Chapter 22 - SOFIA’S FATHER HAD BEEN DEAD FOR NINE YEARS—UNTIL A SECURITY CAMERA SHOWED HIM WALKING INTO THE VILLA
Sofia refused to believe the note.
Not because impossible things had stopped happening.
Quite the opposite.
Too many supposedly dead people had returned.
She had learned that hope could be manipulated as efficiently as fear.
Daniel said:
“You're not going alone.”
“The note says alone.”
“I can read.”
“Then you understand the problem.”
“Yes.”
He looked at her.
“I don't care.”
Sofia almost smiled.
They returned to Hawthorne Villa with federal agents positioned outside the estate.
The coffin sat in the foyer.
Black.
Simple.
LUIS MIGUEL RAMIREZ.
Isabella stopped when she saw it.
Her knees nearly failed.
Elias caught her.
She whispered:
“No.”
Sofia approached.
Inside:
Empty.
One photograph.
Luis holding five-year-old Sofia.
Sofia remembered the day.
County fair.
Cotton candy.
Luis had won her a stuffed bear by missing almost every target until the booth operator took pity on him.
On the back:
I'M SORRY I MISSED YOUR GRADUATION.
Sofia’s hands shook.
Luis had attended her high-school graduation.
But not college.
He had supposedly died before it.
The wording was deliberate.
Someone knew personal details.
Isabella whispered:
“That's his handwriting.”
Sofia turned.
“You're sure?”
“Yes.”
Daniel called for forensic analysis.
Then Marcus approached.
“I found footage.”
Security camera.
Timestamp:
2:13 a.m.
A man entered through the east service door.
Baseball cap.
Gray beard.
Older.
He turned toward the camera.
Isabella screamed.
Luis.
Sofia stopped breathing.
The face.
The walk.
The slight limp from an old construction injury.
Her father.
Alive.
He looked directly into the camera.
Then placed one finger against his lips.
Sofia sat down.
“No.”
Daniel crouched beside her.
“You okay?”
“No.”
She laughed through tears.
“Apparently that's still the answer.”
Isabella stared at the screen.
“I buried him.”
Sofia looked at her.
“So did I.”
Elias stepped away.
This was not his grief to enter.
That restraint mattered.
They searched the villa.
No Luis.
But his fingerprints appeared inside the west wing.
Fresh.
Sofia followed them.
They ended in the old nursery.
On the crib:
A blue envelope.
SOFIA.
She opened it.
Mi niña,
If you are reading this, then Arthur forced me to move.
Sofia cried immediately.
Luis’s phrase.
Mi niña.
Daniel read beside her.
I am sorry.
I wanted to come home every day.
Sofia stopped.
Every day.
Her grief became anger.
The letter continued.
My death was staged because Eden needed to believe Subject Zero was gone.
Sofia whispered:
“You let me believe it too.”
Isabella cried.
Luis claimed Arthur had threatened Sofia.
He disappeared to dismantle Eden from outside.
For nine years.
He watched from a distance.
Sofia’s hands shook.
Daniel whispered:
“You don't have to forgive him.”
“I know.”
Luis continued.
Do not romanticize what I did.
Sofia froze.
I hurt you by leaving.
I hurt your mother.
Protection does not erase that.
Sofia closed her eyes.
Even absent, Luis understood the central lesson better than everyone else.
The letter gave coordinates.
A small baseball field outside town.
Sofia laughed through tears.
Of course.
Luis loved baseball.
The silver bat suddenly made more sense.
She went.
Daniel followed at a distance despite her objections.
Sofia allowed it.
The field was empty.
Sunset.
Bleachers.
One man sitting behind home plate.
Luis.
Older.
Thin.
Alive.
Sofia walked toward him.
He stood.
“Mi niña.”
She slapped him.
Hard.
Luis stumbled.
Then Sofia hugged him.
Both cried.
“I hate you.”
“I know.”
“You died.”
“I know.”
“You missed nine years.”
“I know.”
“You don't get them back.”
“I know.”
She pulled away.
“Stop saying you know.”
Luis almost smiled.
“Okay.”
Sofia cried harder.
He touched her face but waited for permission.
She allowed it.
“You grew up.”
“You watched.”
“Yes.”
“That makes it worse.”
“I know.”
She glared.
“Sorry.”
He lowered his hand.
Sofia sat.
“Tell me everything.”
Luis did.
Project Eden recruited him as a technician.
He discovered illegal experiments.
He tried to expose them.
When Sofia was born, he helped Isabella escape.
He raised Sofia.
Then Arthur found him years later.
Luis staged his death because Arthur threatened to reactivate Eden using Sofia.
“Why didn't you tell us?”
“Because I thought disappearing would remove the leverage.”
“It didn't.”
“No.”
“You were wrong.”
“Yes.”
Sofia appreciated the answer.
No excuses.
“Why come back now?”
“Because Arthur isn't the last director.”
Sofia stared.
“Who is?”
Luis looked toward the empty field.
“Helena Gray had a daughter.”
“Rebecca.”
“No.”
Sofia frowned.
“Another?”
“Yes.”
“Name?”
Luis hesitated.
“Catherine.”
Sofia froze.
“Victoria’s mother?”
“Yes.”
Catherine was Helena Gray’s daughter.
Which explained her Eden authority.
Victoria descended from the original director family through Catherine.
Luis continued.
“But Catherine isn't the current director.”
“Then who?”
“Her daughter.”
Sofia stopped breathing.
“Victoria?”
Luis shook his head.
“No.”
Sofia stared.
“Catherine only had Victoria.”
“That is what Richard believed.”
Sofia’s stomach tightened.
“Another child.”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Luis looked toward the parking lot.
A car arrived.
Victoria stepped out.
She had followed Daniel.
Luis saw her.
His face broke.
“My daughter.”
Victoria froze.
Sofia turned.
Victoria walked closer.
She stared at Luis.
The biological father she never knew.
Luis cried.
Victoria did not move.
“Did you know about me?”
“Yes.”
“Did you love me?”
“Yes.”
“From where?”
“From whatever distance Catherine allowed.”
Victoria’s eyes filled.
“You chose Sofia.”
Sofia flinched.
Luis shook his head.
“No.”
“You raised her.”
“Yes.”
“You left me.”
“I was threatened.”
“You still left.”
“Yes.”
Victoria slapped him.
Luis accepted it.
Then Victoria began crying.
Luis did not hug her until she stepped forward.
When she did, he held both daughters.
Sofia felt something impossible and sad.
Not competition.
Shared loss.
Then Luis looked over Victoria’s shoulder.
His face changed.
A woman stood near the parking lot.
Approximately thirty-eight.
Blonde.
Elegant.
Sofia had never seen her.
Victoria had.
Her face went white.
“No.”
Sofia looked at her.
“Who?”
Victoria whispered:
“My sister.”
Sofia stared.
“You said you didn't have one.”
“I thought she died when we were children.”
The blonde woman smiled.
Luis whispered:
“Catherine’s first daughter.”
Victoria stepped backward.
“Emily.”
Emily Ashford approached.
Then she looked at Sofia.
“Hello, sister.”
Sofia stared.
Emily smiled.
“Catherine sent me.”
Victoria’s expression hardened.
“For what?”
Emily reached into her purse.
Daniel moved.
She removed no weapon.
Only a photograph.
She handed it to Sofia.
It showed Emily standing beside Marcus.
Recent.
Sofia looked up.
“What is this?”
Emily smiled.
“Proof.”
“Of what?”
“That Marcus lied.”
Marcus appeared in another photograph.
Standing beside Arthur Bell.
Then another.
Beside Samuel Kane.
Then Catherine.
Sofia stared.
Emily whispered:
“Marcus didn't infiltrate Eden.”
She looked toward the villa in the distance.
May you like
“Eden sent Marcus into Hawthorne Villa.”
TO BE CONTINUED…
Related Stories
