Chapter 8: The Truth My Mother Buried
I dropped the phone.
Rico caught it before it hit the floor.
“What did he say?””
I couldn’t answer.
My mother.
The woman who raised me.
The woman who held me when I cried.
The woman who protected me.
Was she connected to Isabella’s death?
“No,” I whispered.
Rico looked at me.
“Clara.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“That’s not possible.””
But my mother’s fear.
Her silence.
The secrets.
They all came rushing back.
Dante looked at Rico.
“Boss.””
Rico stared at the phone.
Then at me.
“Do you believe him?””
I wanted to say no.
I wanted to say my mother could never do something like that.
But I remembered the way she looked when she saw Rico.
Not anger.
Fear.
“I don’t know.””
And that was the hardest truth.
We returned to my mother’s apartment.
This time, Rico came with me.
She opened the door before we knocked.
Like she had been waiting.
One look at my face and she knew.
“What did you find?””
My voice shook.
“Tell me the truth.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Clara…”
“Did you drive Isabella that night?””
The color disappeared from her face.
Rico stepped forward.
“Evelyn.””
My mother looked at him.
“I’m sorry.””
The words destroyed something inside me.
“You did?””
She closed her eyes.
“Yes.””
Rico went completely still.
“Why?””
My mother looked between us.
“Because Isabella asked me to.””
Nobody moved.
“What?””
“She knew Matteo was watching her.””
My mother sat down.
“She knew if she disappeared suddenly, he would look for you.””
I frowned.
“But she died.””
My mother nodded.
“She knew.””
The room became silent.
“She planned everything.””
Rico looked confused.
“She planned her own death?””
“No.””
My mother looked at him.
“She planned her disappearance.””
My heart stopped.
“What are you saying?””
My mother started crying.
“The accident wasn’t supposed to kill her.””
Rico’s expression changed.
“What?””
“Isabella had a plan.””
My mother looked at me.
“She wanted Matteo to believe she was dead.””
“But she is dead,” I whispered.
My mother shook her head.
“No.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“No?””
She looked toward the window.
“She survived.””
The world stopped.
Rico stepped closer.
“Where is she?””
My mother looked at him.
“I don’t know.””
“Evelyn.””
“I swear.””
Her voice broke.
“She told me if anything happened, I had to protect Clara.””
I couldn’t breathe.
All my life, I thought I lost a mother.
Now I was learning I might have lost one who was still alive.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
My mother looked at me.
“Because Isabella made me promise.””
“What promise?””
“That I would let you have a normal life.””
A bitter laugh escaped me.
“Normal?””
I looked around.
“At what point was any of this normal?””
She cried.
“I was trying to save you.””
I believed her.
And somehow, that hurt more.
Because there was no villain.
Only people making impossible choices.
Then Rico’s phone rang.
He answered.
Dante’s voice came through.
“Boss.””
“What?””
“We found Matteo.””
Everyone froze.
“Where?””
A pause.
Then:
“He’s at the old Moretti warehouse.””
Rico grabbed his coat.
“We go now.””
I stood.
“I’m coming.””
“No.””
The answer was immediate.
I stared at him.
“No?””
“You’ve been dragged into this enough.””
I stepped closer.
“My whole life has been about this.””
His expression softened.
“Clara.””
“I’m not hiding anymore.””
For a moment, he looked at me.
Then he nodded.
“Stay beside me.””
“I will.””
As we left, my mother grabbed my hand.
“Clara.””
I turned.
Her eyes were full of fear.
“If you see Isabella…”
My heart stopped.
“What?””
My mother whispered:
“Tell her I kept my promise.””
The old warehouse sat near the river.
Dark.
Empty.
Waiting.
Rico walked ahead.
Dante beside him.
I followed.
The doors opened.
Inside, a single light hung above the room.
And beneath it stood Matteo Moretti.
Older than Rico.
Colder.
Smiling.
Beside him was Leo.
Safe.
But terrified.
“Daddy!””
Rico took one step forward.
Matteo raised a hand.
“Not yet.””
Rico stopped.
“You took my son.””
Matteo smiled.
“No.””
He looked at me.
“I brought your daughter home.””
My skin went cold.
“What?””
Matteo laughed softly.
“You really don’t know.””
Rico’s face changed.
“What are you talking about?””
Matteo looked at me.
Then said the words that shattered everything:
“Clara isn’t Isabella’s only secret.””
A pause.
“She isn’t the daughter you think she is.””
And behind Matteo…
a woman stepped out of the darkness.
A woman I had only seen in photographs.
A woman whose face I had spent my whole life wondering about.
May you like
Isabella Moretti.
Alive.
