Chapter 6 - The Woman Who Gave Him Away
Luca read the birth certificate three times.
His hands were shaking.
Vanessa Hart.
Not Isabella Moretti.
The woman he had planned to marry was listed as his biological mother.
It was impossible.
Vanessa was only a few years older than him.
He looked at the date.
The document claimed he had been born thirteen years earlier.
The same date as Michael's disappearance.
Luca called Isabella.
Her phone was switched off.
He called Emily.
She answered immediately.
“Mr. Moretti?”
“Where are you?”
“At the mansion.”
“Get out. Right now.”
“What happened?”
“Adrian has taken my mother.”
There was a pause.
Then Emily whispered:
“I think I know where he took her.”
“Where?”
“The old Moretti maternity clinic.”
Luca frowned.
“The clinic closed years ago.”
“My mother used to work there. She kept a key.”
“Why?”
“Because she said one day the truth would come back.”
Luca drove to the clinic.
The building stood behind an abandoned medical center, surrounded by weeds and rusted fencing.
Emily was waiting outside.
She held an old flashlight.
“Where did you get the key?”
“My mother's belongings.”
They entered.
The reception area smelled of dust and disinfectant.
Old patient records were scattered across the floor.
Luca found a file cabinet.
Inside were two folders.
One was marked LUCA MORETTI.
The other was marked MICHAEL MORETTI.
He opened the first.
The medical records showed that Isabella had arrived at the hospital thirteen years earlier, already pregnant.
But the delivery notes told a different story.
There were two mothers.
Isabella had given birth to Michael.
A second woman had given birth to Luca.
That woman was Vanessa's mother, Eleanor Hart.
Luca felt his knees weaken.
“Why would they switch the children?”
Emily turned another page.
“Look at this.”
A handwritten note was attached.
The boys must remain separated. One child belongs to the Moretti family. The other must disappear.
Luca looked at her.
“Who wrote this?”
Emily pointed to the signature.
Adrian Moretti.
A noise came from the corridor.
They turned.
A man stepped out of the darkness.
He was wearing a gray prison uniform.
His hair was almost completely white.
But the eyes were unmistakable.
Antonio.
The real Antonio.
Luca raised his gun.
The old man lifted both hands.
“It's me, son.”
Luca stared at him.
“Prove it.”
Antonio looked at him for a long moment.
Then he tapped twice against the door.
“The moon is watching.”
Luca lowered his weapon.
His father began crying.
“My boy.”
Luca approached cautiously.
“Where is Michael?”
Antonio's expression changed.
“Alive.”
“Where?”
“Adrian has him.”
“Why did you let him take him?”
Antonio looked devastated.
“Because I couldn't save both of you.”
He explained that Adrian had switched the babies to hide Luca's true identity.
The family believed Luca was Antonio and Isabella's biological son.
But he was actually Eleanor Hart's child.
Vanessa's younger brother.
Vanessa had known the truth since childhood.
Her father had forced her to participate in the deception.
But when she grew older, she discovered that Adrian intended to marry her to Luca to secure control of the Moretti fortune.
“Why didn't she tell me?” Luca asked.
“Because she was promised something.”
“What?”
Antonio looked at him.
“Her mother.”
A sudden metallic sound came from upstairs.
Emily moved toward the stairs.
Antonio grabbed her arm.
“Don't.”
A voice echoed through the building.
“Hello, Father.”
Adrian appeared at the top of the stairs.
He was holding Isabella.
A gun rested against her head.
Luca raised his weapon.
“Let her go!”
Adrian smiled.
“Give me the original birth records.”
“No.”
“Then your mother dies.”
Antonio stepped forward.
“Take me instead.”
Adrian laughed.
“You always did think you were the hero.”
He looked at Luca.
“Your mother has spent thirteen years lying to you. Your brother has spent thirteen years waiting for you. And you have spent thirteen years protecting the wrong family.”
Luca's voice shook.
“Who is my father?”
Adrian looked at Antonio.
Then he smiled.
“Not him.”
A gunshot exploded.
Antonio collapsed.
Isabella screamed.
Luca fired twice.
Adrian disappeared behind the railing.
Emily rushed to Antonio.
Blood spread across his chest.
Luca dropped beside him.
“Dad!”
Antonio grabbed his wrist.
“Listen to me.”
“Don't talk.”
“Michael…”
Antonio struggled to breathe.
“He knows who your father is.”
Luca froze.
“What?”
Antonio's eyes filled with tears.
“Ask Vanessa.”
His hand fell.
Luca stared at him.
Then Emily screamed.
May you like
The old man wasn't breathing.
And somewhere upstairs, Isabella was gone again.
