Chapter 1 - The Son Who Died Eating It
Luca Moretti's mother refused to touch her birthday cake.
And when the elderly woman looked at the chocolate frosting, she began trembling.
“Who made this?”
The question silenced the entire dining room.
Luca stood beside her wheelchair, holding a silver cake knife.
Vanessa, his fiancée, smiled nervously.
“The chef, Mrs. Moretti. Your favorite chocolate cake.”
His mother didn't look at her.
She stared at the cake.
Then she slowly pushed the plate away.
“My son died eating this cake.”
Luca froze.
The silver knife slipped from his fingers and struck the marble table.
His mother had been celebrating her seventy-second birthday at the Moretti mansion.
The dining room was filled with family members, business associates, and longtime friends. Crystal chandeliers illuminated the polished marble floor. A dozen candles burned on the enormous chocolate cake.
Vanessa had arranged everything.
The flowers.
The champagne.
The musicians.
Even the cake.
She had insisted the chef prepare the exact recipe Luca's mother loved.
But now the elderly woman was staring at it as though it were a corpse.
Luca crouched beside her.
“Mother, what are you talking about?”
Elena Moretti slowly lifted her eyes.
“My son.”
Luca swallowed.
“I'm right here.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
Her fingers tightened around the armrest.
“The other one.”
The room went silent.
Vanessa immediately stepped forward.
“Mrs. Moretti, you're confused.”
Elena looked at her.
Then she turned toward Emily Carter, the maid standing beside the dining room doors.
“Did you see him?”
Emily hesitated.
“See who, ma'am?”
“The man who made this cake.”
Emily shook her head.
“No, ma'am. I didn't see the chef.”
Elena slowly looked back at the cake.
Then she whispered:
“He always stood behind the kitchen door.”
Luca's expression changed.
“Who?”
His mother didn't answer.
Instead, she pointed at the cake.
“Don't let anyone eat it.”
Vanessa laughed nervously.
“It's just chocolate cake.”
Elena suddenly grabbed Luca's wrist.
“Your brother died eating this cake.”
Luca stopped breathing.
He had never had a brother.
At least, not one who was alive.
Thirteen years earlier, his father had told him that his mother had suffered a miscarriage.
There had been no funeral.
No photograph.
No name.
Just a closed medical file and a warning never to ask about it again.
Luca slowly turned toward Vanessa.
“Did you know about this?”
She shook her head.
“Of course not.”
But her eyes had moved toward the kitchen.
Emily noticed.
So did Luca.
He stood.
“Bring me the chef.”
Vanessa immediately grabbed his arm.
“Luca, please. Your mother is upset. Don't ruin her birthday.”
He looked at her.
“Bring me the chef.”
The head of security hurried toward the kitchen.
A few moments later, he returned alone.
“The chef is missing, sir.”
Luca's face hardened.
“What?”
“He left through the service entrance.”
Emily stepped forward.
“Mr. Moretti…”
Luca turned.
“What?”
Emily looked at the cake.
“There's something underneath it.”
Vanessa immediately shouted.
“Don't touch that!”
Everyone turned.
Emily froze.
Luca slowly looked at his fiancée.
“Why?”
Vanessa swallowed.
“Because it's her birthday cake. You're going to destroy it.”
Luca stepped toward the table.
“Move.”
Emily carefully lifted the cake from its silver stand.
Beneath it was a small white box.
The box was old.
Its corners were burned.
And a faded photograph had been taped to the lid.
Luca removed it.
The picture showed two boys standing beside a swimming pool.
One was Luca.
The other looked exactly like him.
Same dark hair.
Same eyes.
Same face.
But the second boy had a small scar above his left eyebrow.
Luca stared at the photograph.
He had never seen it before.
Then he noticed something written on the back.
To my sons. August 14.
His father's handwriting.
Luca slowly looked at his mother.
“Who is this?”
Elena began crying.
Vanessa stepped backward.
Emily carefully opened the white box.
Inside was a hospital bracelet.
The name printed on it was:
LUCA MORETTI.
The date of birth was the same as Luca's.
But beneath the name was another line.
TWIN B.
Luca stared at the bracelet.
Then he looked at his mother.
“Mother?”
Elena slowly raised her hand.
She pointed at the photograph.
Then she whispered:
“His name was Gabriel.”
Luca's blood ran cold.
“Where is he?”
Elena looked toward the kitchen.
And suddenly, the lights went out.
A scream came from the hallway.
When the emergency lights flickered on, the birthday cake was gone.
The white box remained.
But the photograph had disappeared.
Vanessa stood beside the dining room doors.
Her hands were shaking.
Luca turned toward her.
“What did you do?”
She began crying.
“I didn't do anything.”
Emily looked at the empty cake stand.
Then she noticed something beneath the table.
A small piece of chocolate frosting.
And a black shoe print.
Luca followed it toward the kitchen.
The service door was open.
On the floor lay a silver cake knife.
Beside it was a folded note.
Luca picked it up.
His father's handwriting.
If Gabriel is still alive, never let him eat the cake.
Luca slowly turned toward his mother.
“Why?”
Elena's eyes filled with terror.
Then she whispered:
“Because the cake wasn't meant for Gabriel.”
She looked directly at Vanessa.
“It was meant for you.”
Vanessa screamed.
And Emily suddenly noticed something strange.
The hospital bracelet inside the box had a second name written beneath the first.
MOTHER: VANESSA MORETTI.
Luca stared at the bracelet.
Then at his fiancée.
“Why is your name on my brother's hospital record?”
Vanessa couldn't answer.
Elena slowly reached for Luca's hand.
Her voice trembled.
“Because Gabriel wasn't the only child who disappeared that night.”
She looked toward the kitchen.
Then whispered:
“Your father took one of them.”
Luca froze.
“One of them?”
Elena nodded.
Then she looked at the empty cake stand.
And said:
“Your brother came home today.”
May you like
But he didn't come to celebrate your birthday.
To be continued...
