"Listen to me," he said gently. "I don't expect you to believe everything tonight. I don't expect you to call me your father. I only want to know that you're safe."
Elena looked down.
"Why do you care so much?"
Alessandro's eyes became wet.
"Because twenty years ago, I failed to protect the most important person in my life."
He paused.
"And if there's even a small chance that you're my daughter, I won't make that mistake twice."
...
At eleven thirty that night, Dr. Samuel Bennett arrived.
He had been Alessandro's personal physician for almost fifteen years.
He was also one of the few people who knew about the disappearance of Sofia.
When he entered the office, he immediately noticed the photograph on the desk.
Then he saw Elena.
His expression changed.
"Alessandro..."
"Look at her."
Dr. Bennett slowly approached.
He examined Elena's face.
Her eyes.
Her jawline.
The small birthmark behind her right ear.
He froze.
"That's impossible."
Alessandro looked at him.
"You recognize it?"
The doctor nodded.
"I was there when Isabella gave birth."
Elena looked at him.
"You knew my mother?"
Dr. Bennett swallowed.
"I knew your father too."
The room became silent.
He opened his medical bag and removed a small folder.
"I never understood what happened that night. Isabella had given birth to a healthy baby girl. Everything was normal. But several hours later, there was a security emergency."
Alessandro's face hardened.
"What kind of emergency?"
"Someone had entered the maternity wing. There was a fire alarm, a power failure, and a report that armed men had been seen near the hospital entrance."
Alessandro stood.
"I was told there had been an accident."
"That's what I was told too."
Dr. Bennett looked at Elena.
"Margaret was a nurse. She worked in the maternity department. When the hospital was evacuated, she was responsible for moving several newborns to a secure location."
Elena's hands began trembling.
"Are you saying she took me?"
The doctor shook his head.
"No. I think she saved you."
He turned toward Alessandro.
"Isabella gave me a sealed envelope that evening. She said that if anything happened, I had to make sure the child survived."
Alessandro stared at him.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Dr. Bennett lowered his head.
"Because I received a threat. They told me that if I revealed what I knew, they would kill my wife and children."
For a moment, Alessandro looked as though he might explode.
But then he closed his eyes.
He understood.
Someone had systematically destroyed every path leading to his daughter.
Someone had made certain that he would never find her.
"Who?"
The doctor hesitated.
"I don't know."
Alessandro looked toward the door.
"Marco."
His right-hand man appeared.
"Boss."
"Bring Victor Romano here."
Marco nodded.
But before he could leave, Elena spoke.
"Wait."
Everyone turned.
"Why was that man so afraid when he saw my necklace?"
Nobody answered.
Alessandro looked at her.
"Because he knows something."
Elena swallowed.
"Something about me?"
"Something about what happened twenty years ago."
...
Victor Romano was brought into the office at midnight.
He entered with two guards behind him.
His expensive suit was slightly wrinkled.
His confidence had disappeared.
Alessandro stood near the window.
"Do you recognize her?"
Victor looked at Elena.
Then at the pendant.
He said nothing.
Alessandro approached him.
"Twenty years ago, my daughter disappeared. My wife died. And you told me that you had searched every hospital in the city."
Victor swallowed.
"I did."
"Then explain why Margaret Carter had a photograph of my wife."
"I don't know."
Alessandro placed the photograph on the desk.
"Explain why she wrote that somebody needed to protect my daughter."
Victor's eyes moved toward the image.
For the first time, his mask slipped.
Alessandro saw it.
And he knew.
"You were there," he whispered.
Victor shook his head.
"No."
"You were there."
"Alessandro, listen to me."
"You knew where my daughter was."
Victor's voice became louder.
"I was trying to protect the family!"
Alessandro stepped closer.
"From whom?"
Victor said nothing.
"From whom, Victor?"
Finally, Victor looked toward Elena.
"From your father."
Elena felt as though the floor had disappeared beneath her.
Alessandro's expression became terrifyingly still.
"Choose your next words carefully."
Victor took a breath.
"Isabella was planning to leave you. She wanted to take the child away from the criminal world. She knew what you were doing. She knew that one day your enemies would use your daughter against you."
Alessandro stared at him.
"That's why she never told me?"
"She was afraid."
"She was my wife!"
"And she was terrified of what your enemies might do!"
Victor's voice broke.
"She asked me to help her escape."
Alessandro looked as though he had been struck.
"Why would she ask you?"
"Because she believed I could arrange safe passage."
"And you betrayed her."
Victor looked down.
"I made a mistake."
Alessandro grabbed the front of his jacket.
"A mistake?"
His voice was barely above a whisper.
"My wife is dead. My daughter grew up without me. I spent twenty years searching for a child who was sleeping in another man's city. And you call that a mistake?"
Victor began shaking.
"I didn't know Isabella would die."
Alessandro released him.
"Tell me everything."
Victor finally confessed.
Twenty years earlier, Isabella had discovered that the Moretti organization was preparing for a violent war with a rival family.
She had become frightened.
She did not want her daughter growing up surrounded by armed guards, secret meetings, and constant threats.
She planned to disappear with Sofia.
Victor promised to help her.
But he secretly informed the rival family.
He believed they would use Isabella as leverage against Alessandro.
Instead, the plan became a massacre.
The rival men attacked the hospital.
Isabella was shot while trying to protect her daughter.
Margaret Carter, who had been working that night, managed to escape with the baby.