THE MORNING AFTER

Camila woke up to the sound of her phone vibrating on the bedside table.

She reached for it without opening her eyes, hoping it was Isabella calling back. Instead, she found a message from an unknown number.

There was no greeting.

Just a sentence.

You should ask your father what happened to your mother before agreeing to marry Luciano Russo.

Camila sat up.

She read it again, then checked the number. It wasn't saved in her contacts.

For a moment, she considered ignoring it. People sent strange messages all the time, and she wasn't about to let an anonymous stranger ruin her morning.

But then another message arrived.

This time, it was a photograph.

Camila opened it and felt her stomach tighten.

It was an old document with the names of two families written across the top. De La Vega and Russo.

She zoomed in.

Some of the writing was faded, but she could make out a few sentences. Near the bottom of the page was her mother's name.

Valeria De La Vega.

And beneath it, another name.

Camila De La Vega.

She stared at the screen.

Why was her name on a document that looked older than she was?

Before she could think of what to do, the message disappeared.

She tried opening the image again, but it was no longer available.

"Wonderful," she muttered.

She took a screenshot of the message and saved the number.

Whatever this was, she was not going to pretend she had not seen it.

Esteban was already in the dining room when Camila came downstairs.

He was reading something on his tablet while drinking his coffee.

"Good morning," he said without looking up.

"Morning."

She sat opposite him.

For a few seconds, she said nothing. She wanted to see whether he would bring up the previous night's argument.

He didn't.

"Papa, who was Valeria De La Vega?"

His hand stopped moving.

He slowly raised his eyes.

"What did you say?"

"Valeria. My mother."

"Why are you asking?"

"I found something."

Esteban put his tablet down.

"What exactly did you find?"

"An old document with her name on it. The Russo family was mentioned too."

He leaned back.

"Where did you get it?"

"That's what I'm trying to find out."

"Camila, you shouldn't concern yourself with old family matters."

She gave a humourless laugh.

"That's becoming your favourite sentence."

"I am serious."

"So am I. Why was Mama's name on a document connected to the Russos?"

Esteban looked towards the doorway before answering.

"Your mother knew people from that family. It was a long time ago."

"How well did she know them?"

"Well enough."

"Did she know Luciano's father?"

He didn't answer immediately.

That was enough to make Camila suspicious.

"Papa?"

"Yes. She knew him."

Camila stared at him.

"And you never thought to mention that?"

"It wasn't important."

"Then why does someone think it is?"

Esteban's expression changed.

"Someone contacted you?"

Camila went quiet.

She hadn't expected him to guess so quickly.

"Who?"

"I don't know."

"What did they say?"

"Nothing that concerns you."

"That's not for you to decide."

Esteban stood.

"I don't want you responding to unknown numbers. Do you understand?"

Camila looked up at him.

"Why? What are you afraid they'll tell me?"

He picked up his tablet.

"Breakfast is getting cold."

And just like that, the conversation was over.

Luciano was reviewing documents when Matteo entered his office.

"You look like you haven't slept," Matteo said.

"I slept."

"That explains the mood."

Luciano ignored him.

"Did you find anything?"

Matteo placed a file on the desk.

"I found the original agreement, or at least part of it."

Luciano opened it.

The document was old and several pages were missing. The remaining pages carried the signatures of members of both families.

He stopped at one particular paragraph.

"Valeria."

Matteo nodded.

"Her name appears several times. There's also a reference to a beneficiary, but the page explaining the conditions is missing."

"Who removed it?"

"I don't know yet."

Luciano turned another page.

"Why would my father keep this?"

"Maybe because he believed the agreement was still valid."

Luciano closed the file.

"Find out what Valeria was promised."

Matteo hesitated.

"There's something else. Alberto Vittoria has been asking questions about the same document."

Luciano looked up.

"Where is he?"

"Nobody seems to know. His office has been closed for weeks."

"Then find someone who does."

Matteo nodded.

Luciano looked at the photograph of Valeria that was still on his desk.

He had been a child when it was taken. He barely remembered the woman, but he remembered his father keeping that photograph in his private study.

There had been a reason.

He intended to find it.

Camila spent the afternoon trying to reach the unknown number.

It rang once before going straight to voicemail.

She tried again.

Nothing.

She was about to give up when her phone vibrated.

Stop asking your father. He won't tell you the truth.

Camila typed a reply.

Then who will?

The response came a few minutes later.

Someone who knew your mother.

Camila stared at the screen.

Who are you?

This time, the reply took longer.

Then a photograph appeared.

It showed her mother standing beside a woman Camila had never seen before. They were both smiling, and Valeria had one arm around the woman's shoulder.

Camila zoomed in.

There was something familiar about the woman's face, but she couldn't place it.

A final message appeared.

If you really want to know what happened to Valeria, go to Palermo. Ask for Isabel.

Camila's heart began beating faster.

Palermo.

She had never been there.

And yet, somehow, it felt like the beginning of something she had been kept away from all her life.

That evening, Luciano received a call from Matteo.

"Have you spoken to Esteban?" Matteo asked.

"Not today."

"You should."

"Why?"

"Because someone has been looking through the old records. I checked the archive access logs."

Luciano stood from his chair.

"Who?"

"Alessandro."

His uncle.

Luciano was quiet for a moment.

"Are you certain?"

"His name is on the access record."

"What was he looking for?"

"The agreement. And a file connected to Valeria De La Vega."

Luciano looked towards the photograph on his desk.

"Don't confront him yet."

"Why not?"

"Because I want to know what he found."

He ended the call.

A few seconds later, another message appeared on his phone.

It was from an unknown number.

Your father made a promise to Valeria. Don't let your uncle break it.

Luciano read the message twice.

Then he looked at the photograph again.

For the first time, he wondered whether the marriage arrangement had been made to honour his father's promise or to cover up what had happened to Valeria.

Camila was packing a small bag when her phone rang.

It was the unknown number again.

She answered immediately.

"Who is this?"

A woman's voice came through.

"Camila?"

"Yes. Who are you?"

There was a pause.

"My name is Isabel. I knew your mother."

Camila sat down.

"Are you in Palermo?"

"Yes."

"Why did you contact me?"

"Because there are things your father should have told you a long time ago."

Camila looked at the photograph on her bed.

"Did you know my mother well?"

"Better than your father would like you to believe."

"Can I meet you?"

Another pause.

"Yes. But there's something you need to understand first."

"What?"

"Do not tell your father you're coming."

The call ended.

Camila remained still, holding the phone.

She looked at the photograph again.

For the first time since her mother's death, she felt as though she was getting close to an answer.

But she had no idea what that answer would cost her.