THE DON’S FORBIDDEN MARRIAGE
The Don’s Forbidden Marriage – Chapter 14
©Joy Cindy
The Price of Trust
The villa was silent.
No one spoke.
Elena stood in the center of the underground room, staring at her mother.
“You had another son?”
Her mother’s eyes filled with tears.
“Yes.”
Elena shook her head.
“No.”
“I wanted to tell you.”
“When?”
Her voice rose.
“After eight years? After I found out you were alive? After I discovered my father wasn’t my real father?”
“Elena—”
“No.”
She stepped back.
“How many secrets are left?”
Her mother lowered her gaze.
“I don’t know.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
Alessandro moved closer.
“Elena.”
She turned toward him.
“Don’t.”
He stopped.
She looked back at her mother.
“Who is he?”
Her mother wiped her eyes.
“His name is Matteo.”
The name felt unfamiliar.
Strange.
Like a piece of her life that had been hidden from her.
“How old is he?”
“Twenty.”
Elena stared at her.
“He’s older than me?”
“Yes.”
“Then why don’t I remember him?”
“Because you were too young.”
“Where was he taken?”
Her mother hesitated.
“From the old monastery.”
Elena’s heart tightened.
“The same place we just came from?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Vittorio wanted leverage.”
“Against who?”
“Everyone.”
Elena looked at Alessandro’s father.
“Did you know?”
His expression became heavy.
“Yes.”
Her eyes widened.
“You knew too?”
“I found out years later.”
“And you said nothing?”
“I was trying to find him.”
“For how long?”
“Eight years.”
Elena laughed bitterly.
“Eight years.”
The number followed her everywhere.
Eight years of lies.
Eight years of missing people.
Eight years of secrets.
She looked at Alessandro.
“Did you know?”
He remained silent.
Her heart sank.
“You knew.”
“I discovered it two years ago.”
“Two years?”
“I didn’t know where Matteo was.”
“But you knew I had a brother.”
“Yes.”
“And you kept it from me.”
“I was afraid.”
Elena stared at him.
“Of what?”
“That telling you would make you a target.”
“I’m already a target.”
“I know.”
“Then why didn’t you trust me?”
Alessandro’s eyes lowered.
“I didn’t trust myself.”
The answer surprised her.
He continued.
“Every person I tried to protect disappeared. My father. Your mother. Matteo.”
“You didn’t make them disappear.”
“No. But I failed to stop it.”
Elena looked away.
She could hear the guilt in his voice.
But understanding his pain didn’t erase hers.
A phone rang.
Everyone froze.
The screen showed an unknown number.
Elena answered.
“Hello?”
A young man spoke.
“Elena?”
Her breath caught.
“Who is this?”
“You know who.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
The voice became quiet.
“I’m Matteo.”
Elena couldn’t speak.
Her mother stepped closer.
“Is that him?”
Elena nodded.
“Matteo?”
“Yes.”
“Where are you?”
“Near the old gate.”
“Are you safe?”
A pause followed.
Then he answered:
“For now.”
Elena’s heart raced.
“Is Vittorio with you?”
“Yes.”
“Can you leave?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“He says you have something he wants.”
Elena looked at her mother.
“The key.”
Her mother became pale.
Matteo continued.
“Mother knows where it is.”
Elena placed the call on speaker.
“Mother, tell us.”
Her mother shook her head.
“I can’t.”
Matteo’s voice became urgent.
“Please.”
Elena turned toward her.
“You heard him.”
“I know.”
“Then tell us.”
Her mother looked toward the black rose symbol carved into the wall.
“The key is not an object.”
Elena frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“It’s a name.”
Everyone became silent.
“What name?” Alessandro asked.
Her mother hesitated.
Then she whispered:
“Lucia Romano.”
Alessandro’s father went still.
“No.”
Elena looked at him.
“Who is Lucia?”
“My sister,” he said.
“Where is she?”
“She died.”
Her mother shook her head.
“No. She disappeared.”
Alessandro stepped forward.
“You told me she was dead.”
“I was told she was.”
“By who?”
“Vittorio.”
The room became quiet.
Elena looked at her mother.
“Why does Vittorio want her name?”
“Because Lucia was the only person who knew where the council kept its records.”
“And what do the records prove?”
Her mother’s expression hardened.
“That Vittorio was never supposed to lead anything.”
Alessandro’s father looked at Elena.
“The council has an old rule.”
“What rule?”
“The heir can choose the next leader.”
Elena stared at him.
“And I’m the heir.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you carry blood from both families.”
Elena shook her head.
“I don’t want to lead anyone.”
“You may not have a choice.”
Her phone crackled.
Matteo spoke again.
“Elena.”
“I’m here.”
“Vittorio says you have until sunrise.”
“To do what?”
“To bring Mother to the gate.”
Elena looked at her mother.
“What happens if we don’t?”
Matteo was silent.
Then he said:
“I don’t know.”
The call ended.
Elena lowered the phone.
The room was quiet.
Alessandro walked toward her.
“We’re not taking your mother.”
Elena looked at him.
“Matteo is there.”
“It’s a trap.”
“He’s my brother.”
“I know.”
“Then we have to go.”
“No.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“You promised I could choose.”
“And I’m telling you the truth.”
“You’re telling me what to do.”
“Because Vittorio wants us to walk into his plan.”
“Then we change the plan.”
Alessandro stared at her.
“What are you thinking?”
Elena looked at the black rose on the wall.
“Vittorio wants my mother.”
“Yes.”
“And he wants the name.”
“Yes.”
“Then we give him neither.”
Her mother frowned.
“What do you mean?”
Elena turned toward Alessandro’s father.
“Lucia disappeared, right?”
“Yes.”
“And Vittorio believes she’s dead?”
“Yes.”
Elena looked at Alessandro.
“Then we make him believe she’s alive.”
Alessandro’s eyes narrowed.
“How?”
“By sending him a message.”
Leo stepped closer.
“What message?”
Elena held up the engagement ring.
“The heir wants to speak to him.”
Alessandro looked at her.
“That’s dangerous.”
“So is everything else.”
“Elena.”
“You said I could choose.”
He remained silent.
She continued.
“I choose to stop running.”
For a long moment, Alessandro studied her.
Then he nodded.
“Fine.”
Elena blinked.
“Fine?”
“You want to make a plan?”
“Yes.”
“Then we make one.”
He turned toward Leo.
“Prepare the cars.”
Leo nodded.
Alessandro looked at Elena.
“But you stay beside me.”
She smiled slightly.
“Not behind you?”
“Beside me.”
“Good.”
Her mother stepped forward.
“I’m coming.”
Elena looked at her.
“No.”
“I’m the one Vittorio wants.”
“That’s why you’re staying.”
“I can’t let Matteo suffer because of me.”
Elena’s expression softened.
“You didn’t leave him.”
Her mother looked down.
“I tried to find him.”
“Then let us bring him back.”
The room became quiet.
Her mother nodded slowly.
“Be careful.”
Elena looked at Alessandro.
“We will.”
But as they prepared to leave, the villa lights flickered.
The security system shut down.
Every screen went black.
Alessandro turned toward Leo.
“What happened?”
“We’ve been locked out.”
“By who?”
Leo checked the system.
His face went pale.
“Someone inside.”
Alessandro’s eyes narrowed.
“Marco.”
A loud sound came from the upper floor.
Then another.
Footsteps.
The guards rushed toward the stairs.
Elena followed Alessandro.
They entered the main hall.
The front doors were open.
Cold wind moved through the villa.
On the floor was a single black rose.
And beside it—
A photograph.
Elena picked it up.
It showed Matteo standing at the old gate.
Beside him was Vittorio.
But behind them stood someone else.
A woman.
Her face was hidden.
Elena turned the photograph over.
A message was written on the back:
TRUST THE WRONG PERSON, AND YOU LOSE THEM BOTH.
Elena looked at Alessandro.
“What does that mean?”
His expression became dark.
“It means Vittorio knows our plan.”
“Who told him?”
No one answered.
Elena looked around the room.
Alessandro.
Leo.
Her mother.
Alessandro’s father.
The guards.
Someone had betrayed them.
Someone inside the villa.
And Elena didn’t know who she could trust.
Then her phone rang again.
This time, the screen showed a name.
MATTEO.
She answered.
“Matteo?”
His voice was shaking.
“Elena, don’t come to the gate.”
She froze.
“Why?”
“Because Vittorio is gone.”
“What?”
“He left.”
“Then where are you?”
A pause.
Then Matteo whispered:
“I’m inside the villa.”
Elena slowly looked toward the dark hallway.
A door creaked open.
Someone stepped into the room.
Elena’s breath caught.
A young man stood beneath the broken chandelier.
He had her mother’s eyes.
He looked directly at Elena.
“Hello, sister.”
