Chapter 10 - The Dead Man’s File
Silas looked almost bored.
That was how Khloe knew he was close to breaking.
“My father died of a heart attack.”
Gemma shook her head.
“My sister didn’t think so.”
“Your sister was a nanny.”
“She was also a nurse before she worked for you.”
Victor stared.
“I didn’t know that.”
“Helena did.”
Gemma rubbed her wrists.
“Rosa noticed the same medication pattern in your father’s records. Small dosage changes. Different drug. Same doctor.”
Silas turned toward Victor.
“The doctor who treated Matteo?”
Victor’s face hardened.
“Dr. Mercer.”
Gemma nodded.
“Rosa copied the files.”
“Where are they?”
“She hid them.”
“Where?”
Gemma looked at Khloe.
“I don’t know.”
Silas stepped closer.
“Your sister died for those files.”
“I know!”
Gemma burst into tears.
Khloe knelt beside her.
“Why were you on the plane?”
Gemma wiped her face.
“To get close to Matteo.”
Silas’s expression darkened.
Gemma rushed on.
“Not to hurt him. Rosa taught him signs because she knew Helena was isolating him. Before she died, she sent me one message: ‘If anything happens, find Matteo. He knows where I hid the truth.’”
Khloe looked at Silas.
Matteo knew.
But he was missing.
Victor checked the time.
“One hour until Helena’s deadline.”
Silas stood.
“I’ll transfer the shares.”
Victor stared.
“No.”
“It buys him time.”
“It gives her exactly what she wants.”
“He’s my son.”
“And once she gets control, what stops her from killing both of you?”
Silas looked away.
Khloe thought about Matteo’s signing.
He knows where I hid the truth.
She replayed every conversation.
Medicine.
Rosa.
Red nails.
Then something.
During the flight, Matteo had repeatedly touched the little stuffed fox attached to his backpack.
Khloe remembered him signing:
Rosa gave me this.
“His fox.”
Silas turned.
“What?”
“Matteo’s stuffed fox. Where is it?”
Silas frowned.
“With his bag.”
“At the hospital?”
Victor called the hospital.
Thirty seconds later:
“Bag’s still there.”
They raced back.
Inside Matteo’s backpack was a worn orange stuffed fox.
Khloe searched the seams.
Nothing.
Silas squeezed the toy.
A faint click.
Victor cut one stitch carefully.
A tiny USB drive fell out.
Everyone froze.
They plugged it into an air-gapped laptop.
Password required.
Victor swore.
Khloe stared at the prompt.
One hint.
THE FIRST WORD HE SAID WITHOUT SOUND
Khloe smiled despite everything.
“Dad.”
Silas looked at her.
“How do you know?”
“Rosa taught him sign language. The first meaningful sign many children learn is mom or dad.”
She entered DAD.
The drive opened.
Hundreds of files.
Medical charts.
Bank transfers.
Audio recordings.
Video clips.
Silas’s father speaking angrily with Helena.
Then one final folder.
MATTEO.
Inside was a video.
Rosa filming herself.
She looked terrified.
“If you are watching this, I am probably dead.”
Silas leaned closer.
Rosa continued.
“Helena Costello has been drugging Matteo. She plans to use a competency claim to seize his trust. Dr. Mercer altered the prescriptions. Victor Sterling suspected something, but I did not know if I could trust him.”
Victor looked wounded.
Rosa continued.
“And if Silas finds this…”
She paused.
“Tell him his greatest weakness is not his enemies.”
Silas stared.
“It is believing blood makes someone family.”
Then Rosa leaned toward the camera.
“There is one more thing.”
The screen flickered.
“Matteo’s mother did not die giving birth.”
Silas stopped breathing.
Khloe stared at him.
Rosa finished:
May you like
“She is alive.”
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