Chapter 6 - THE NAME ON THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE
The hospital room was silent except for the heart monitor.
The bullet had passed through Isabella’s shoulder.
She would recover.
Adrian sat across from her.
Mateo slept in another room under police protection.
Elena refused to leave him.
Adrian placed Gabriel’s birth certificate on Isabella’s bed.
The father listed was Alejandro Mendoza.
Isabella’s former boyfriend.
Alejandro had died eight years earlier.
At least that was the story.
“Is Alejandro Mateo’s father?”
Isabella stared at the certificate.
“Yes.”
“You hesitated.”
“Because nothing about Alejandro is simple.”
“What happened to him?”
“He supposedly died in a boating accident.”
“Supposedly?”
“No body was recovered.”
Adrian felt a familiar chill.
Another missing body.
Another convenient death.
Another Laurent secret.
Police entered the room.
Behind them was Rosa.
She carried an envelope.
“I found this in Victoria’s private safe.”
Inside were DNA results.
Gabriel Laurent Mendoza.
Paternity probability: 0.00%.
Adrian stared at Isabella.
“Alejandro wasn’t his father.”
She looked genuinely stunned.
Rosa handed him another page.
A second comparison.
Paternity probability: 99.998%.
Adrian read the name.
Then read it again.
Impossible.
THOMAS WHITMORE.
His dead brother.
Adrian dropped the paper.
Isabella started crying.
“No.”
Adrian stood.
“No?”
“I didn’t know.”
“You had a child with my brother?”
“I dated Thomas before you and I ever met.”
“You told me you barely knew him.”
“I lied.”
“Apparently that’s the only thing anyone in this family does.”
Isabella struggled upright.
“Thomas and I were together secretly.”
“Why secretly?”
“My mother hated the Whitmores.”
“Why?”
Rosa answered.
“Because Thomas discovered Victoria’s embezzlement.”
Adrian turned.
“What?”
“Thomas had evidence.”
“He planned to give it to Isabella’s grandfather.”
Isabella covered her mouth.
“And then Thomas died.”
Rosa nodded.
Adrian stared at the fabricated accident video.
Suddenly its purpose became clear.
Victoria had not created it years later merely to blackmail Isabella.
She had created it to hide something.
“Victoria killed Thomas.”
Rosa whispered.
“I believe so.”
Adrian sat down.
Mateo was not simply Isabella’s son.
He was Thomas’s son.
His nephew.
His brother’s child had been alive for seven years.
And Victoria had tried to erase him.
Adrian looked toward Isabella.
“Did Thomas know you were pregnant?”
“Yes.”
“Did he know Gabriel was his?”
“Yes.”
Adrian's eyes burned.
“And you let me believe my brother died without a child.”
“My mother threatened me.”
“Stop saying that.”
Isabella flinched.
“Every time you had a choice, you chose fear.”
He walked toward the door.
“Adrian.”
He stopped.
“I’m sorry.”
He looked back.
“You locked your own son behind glass because you were afraid.”
“You watched him from a distance for three years.”
“You let my brother’s memory be destroyed.”
“And you were going to marry me without telling me any of it.”
Isabella lowered her head.
Adrian opened the door.
Then Rosa’s phone rang.
She answered.
Her expression immediately changed.
“What?”
She looked at Adrian.
“The police went to arrest Victoria.”
“And?”
May you like
Rosa swallowed.
“She’s gone.”
