Chapter 7 - GABRIEL'S SECRET SISTER
Gabriel Romano had believed his mother was dead for thirty-two years.
Now, within less than one day, he had learned she was alive.
His father had been murdered.
His fiancée had lived under a false identity.
And that same fiancée might be his sister.
For several seconds, the abandoned auto shop was completely silent.
Then Gabriel laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
“No.”
Isabella stood.
“Gabriel—”
“No.”
Mia had never seen him lose control.
He still didn't.
That was almost worse.
He folded the trust page carefully.
Placed it on the workbench.
Then looked at Isabella.
“You're going to explain every word.”
She nodded.
“Caroline was born two years before you.”
Gabriel stared.
“To you?”
“Yes.”
“And my father?”
“No.”
Gabriel's jaw tightened.
“William Vale.”
Isabella closed her eyes.
“No.”
“Elias?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
“William's younger brother before Elias.”
Thomas frowned.
“Samuel Vale?”
Isabella looked at him.
“Yes.”
Arthur's stories had never mentioned Samuel.
Gabriel looked toward Thomas.
“Who was he?”
“William and Elias had an older half-brother. He died young.”
Isabella continued.
“I was eighteen. Samuel was twenty-four.”
Gabriel said, “You had a child with him.”
“Yes.”
“Where is she?”
Isabella looked toward the trust page.
“You know her as Cassandra.”
Mia felt sick.
Gabriel shook his head.
“No.”
“Her birth name was Caroline Isabella Vale.”
“But the document says Romano.”
“Your father adopted her privately.”
Gabriel stared at her.
“My father knew?”
“Yes.”
“He adopted your daughter?”
“Yes.”
“Then gave her away?”
Isabella flinched.
“No.”
“That's exactly what happened.”
“William took her.”
Gabriel's expression changed.
Isabella continued.
“Samuel died in a boating accident when Caroline was eight months old. William claimed his family had legal rights. I was young. Terrified.”
“Where was my father?”
“I hadn't met Alessandro yet.”
She took a breath.
“Years later, after your father and I married, he helped me search for Caroline.”
“And?”
“William had changed her name. Hidden her.”
“To what?”
“Caroline Whitmore.”
Mia looked up.
“Cassandra Whitmore.”
“She changed her first name later.”
Gabriel stared at the floor.
“And you never told me I had a sister.”
“I thought she was dead.”
He looked at her.
“Everyone in this family seems to die when it's convenient.”
The words cut.
Isabella accepted them.
“We found a death certificate when she was eleven.”
“Fake.”
“Yes.”
“Created by William.”
“Most likely.”
Mia looked at the corrected page.
“Why is she beneficiary of the trust?”
Isabella answered, “Alessandro found her again when she was a teenager.”
Gabriel looked up sharply.
“He knew she was alive?”
“For a short time.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
That surprised everyone.
“Why wouldn't he tell you?” Mia asked.
“Because William threatened him.”
Gabriel laughed again.
“Apparently threats controlled every decision my father ever made.”
Isabella shook her head.
“No. Alessandro was trying to save her.”
“From William?”
“Yes.”
“He added her to the trust.”
“As protection.”
Thomas looked at the document.
“But the beneficiary clause was corrected.”
Isabella nodded.
“Originally it listed Isabella. Alessandro replaced it with Caroline after discovering she was alive.”
Mia frowned.
“Then why did Laura hide this?”
Thomas answered.
“Because William wanted it.”
Gabriel began putting pieces together.
“Cassandra knew she was Caroline.”
“Yes,” Isabella said.
“How long?”
“I don't know.”
“She knew enough to infiltrate my life.”
Mia hesitated.
“Maybe not from the beginning.”
Gabriel looked at her.
“She lied about her identity.”
“Yes.”
“Threatened you.”
“Yes.”
“Stole documents.”
“Yes.”
“Attempted to destroy your phone.”
“Probably.”
“Helped Elias escape.”
“Yes.”
Mia sighed.
“Fine. It doesn't look great.”
Despite himself, Gabriel almost smiled.
Then Thomas's phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed.
“It's Marcus.”
Marcus had gone to coordinate with federal financial investigators recommended by Thomas.
“What?”
Thomas listened.
Then looked at Gabriel.
“There's been a kidnapping.”
Everyone froze.
“Who?”
Thomas lowered the phone.
“Arthur.”
Gabriel stared.
“He was already with Elias.”
“Apparently not voluntarily anymore.”
Marcus arrived twelve minutes later.
He brought footage from a marina security camera.
Arthur stood outside the warehouse with Cassandra.
They were arguing.
No audio.
Then Elias emerged.
Victoria followed.
Arthur tried to leave.
Elias struck him.
Cassandra stepped between them.
Victoria pulled a weapon.
Arthur was forced back inside.
Mia watched Cassandra.
“She tried to stop Elias.”
Gabriel noticed too.
“It doesn't make her innocent.”
“No.”
“But it means they aren't united.”
Marcus nodded.
“Exactly.”
Thomas said, “That gives us an opening.”
Gabriel looked at the time.
4:17 p.m.
The trust restructuring would activate at eight unless challenged.
“We need Arthur.”
“And the ledger,” Marcus said.
Mia held up the corrected page.
“We have the important part.”
Thomas shook his head.
“No. We need the entire ledger to prove the substitution.”
Gabriel looked toward the marina map.
“We go.”
Marcus objected.
“Not you.”
Gabriel stared.
“Try again.”
“At least Mia stays here.”
Gabriel agreed immediately.
Mia did not.
“No.”
He looked at her.
“We've discussed this.”
“No. You discussed it.”
“Mia.”
“Elias needs me.”
“That is exactly why you aren't coming.”
“He needs my biometric approval for anything involving the trust.”
Thomas nodded reluctantly.
“She has a point.”
Gabriel stared at him.
“You are rapidly becoming my least favorite person.”
Thomas shrugged.
“I've survived worse reviews.”
Mia stepped closer.
“If Elias realizes we have the original page, he can threaten Arthur. Or Cassandra. Or anyone else.”
“Cassandra is not your responsibility.”
“No. But Arthur tried to protect us.”
Gabriel looked at her.
“You care about everyone.”
She hesitated.
“Not everyone.”
For one second, their eyes held.
Marcus again looked like a man who wished to be anywhere else.
Gabriel finally said, “You stay in the armored vehicle.”
“No.”
“Mia.”
“I'll stay behind your security line.”
“Better.”
“I'm not promising the vehicle.”
He sighed.
“You negotiate everything.”
“I've been cleaning rich people's houses for years. You learn.”
They reached the marina near sunset.
The warehouse appeared abandoned.
Marcus positioned teams at both entrances.
Mia remained behind a stack of shipping containers with two guards.
Gabriel and Marcus entered.
Three minutes passed.
Five.
Then Mia's phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
She answered quietly.
“Hello?”
Cassandra whispered:
“Mia.”
Mia looked around.
“Where are you?”
“Inside.”
“Are you with Arthur?”
“Yes.”
“Is he alive?”
“Yes.”
“Elias?”
“Upstairs.”
“Victoria?”
“With him.”
Mia looked toward the warehouse.
“Why are you calling me?”
“Because Gabriel will kill me before he listens.”
“He doesn't strike me as impulsive.”
“You don't know him.”
“I've known him for less than a day and I know he asks questions before making decisions.”
Cassandra was silent.
Then:
“Tell him I never meant for you to fall.”
Mia's stomach tightened.
“The pool.”
“Yes.”
“What was on the floor?”
“Silicone polish.”
“Why?”
“To destroy your phone.”
“You could have asked for it.”
“You would have been suspicious.”
“I was already suspicious.”
“I know.”
Mia's anger rose.
“You threatened my father.”
“No.”
“What?”
“I didn't send that photograph.”
Mia went still.
“Then who did?”
“Elias.”
“How do you know?”
“Because he sent me the same photograph.”
Mia looked toward the warehouse.
“Why?”
“To remind me what happens if I stop following instructions.”
Cassandra's breathing shook.
Mia understood.
“You're afraid of him.”
“I have been afraid of him since I was eleven.”
The age on the fake death certificate.
Mia whispered, “He raised you?”
“Yes.”
“William?”
“William controlled me. Elias watched me.”
Mia closed her eyes.
“Why get engaged to Gabriel?”
A long silence.
“At first?”
“Yes.”
“Because Elias told me to.”
“And later?”
Cassandra's voice broke slightly.
“That became more complicated.”
Mia could hear footsteps through Cassandra's line.
Then Cassandra whispered:
“Tell Gabriel the ledger has a hidden compartment.”
“What?”
“Arthur showed me.”
“What's inside?”
“I don't know.”
A door opened on Cassandra's end.
She gasped.
Then spoke very fast.
“Don't let Elias open it.”
The call cut.
Mia immediately called Gabriel.
No answer.
She called Marcus.
Nothing.
Then a gunshot sounded from inside the warehouse.
One.
Then another.
Mia's guards moved.
“Stay here.”
She did.
For approximately twelve seconds.
Then she saw someone emerge through a side door.
Arthur.
He was limping.
Blood stained his forehead.
Mia ran toward him.
“Mia!”
One guard shouted after her.
Arthur saw her.
His face filled with panic.
“Run!”
A man appeared behind him.
Elias Vale.
Older than the photograph.
Gray at the temples.
Calm.
He held no visible weapon.
He looked at Mia.
For the first time in her life, she saw her biological father.
He smiled.
“Laura.”
Mia froze.
Arthur shouted, “That's Mia!”
Elias's smile changed.
“Of course.”
He walked closer.
Mia's guard raised his weapon.
Elias stopped.
Then he looked directly at Mia.
“I've waited thirty-one years to meet you.”
“Should've sent a birthday card.”
His smile widened slightly.
“You do sound like her.”
“I'm told.”
Gunfire erupted inside the warehouse.
Elias didn't even turn.
He held up one hand.
“I'm not here to hurt you.”
“You tried to put me in a swimming pool.”
“That was Caroline's clumsy plan.”
“She says you threatened my father.”
“Thomas is not your father.”
Mia's anger flashed.
“He is more my father than you will ever be.”
Something in Elias's face changed.
Only for a second.
Then he recovered.
“Come with me.”
“No.”
“I can tell you what happened to your mother.”
“You killed her.”
“No.”
“Then who did?”
Elias looked past her.
Gabriel emerged from the warehouse.
His suit jacket was gone.
Blood marked one sleeve, though Mia couldn't tell whose it was.
His eyes fixed on Elias.
“Step away from her.”
Elias smiled.
“Gabriel Romano.”
“Move.”
“Your father used to speak to me exactly like that.”
“My father is dead because of your family.”
Elias's smile disappeared.
“Your father is dead because of his wife.”
Gabriel stopped.
Mia stared.
“What?”
Elias looked toward Isabella's approaching vehicle in the distance.
“You still haven't figured it out.”
Gabriel stepped closer.
“Explain.”
Elias looked at him.
“Your mother ordered Alessandro's death.”
Then he reached into his jacket.
Every security weapon lifted.
Elias slowly produced a folded document.
He tossed it onto the ground between them.
Gabriel picked it up.
A payment record.
Dated three days before Alessandro Romano died.
Authorized by:
ISABELLA ROMANO.
Recipient:
VICTORIA VALE.
Mia looked toward the car where Isabella had just arrived.
Gabriel's mother stepped out.
May you like
Saw the document in her son's hand.
And stopped walking.
