Chapter 7 - THE TRUTH ABOUT MARA
Mara read the sentence again.
And again.
Luca took the letter from her.
His face changed.
“What does this mean?”
The old man looked away.
Mara grabbed his arm.
“Tell me.”
“I promised Evelyn.”
“My mother is gone. Your promise doesn't matter anymore.”
He closed his eyes.
“She was protecting you.”
“From what?”
“From Victor.”
“Why?”
“Because Victor believed you were the key to Luca's inheritance.”
Mara stared.
“What inheritance?”
Luca said nothing.
The old man continued.
“Your father had a hidden trust.”
Luca looked at him.
“My father died twenty-one years ago.”
“Yes.”
“He left everything to me.”
“No.”
The man shook his head.
“He left half to you.”
“And the other half?”
The man looked at Mara.
“To Evelyn's daughter.”
Silence.
Mara stepped backward.
“No.”
Luca stared at her.
“My father knew your mother.”
“Yes.”
“They worked together.”
“Yes.”
“And you…”
The old man interrupted.
“Your mother and Luca's father were trying to expose Victor.”
Mara's mind raced.
“Why would I inherit anything?”
“Because the trust was created before you were born.”
Luca's face became pale.
“Victor couldn't access it.”
“Why?”
“Because the second beneficiary had to claim it.”
Mara whispered, “Me.”
The old man nodded.
“But Victor didn't know your name.”
“He knew Evelyn.”
“He didn't know Evelyn had a daughter.”
Mara's hands shook.
“So my mother disappeared to hide me.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did she say I wasn't supposed to survive?”
The old man looked toward the window.
“Because Victor discovered you existed.”
Luca's eyes hardened.
“When?”
“Recently.”
Mara suddenly remembered the strange things that had happened.
The car that had followed her.
The anonymous package.
The broken apartment lock.
She had thought they were random.
They weren't.
Someone had been watching.
Luca stepped toward her.
“Mara.”
She looked at him.
“I didn't know.”
“I know.”
“I swear.”
“I know.”
He took her hand.
She didn't pull away.
Then Rafe's phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed.
“What?”
Mara watched him.
“Say that again.”
Silence.
Then:
“Where?”
He hung up.
“Victor has Evelyn.”
Mara's heart stopped.
“Where?”
“Union Station.”
Luca immediately reached for his coat.
Mara stopped him.
“You can't.”
“I can.”
“You're barely standing.”
He looked into her eyes.
“Then I'll crawl.”
She almost laughed through her tears.
“You're impossible.”
“Probably.”
He squeezed her hand.
“But I'm not dying in a bed.”
Then his phone buzzed.
One message.
A photograph.
Evelyn was tied to a chair.
Victor stood behind her.
And beside Victor stood Dr. Keller.
Under the photograph was one sentence:
Bring Mara alone, or Evelyn dies.
Luca looked at Mara.
“No.”
She shook her head.
“I have to go.”
“You're not going alone.”
“Then she'll die.”
He stared at her.
For the first time, fear appeared in his eyes.
May you like
Not fear of death.
Fear of losing her.
