Chapter 8: The Woman Who Never Died
Adeline didn’t speak.
She couldn’t.
The world around her continued moving.
The clock on the wall ticked.
The fireplace burned.
Rain continued falling.
But everything felt frozen.
“My mother is dead.””
The words came out automatically.
The woman on the phone breathed softly.
“I know what they told you.””
Adeline stood.
“No.””
Her voice cracked.
“No, that’s impossible.””
“I’m sorry.””
“Stop.””
Her hand tightened around the phone.
“Who are you?””
A pause.
Then:
“My name is Elena.””
The name meant nothing.
And somehow everything.
Adeline sat down slowly.
“Prove it.””
Silence.
Then the woman said:
“When you were five years old, you hated strawberries because you thought they looked like little hearts.””
Adeline stopped breathing.
“You cried the first time I cut one open.””
The memory appeared.
A kitchen.
A woman laughing.
A little girl refusing fruit.
“You told me hearts weren’t supposed to be eaten.””
Adeline covered her mouth.
Nobody knew that.
Nobody.
“How?””
The woman’s voice trembled.
“Because I was there.””
Tears burned Adeline’s eyes.
“Where are you?””
“I can’t tell you.””
“Why?””
“Because if they know I contacted you, you won’t survive.””
The anger returned.
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
“Because everyone is right.””
“No.””
Adeline stood.
“I am done being protected by lies.””
A long silence.
Then Elena whispered:
“That’s exactly what I wanted.””
“What?””
“For you to stop hiding.””
Adeline looked toward the library door.
“Who are you afraid of?””
The answer came quietly.
“The Marchetti family.””
Her heart sank.
“Enzo?””
“No.””
A pause.
“His father.””
Adeline closed her eyes.
“But Enzo said—”
“Enzo doesn’t know everything.””
The words unsettled her.
“What does that mean?””
“Your mother disappeared because I discovered the truth about his father.””
“What truth?””
The line became quiet.
Then:
“The Marchetti empire was built on betrayal.””
Adeline walked toward the window.
“Why was I involved?””
“Because I trusted the wrong person.””
“Who?””
Her mother’s voice softened.
“Your father.””
The answer hurt more than she expected.
“Julian?””
“Yes.””
Adeline felt sick.
“Why?””
“Because he made a deal.””
“With who?””
“With the Marchettis.””
The library door suddenly opened.
Adeline turned.
Enzo stood there.
Pale.
Weak.
But awake.
His eyes went immediately to the phone.
“Who are you talking to?””
Adeline froze.
The line went dead.
She looked at the screen.
Disconnected.
Enzo stepped closer.
“Adeline.””
She didn’t answer.
He noticed her expression.
“What happened?””
She looked at him.
“My mother called me.””
His face changed.
Not surprise.
Recognition.
Fear.
“What did she say?””
Adeline stared.
“You believe me?””
“Yes.””
That was unexpected.
“Why?””
“Because Elena Croft is the only person who could have known about the pendant.””
Adeline’s heart raced.
“You knew she was alive.””
“No.””
“Don’t lie.””
“I suspected.””
She laughed bitterly.
“Of course you did.””
Enzo looked exhausted.
“I was trying to find her.””
“For who?””
“Myself.””
The answer surprised her.
“Why?””
“Because my father spent years trying to erase her.””
Adeline looked at him.
“And you wanted to know why.””
“Yes.””
A quiet moment passed.
Then Enzo said:
“There’s something else.””
She waited.
“When your mother disappeared, she left one message.””
“What message?””
His voice lowered.
“She said if you ever returned to the Marchetti estate, it meant the war had started again.””
Adeline stared.
“The war?””
“Between my father and everyone who tried to expose him.””
The pieces began connecting.
Too many secrets.
Too many people.
Too many years.
Then the library lights flickered.
Enzo immediately turned.
“Get down.””
The window shattered.
Adeline fell as glass exploded across the room.
Enzo pulled her behind the bookshelf.
Another shot.
Then silence.
Security rushed in.
A guard entered.
“Mr. Marchetti, the attacker escaped.””
Enzo stood slowly.
His eyes moved to the broken window.
Then to the floor.
Something was lying there.
A small envelope.
Adeline picked it up.
“No.””
Enzo grabbed her hand.
“Don’t.””
But she already saw the name written on it.
Not hers.
Not Enzo’s.
Julian’s.
Inside was one sentence.
*You promised you would never tell her the truth.*
Adeline looked at Enzo.
Then toward the door.
Because suddenly she understood.
May you like
The biggest secret wasn’t hidden in the necklace.
It was hidden in her father.
