She handed him the picture.
He studied it.
"Who delivered this?"
"I don't know."
"Did anyone see?"
"No."
Lorenzo examined the back.
"You're not going."
Elena's eyes narrowed.
"You don't get to decide that."
"Someone is trying to use you."
"That's my father."
"Or someone who wants you to believe that."
She took the photograph back.
"I have waited eleven years."
"I know."
"No, you don't."
Her voice cracked.
"I grew up believing he had abandoned us. My mother died believing the same thing. Now I have a chance to see him, and you want me to stay here?"
Lorenzo did not answer.
She stepped closer.
"Imagine if someone told you your father was alive."
Lorenzo looked at the photograph.
The old wound in his chest seemed to open again.
"All right," he said.
Elena blinked.
"What?"
"We'll go."
"Together?"
"Yes."
"Daniel said I should come alone."
"And Adrian wants you to believe that."
Elena looked at him.
"Then what do we do?"
Lorenzo turned toward Matteo.
"We make sure the people waiting for us are not the ones deciding how the night ends."
***
The meeting location was an abandoned railway station outside the city.
Rain had begun falling shortly before midnight.
The station was surrounded by old industrial buildings and overgrown tracks.
Elena sat in the rear of a black sedan.
Lorenzo sat beside her.
Matteo occupied the front passenger seat.
Two vehicles followed behind them.
The closer they came, the more Elena felt the weight of the envelope in her handbag.
She had brought the original letter.
She wanted her father to see it.
She wanted to ask why he had written those words and then stayed away for eleven years.
She wanted to tell him about her mother.
And she wanted to know whether he had missed her.
The car stopped.
Matteo stepped out.
He inspected the area.
"Nothing obvious."
Lorenzo opened the door.
"Stay close."
Elena followed him.
They entered the station through a side entrance.
The building smelled of damp wood and rust.
A single light illuminated the far platform.
Someone stood beneath it.
An older man.
He wore a dark coat and held a walking stick.
Elena stopped.
"Father?"
The man turned.
His face changed.
"Elena."
She ran.
Daniel barely had time to open his arms before she reached him.
He held her tightly.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Elena began crying.
Daniel pressed his cheek against her hair.
"My little girl."
"I'm not little anymore."
He laughed through tears.
"No."
She pulled away and looked at him.
His face was older than she remembered.
There were lines around his eyes.
A scar crossed his left temple.
But he was alive.
He was standing in front of her.
And he was holding her.
"Why?" she whispered.
Daniel closed his eyes.
"I know."
"Why didn't you come home?"
"I tried."
"You keep saying that."
"I know."
She pushed his chest.
"Then tell me the truth."
Daniel looked at Lorenzo.
Lorenzo nodded.
"Tell her."
Daniel took a breath.
"Adrian didn't just steal money. He had been using our company to move funds for several criminal organizations. Your grandfather—"
"My grandfather?"
"Vittorio. He knew."
Lorenzo remained still.
Daniel continued.
"Vittorio wanted to control the situation. He offered me protection if I surrendered the original ledger."
"Did you?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because the ledger contained names of people who had nothing to do with the criminal operations. Families. Employees. Innocent investors. I refused to hand it over."
Elena looked at him.
"And then?"
"Adrian arranged the warehouse fire."
"How did you survive?"
Daniel glanced at Lorenzo.
"Your father helped me escape."
Elena turned toward Lorenzo.
"My father?"
Daniel nodded.
"Vittorio knew Adrian was planning to kill me. But he also knew that killing me would create problems. So he made a deal."
Lorenzo's expression hardened.
"What deal?"
Daniel looked at him.
"He wanted me alive, but hidden."
Lorenzo stared.
"Why?"
"Because he intended to use me later."
"For what?"
"To control you."
The words struck Lorenzo harder than he expected.
Daniel continued.
"Vittorio believed you were becoming too independent. He thought you would eventually challenge his authority. He wanted something that could keep you obedient."
Elena looked between them.
"So he kept my father prisoner?"
"Not exactly," Daniel said. "He arranged for me to disappear. He gave me money and a false identity. But Adrian found out."
Daniel lowered his eyes.
"After Vittorio died, Adrian began threatening my family again. I couldn't return."
Elena's voice was quiet.
"Mother knew?"
"Yes."
"She knew you were alive?"
Daniel nodded.
"She knew I had escaped."
Elena stared at him.
"Then why did she tell me you were dead?"
"Because I asked her to."
The silence was unbearable.
Daniel continued.
"I thought it was the only way to protect you."
Elena shook her head.
"You let her carry that secret alone."
"Yes."
"You let her suffer."
"Yes."
"You let me hate you."
Daniel lowered his head.
"Yes."
Elena stepped backward.
"I don't know how to forgive that."
Daniel's eyes filled.
"You don't have to forgive me tonight."
Lorenzo watched them.
He understood that there were wounds no amount of power could repair.
Then Matteo's voice came through his earpiece.
"Sir. We have company."
Lorenzo looked toward the entrance.
"How many?"
"At least six vehicles."
Daniel closed his eyes.
"Adrian."
Lorenzo turned toward him.
"How did he know?"
Daniel looked at Elena.