Chapter 6 - The Night My Father Saved My Life
For eleven years, I'd believed my father walked away because he couldn't stand the responsibility of raising me.
Now Aunt Celeste was telling me he'd disappeared to save my life.
I sat on the edge of the library sofa with the phone pressed against my ear.
"Tell me what happened."
Celeste began crying again.
"The night Daniel disappeared, two men came to the bar."
I closed my eyes.
I remembered that night.
Rain against the windows.
Dad telling me to pack a small bag.
A black car parked across the street.
"He told me to take you away," Celeste whispered.
"Why didn't you?"
"Because they found us first."
My stomach tightened.
"Who?"
"Men working for Vincent."
I stared at Adrian.
He stood near the fireplace, listening without interrupting.
Celeste continued.
"They said Daniel had stolen something. They wanted it returned."
"The black ledger?"
"Yes."
I could barely breathe.
"What did Dad do?"
"He offered himself."
Silence.
Then Celeste whispered:
"He told them he'd go with them if they left you alone."
Tears filled my eyes.
Dad hadn't abandoned me.
He'd traded his freedom for my safety.
I remembered the last thing he'd said before leaving our apartment.
Lock the door, little bird.
I'd spent eleven years believing those words were a goodbye.
Now I understood they were a warning.
"Why did you steal my education money?" I asked.
Celeste sobbed.
"Vincent said you were starting to ask questions. He wanted you out of school and too busy surviving to investigate."
My hands shook.
"And you agreed?"
"I was afraid."
I closed my eyes.
Being afraid didn't excuse what she'd done.
It didn't return the years I'd lost.
But for the first time, I understood that Celeste had been both a participant and someone manipulated through threats.
"Will you tell investigators everything?"
She hesitated.
Then whispered, "Yes."
I exhaled slowly.
"Then do it."
After the call ended, Adrian sat opposite me.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then he asked, "What do you need?"
The question surprised me.
Not What should I do?
Not Who should I punish?
What did I need?
I swallowed.
"I need to know whether Dad is alive."
Adrian nodded.
"Then that's where we start."
Later that night, Gabriel brought another update.
Investigators had authenticated the photograph of Daniel Vale taken outside Paolo Ricci's hotel.
They'd also located records connecting Daniel to a private residence near Toulon, France.
But the property wasn't registered under his name.
It belonged to a charitable trust.
The trust's administrator was listed as Matteo Vescari.
Adrian went completely still.
"My brother?"
Gabriel nodded.
Then he opened a second document.
A recent medical invoice.
Two patients were listed.
Daniel Vale.
And Matteo Vescari.
Both had received treatment within the previous month.
My hands began trembling.
They were alive.
Both of them.
Then Gabriel revealed the final detail.
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The invoices had been paid by Lucien Barrot.
The French broker who had nearly signed away Adrian's empire was secretly keeping our missing family members alive.
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