Chapter 17 - ROSA'S SON
Adrian was not Camila’s biological brother.
He had been adopted by Camila’s family as a child.
The truth was hidden before either of them understood it.
Rosa had given birth to him in secret thirty-eight years earlier.
Father unknown.
Montenegro blood.
Another possible claimant.
Rosa had not built the succession maze only for Sofia.
She had built contingencies for Adrian too.
Bruno intercepted him before he could free her.
Gunfight in the east corridor.
Adrian escaped into the old service tunnels.
Dante followed.
Against every medical recommendation.
Isabela followed Dante.
Against every order.
They found Adrian in the greenhouse.
Same place Alejandro had met Rosa before the accident.
Adrian held a gun.
Dante did too.
Camila entered behind them.
“Adrian.”
He looked at her.
For the first time, emotion broke through.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
“You used me.”
“I protected you.”
“You threatened me.”
“To keep you away.”
“You made me betray Dante.”
Adrian looked at Dante.
“Everybody betrays a Montenegro eventually.”
Dante almost smiled.
“Family motto?”
Adrian didn’t.
Rosa appeared behind him.
She had escaped during the firefight.
Dante looked at her.
“This ends tonight.”
Rosa stood beside her son.
“No.”
Dante studied Adrian.
“Did you sabotage the brakes?”
“Yes.”
Camila gasped.
“Why?”
“Orders.”
“From Rosa?”
“Yes.”
Dante looked at Rosa.
Finally.
No ambiguity.
No intermediary.
The architect and the operator.
Adrian continued.
“I was told the vehicle would lose braking power after the mountain turn.”
“My driver died.”
“He wasn’t supposed to.”
Dante’s eyes hardened.
“I’m tired of hearing what wasn’t supposed to happen.”
Adrian lowered his gun slightly.
“You survived.”
“Disappointed?”
“No.”
That surprised him.
Adrian looked at Rosa.
“She was.”
Rosa turned.
“What?”
“You wanted him alive but broken.”
“Yes.”
“When he started recovering, you ordered Rafael to increase the damage.”
Rosa’s expression changed.
Adrian looked at Dante.
“I refused to do more.”
Rosa stared at him.
“You liar.”
“That’s why you brought Rafael in.”
Dante understood.
Adrian had participated in the accident.
But later resisted.
Not redemption.
Just another fracture.
Adrian continued.
“Then she decided to accelerate the succession.”
Rosa raised her gun toward him.
Camila shouted.
Dante fired first.
The bullet struck Rosa’s weapon.
It flew from her hand.
Bruno entered from the side.
Adrian raised his gun.
Camila stepped between them.
“Don’t.”
Adrian froze.
That was enough.
Bruno tackled him.
Rosa ran.
Again.
But this time Sofia appeared in the greenhouse doorway.
Isabela’s face went white.
“Sofia!”
The child had followed.
Rosa stopped.
Looked at Sofia.
Then grabbed her.
Dante’s entire body went cold.
Rosa pressed a small knife near the child’s throat.
“No one moves.”
Isabela began crying.
“Sofia.”
The child stood perfectly still.
Dante lowered his gun.
“Take me.”
Rosa laughed.
“You?”
“You wanted the trust.”
“Yes.”
“You wanted control.”
“Yes.”
“I’ll give you the seal.”
Rosa’s eyes narrowed.
“You destroyed the documents.”
“I have another copy.”
She knew he might.
“Where?”
“Safe.”
“Code?”
Dante looked at Sofia.
The child’s eyes met his.
He remembered the wooden gear.
Patterns.
Three short.
One long.
Three short.
Dante tapped his finger against his leg.
Three times.
Pause.
Once.
Pause.
Three.
Sofia noticed.
Rosa did not.
Dante continued talking.
“The safe is behind my father’s portrait.”
Rosa looked toward the hall.
Sofia slowly lifted one foot.
Dante tapped twice.
Now.
Sofia stomped Rosa’s foot.
Bit her wrist.
And dropped.
Isabela lunged.
Dante fired.
The bullet struck Rosa’s shoulder.
Bruno seized her.
Sofia ran into her mother’s arms.
Rosa screamed.
Not from pain.
From rage.
“You stupid child!”
Dante walked toward her.
Without crutches.
Three steps.
Then four.
Everyone watched.
He stopped in front of Rosa.
“You spent months trying to make sure I never stood.”
He looked at Sofia.
“And the child you tried to use is the reason I did.”
Rosa stared at him.
Defeated.
For the first time.
Then Adrian began laughing from the floor.
Dante turned.
“What?”
Adrian’s face was bloody.
But amused.
“You still think she was the top.”
Silence.
Dante stared.
Adrian looked toward Rosa.
“She answers to someone too.”
Rosa’s expression went blank.
Dante saw it.
Fear.
Real fear.
“Who?” he asked.
Adrian smiled.
“The man in the mountain house.”
Dante’s heart stopped.
“Alejandro.”
Adrian nodded.
“Your father never came back to stop Rosa.”
A pause.
May you like
“He came back to finish what they started together.”
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