Chapter 8 - THE NAME ON THE PAGE
“No,” Dante said.
He took the birth certificate and read it himself. Isabela watched him search the page for a mistake. She had done the same.
Dr. Santos spoke quietly. “Teresa was pregnant when Augusto married Helena. They had separated, but their marriage had not been dissolved yet. He hid Teresa and the child to protect the life he’d built.”
Helena gripped the edge of the table. “He married me while he was still married to her?”
“Yes.”
Dante set down the page. “Why didn’t Marisa tell Isabela?”
“She meant to. Then Augusto accused her of theft and forced her out of São Paulo. By the time she felt safe enough to return, Teresa was gone.”
Isabela remembered her mother sitting at their kitchen table late at night, turning a photograph over in her hands. Whenever Isabela asked about her father, Marisa said, “You deserve a better answer than the one I can give you today.”
Today had never come. Marisa died when Isabela was nineteen.
Dante faced her. “I didn’t know.”
“I believe you.”
That was all she could give him.
Vicente laughed once, without humor. “A birth certificate produced by a man who took money to lie for Augusto. Convenient.”
Dr. Santos stood. “I’ll testify to every document here.”
“You may get that chance,” Dante said.
Vicente’s phone lit up. He glanced at it, then put it away.
Rafael noticed. “Your driver just pulled up.”
“I’m leaving. You can all chase ghosts without me.”
Dante blocked his way. “Your access to the company accounts ends tonight.”
“You can’t cut me off that fast.”
“Watch me.”
Vicente looked past him, straight at Isabela. “Ask Santos why Marisa never used the birth certificate.”
Dr. Santos said nothing.
Isabela turned. “What does he mean?”
Before he could answer, the lights went out.
May you like
The emergency lamps came on a second later. Rafael drew Dante and Isabela away from the windows.
From somewhere upstairs, Helena screamed.
