Chapter 9: The Truth About My Father

“They came to take you home.”

I stared at Luca.

For a moment, I couldn't even process the words.

Home.

The word should have made me feel safe.

Instead, it made something twist painfully inside my chest.

“What home?”

Luca didn't answer.

I laughed once, but there was nothing funny about it.

“You can't just say something like that and then stand there quietly.”

His eyes remained on mine.

“You don't know what you're asking for.”

“I've spent days being locked inside this place. I think I've earned the right to ask.”

He looked away.

That irritated me even more.

“Tell me about my father.”

His jaw tightened.

“Not tonight.”

“Why?”

“Because you're already overwhelmed.”

“No. I'm angry.”

“Ariella—”

“Don't.”

The way he said my name made me stop for half a second.

Then I remembered.

He knew my name.

He knew about my mother.

He knew about my father.

He knew things about my life that I had spent years believing were buried in the past.

And somehow, he expected me to sit quietly and accept that.

“You've been lying to me.”

“I haven't lied.”

“You've hidden things.”

“Yes.”

The honesty caught me off guard.

I stared at him.

“At least you admit it.”

“I never promised to tell you everything.”

“No. You just kidnapped me.”

His expression tightened.

“You keep using that word.”

“Because that's what it is.”

“And yet I'm the reason you're still alive.”

I froze.

“What does that mean?”

Luca didn't answer.

I stepped closer.

“What happened to my father?”

He looked at me for a long moment.

“Your father wasn't the man you were told he was.”

My eyebrows pulled together.

“What does that even mean?”

“He didn't abandon your mother.”

I felt the room spin slightly.

“Then why did he leave?”

“He didn't.”

My heart began beating faster.

“What?”

“He disappeared.”

“That's the same thing.”

“No.”

His voice was firm.

“It's not.”

I stared at him.

“If he didn't leave, where did he go?”

Luca's expression became unreadable.

“He was taken.”

“By who?”

“We're still trying to find that out.”

I shook my head.

“You're still trying?”

“Yes.”

“You've known about him all this time?”

“Yes.”

“And you never thought to tell me?”

“You weren't ready.”

I laughed bitterly.

“Stop saying that.”

“It's the truth.”

“No, it's convenient.”

He stepped closer.

“Ariella, you grew up believing your father abandoned you. If I told you the truth without knowing what happened to him, you would've gone looking for answers yourself.”

“I would have had every right to.”

“And you would've walked straight into the people who took him.”

I stopped.

His voice had changed.

There was no coldness in it now.

Only certainty.

“They've been watching you for years.”

My stomach dropped.

“Who?”

“We don't know exactly.”

“You keep saying we.”

Luca's eyes narrowed.

“Because I wasn't the only one looking for your father.”

“Who else?”

He said nothing.

“Luca.”

“People who owed him.”

“Owed him what?”

His gaze shifted toward the photograph still lying on the bed.

“His life.”

I looked at the photograph.

My mother was smiling.

I couldn't understand how the woman in that picture could possibly be alive.

She had been dead for as long as I could remember.

At least, that was what I'd been told.

“Where is my mother?”

Luca didn't answer.

“Is she alive too?”

Silence.

My breath caught.

“Luca.”

He looked at me.

“Yes.”

Everything inside me went still.

My mother was alive.

My father was alive.

Or at least, that's what he was telling me.

I took a step backward.

“No.”

“Ariella—”

“No.”

I shook my head.

“My mother died.”

“She disappeared.”

“They told me she died.”

“Who told you?”

I opened my mouth.

Then stopped.

I didn't know.

That was the problem.

I had never questioned it.

I had simply accepted it because everyone around me had.

Luca watched the realization settle over my face.

“You don't even remember who told you,” he said quietly.

I swallowed.

“No.”

“That's why I couldn't tell you everything at once.”

I looked at him.

“You're telling me my entire childhood was a lie.”

“I’m telling you that someone wanted you to believe it was.”

The words sent a chill through me.

“Why?”

He looked toward the window.

“Because you were the easiest person to hide.”

I frowned.

“What does that mean?”

“You were a child.”

“So?”

“So nobody looks for secrets inside children.”

I stared at him.

There was something he still wasn't telling me.

Something much bigger.

“What secret?”

Luca didn't answer.

I stepped closer.

“What am I hiding?”

“You aren't hiding anything.”

“Then what do people want from me?”

His eyes met mine.

“The truth.”

My heart pounded.

“What truth?”

He looked like he was about to answer.

Then the mansion lights suddenly came back on.

We both turned toward the hallway.

A few seconds later, Marco appeared at the doorway.

His face was serious.

“We found one.”

Luca's expression changed.

“Where?”

“East wing.”

“Alive?”

Marco nodded.

“For now.”

Luca immediately walked toward the door.

I followed.

He stopped.

“You stay here.”

“No.”

His eyes narrowed.

“Ariella.”

“I’m coming.”

“This isn't a discussion.”

“I don't care.”

Marco looked between us.

Luca exhaled sharply.

“You really don't know when to stop.”

“No.”

He stared at me for a moment.

Then stepped aside.

“Stay behind me.”

We walked through the hallway.

The mansion looked completely different now.

The beautiful paintings.

The expensive furniture.

The perfect walls.

Everything suddenly felt like a disguise.

We reached the east wing.

Two guards stood outside a room.

One of them opened the door.

Inside, a man sat tied to a chair.

His face was bruised, but he was conscious.

He lifted his head when we entered.

His eyes immediately found Luca.

Then moved to me.

His expression changed.

He stared at me for several seconds.

Then whispered,

“She's alive.”

I froze.

Luca stepped in front of me.

“Who are you?”

The man laughed weakly.

“I've been waiting twenty years to see her.”

My heart slammed against my chest.

“See who?”

The man's eyes moved around Luca.

Then settled on me again.

“Your father was right.”

I couldn't breathe.

“What did you say?”

He smiled.

“He said one day you'd come looking for him.”

Luca's voice became dangerously quiet.

“Enough.”

The man ignored him.

“He knew you'd survive.”

My hands started trembling.

“Where is my father?”

The man looked directly at me.

Then said the one thing I had spent my entire life wanting to hear.

“He's alive.”

I took a shaky breath.

“Where?”

The man smiled again.

But before he could answer—

A gunshot came from the hallway.

Everyone turned.

Marco reached for his weapon.

Luca grabbed my arm and pulled me behind him.

The prisoner suddenly laughed.

And through the chaos, he whispered,

“They're here.”

Luca's grip tightened around my arm.

“Who's here?”

The man's smile widened.

“Your father.”

My heart stopped.

Because somewhere outside that room—

a man's voice called my name.

“Ariella.”