Chapter 12 - THE DAUGHTER’S FINAL SECRET
Nobody spoke.
The video replayed.
Again.
And again.
Giovanni couldn’t look away.
Clarissa.
His daughter.
Standing behind Marco.
Or at least…
Someone who looked exactly like her.
“That’s not me.”
Her voice shook.
Giovanni turned.
“Then explain it.”
“I can’t.”
The answer destroyed him.
“You can’t?”
Clarissa started crying.
“Because I don’t remember being there.”
Everyone froze.
“What do you mean?”
She wiped her face.
“I have memories missing.”
Nobody understood.
Adrian stepped forward.
“Your mother knew this could happen.”
Giovanni looked at him.
“What are you talking about?”
“Maravilla changed people.”
“That’s impossible.”
Adrian shook his head.
“No.”
His voice became serious.
“It’s not magic. It’s trauma. Manipulation. Drugs. Fear.”
Clarissa looked at him.
“They did something to me.”
Adrian nodded.
“Maybe.”
Giovanni felt sick.
His daughter.
His little girl.
Was she a victim?
Or was she part of the nightmare?
Then the front door opened.
Everyone turned.
A woman walked inside.
Older.
Calm.
Holding an umbrella.
Giovanni didn’t recognize her.
But Adrian did.
His face turned white.
“No…”
The woman smiled.
“Hello, Adrian.”
He stepped back.
“You’re dead.”
The woman laughed softly.
“So many people in this family believe that.”
Giovanni looked between them.
“Who is she?”
Adrian couldn’t speak.
The woman answered for him.
“My name is Elena’s sister.”
Silence.
Giovanni stared.
“Elena never had a sister.”
The woman smiled.
“That’s because Elena spent her whole life hiding me.”
She walked closer.
“My name is Sofia Valenti.”
The room froze.
Valenti.
Another member of the family behind Maravilla.
Sofia looked at Giovanni.
“Your wife stole my son.”
Adrian’s face changed.
“No…”
Sofia continued.
“She took him from the island and built a new life.”
She looked at Giovanni.
“And then she married you.”
Giovanni felt the room spinning.
“What are you saying?”
Sofia smiled.
“I’m saying Elena was never your wife’s biggest secret.”
She pointed at Clarissa.
“She was.”
Everyone turned.
Sofia looked directly at Clarissa.
“Because your daughter…”
A pause.
“Was born on Maravilla.”
Clarissa froze.
“No.”
Sofia stepped closer.
“And she was never supposed to leave.”
Giovanni moved in front of his daughter.
“Stay away from her.”
Sofia smiled.
“Protective until the end.”
Then she placed a small envelope on the table.
“This is from Elena.”
Giovanni stared.
“She left it for you.”
“Why would you have it?”
Sofia looked at him.
“Because Elena knew I would be the one to deliver it.”
A cold silence followed.
Giovanni opened the envelope.
Inside was one photograph.
A newborn baby.
A young Elena.
A young Adrian.
And another person holding the baby.
The person holding the baby was…
Giovanni.
But he had never seen that picture before.
On the back of the photo were six words:
May you like
YOU WERE THERE THE WHOLE TIME.
TO BE CONTINUED…
