face.
Her unfinished sentence.
The answer was right there.
But we didn’t have it.
Then my phone rang.
A number I didn’t recognize.
I answered.
A man’s voice whispered:
“Clara.””
I froze.
“Who is this?””
A soft laugh.
“You’re asking the wrong question.””
My blood went cold.
“What question should I ask?””
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The man replied:
“Ask why your mother never told you that she was the one who drove Isabella to her death.””
