Chapter 10 — The Night Isabella Disappeared
Chapter 10 — The Night Isabella Disappeared
At 2:13 a.m., Isabella disappeared.
I knew the exact time because the clock on my phone was the last thing I saw before the world broke apart.
We had been staying in a private villa outside Lisbon.
Gabriel had arranged it.
Elena had checked every entrance.
I had personally locked Isabella's bedroom door.
For the first time in weeks, I believed she was safe.
I was wrong.
At 2:13, I woke to silence.
Not ordinary silence.
The kind that makes a parent's body understand danger before the mind does.
I sat upright.
The bedroom beside mine was open.
I ran.
“Isabella?”
No answer.
Her bed was empty.
The blanket had been pulled onto the floor.
The window was open.
And on the pillow was a single white envelope.
My name was written across it.
DANIEL.
My hands shook as I opened it.
Inside was one sentence.
If you want your daughter alive, come alone.
There was no signature.
No address.
Only a photograph.
Isabella.
She was sitting in a car.
Awake.
Terrified.
And beside her sat Beatriz.
I couldn't breathe.
“Gabriel!”
I ran downstairs.
He appeared from the hallway, already carrying a gun.
“What happened?”
“She’s gone.”
His expression changed.
“Where's Elena?”
“Sleeping.”
“Wake her.”
I turned.
Elena was already standing behind us.
She had heard everything.
“Isabella?”
“Gone.”
She rushed upstairs.
Thirty seconds later she returned.
“The security cameras?”
“Disabled,” Gabriel said.
“How?”
“From inside the house.”
I stared at him.
“You said this place was secure.”
“It was.”
“Then someone had access.”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Gabriel didn't answer.
I grabbed his jacket.
“You told me you could protect her.”
“I said I could help.”
“You failed.”
“I know.”
“Find her.”
“I will.”
“No.”
I pulled out my phone.
“I'll find her.”
Gabriel looked at me.
“You won't have time.”
“Then make time.”
The first clue arrived five minutes later.
A message.
COME TO THE OLD MARINA.
Coordinates followed.
I knew the place.
Abandoned warehouses.
No cameras.
No police.
Perfect for an ambush.
Gabriel saw the coordinates.
“It's a trap.”
“I know.”
“You can't go.”
“That's my daughter.”
“And that's exactly why they'll use her.”
I grabbed my coat.
Elena stepped in front of me.
“Daniel.”
“Move.”
“You need to think.”
“I've been thinking.”
“You're angry.”
“Yes.”
“That's what they want.”
I stared at her.
“What do you suggest?”
“Let Gabriel track the phone.”
I looked at him.
“Can you?”
“Yes.”
“Then do it.”
He connected his laptop.
Three seconds.
Five.
Ten.
Then he frowned.
“The phone is moving.”
“Where?”
“South.”
“Toward the marina?”
“No.”
He looked at the screen again.
“It's heading toward Sintra.”
My stomach dropped.
“Why would they go there?”
Gabriel looked at Elena.
“Because that's where the house is.”
“What house?”
Elena whispered:
“Your mother's.”
We drove through the night.
No headlights for the final kilometer.
Gabriel parked behind a stone wall.
The house stood at the end of a long driveway.
Old.
Dark.
Beautiful.
And terrifyingly familiar.
I had seen it before.
In my dreams.
My father had once described a house by the sea.
A place where he said my mother had been happiest.
I had never known its location.
Now I did.
We approached on foot.
The front door was unlocked.
Inside, everything was covered in dust.
Except for one room.
A child's bedroom.
Fresh sheets.
New toys.
Pink curtains.
Someone had prepared it recently.
For Isabella.
I felt sick.
“They planned this.”
Gabriel nodded.
“They've been preparing for her.”
“For how long?”
“Months.”
I opened a drawer.
Inside were clothes.
Isabella's size.
Shoes.
Books.
Photographs.
Even her favorite stuffed rabbit.
My daughter hadn't simply been kidnapped.
Someone had created a life for her.
A life without me.
A sound came from upstairs.
I ran.
Gabriel followed.
The hallway was empty.
Then I heard crying.
A small voice.
“Daddy?”
I nearly collapsed.
“Isabella!”
I opened the door.
She was sitting on the bed.
Alone.
I rushed to her.
She wrapped her arms around my neck.
“I knew you'd come.”
“Are you hurt?”
She shook her head.
“Did they hurt you?”
“No.”
“Where is Mommy?”
She looked toward the window.
“She left.”
“Who else was here?”
“A man.”
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
“What did he want?”
“He asked me questions.”
“About what?”
“The blue box.”
My stomach tightened.
“What did you tell him?”
“Nothing.”
I hugged her.
“You did the right thing.”
Then she whispered:
“But Mommy knew where it was.”
I froze.
“What?”
“She told him.”
We heard footsteps downstairs.
Gabriel pulled me away from the door.
“Someone's coming.”
I held Isabella behind me.
A man's voice echoed through the hallway.
“Daniel.”
I knew it immediately.
Eduardo.
He stepped into the doorway.
No weapon visible.
No expression.
Just a cold smile.
“You came.”
I stared at him.
“Where is Beatriz?”
“Safe.”
“Where?”
“Far away.”
“You took my daughter.”
“No.”
“You were involved.”
“Yes.”
“You hurt her.”
“No.”
“You destroyed my family.”
He smiled.
“You did that yourself.”
I moved toward him.
Gabriel raised his weapon.
“Don't.”
Eduardo looked at Gabriel.
“You always were a coward.”
Gabriel's jaw tightened.
“You're finished.”
“Am I?”
Eduardo laughed.
“You still don't understand.”
“What?”
“This isn't about Beatriz.”
“Then what is it about?”
“Your mother.”
I stared.
“What did she do?”
Eduardo smiled.
“She started everything.”
I kept Isabella behind me.
“Where is my mother?”
“Closer than you think.”
“What does that mean?”
Eduardo stepped forward.
“She has been watching you.”
“For how long?”
“Since you were born.”
I shook my head.
“No.”
“She never stopped.”
“Why?”
“Because she knew what you were.”
“What am I?”
He looked at Isabella.
“An obstacle.”
I felt rage explode.
“You will never touch her again.”
Eduardo laughed.
“You think you can protect her?”
“Yes.”
“You couldn't even protect yourself.”
He pulled out his phone.
A video began playing.
My mother.
Alive.
Older.
Standing in a room.
She looked directly into the camera.
“Daniel.”
I froze.
“I'm sorry.”
The recording continued.
“I know you hate me.”
My eyes filled with tears.
“But I had no choice.”
I whispered:
“Mom.”
Her voice trembled.
“If you're watching this, Isabella is already in danger.”
I looked at my daughter.
My mother continued.
“Your father tried to protect you.”
“Eduardo tried to control you.”
“And Beatriz…”
She stopped.
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Beatriz was never my enemy.”
I stared at the screen.
“What?”
My mother continued:
“She was my daughter.”
Silence.
I looked at Eduardo.
He smiled.
“That's impossible.”
Eduardo said nothing.
My mother continued:
“I never told you because I believed it would destroy you.”
The video ended.
I turned toward Eduardo.
“Beatriz is my sister?”
He nodded.
“Half-sister.”
My stomach twisted.
“Who is her father?”
Eduardo smiled.
“Me.”
I looked at Isabella.
Then at the door.
Then at the man who had destroyed my life.
“You married my daughter to your own son.”
Eduardo's smile disappeared.
“You misunderstand.”
“No.”
“You were never my son.”
“Then what am I?”
He stared at me.
“The child your mother stole.”
I felt dizzy.
Gabriel stepped closer.
“Daniel…”
“No.”
I looked at Eduardo.
“Tell me the truth.”
He hesitated.
Then said:
“Your biological father was the founder of the entire network.”
“Who?”
He smiled.
“Your real father was Gabriel's brother.”
Gabriel went completely still.
“What?”
Eduardo looked at him.
“You never knew?”
Gabriel shook his head.
“You're lying.”
“No.”
Eduardo smiled.
“He died believing his son was dead.”
I stared at Gabriel.
Then at Isabella.
Nothing made sense anymore.
A gunshot echoed outside.
Everyone froze.
Eduardo looked toward the window.
Gabriel moved toward the door.
“Someone's here.”
Another shot.
Then another.
Eduardo suddenly grabbed Isabella.
I lunged.
He pulled her against him.
“Stay back.”
“Let her go.”
“You want her alive?”
“Yes.”
“Then listen.”
I stopped.
Eduardo held a gun against the wall beside her.
“I need the blue box.”
“I don't have it.”
“You do.”
“No.”
“Then your daughter dies.”
Isabella looked at me.
She wasn't crying.
She whispered:
“Daddy.”
I knew that look.
She was telling me something.
Trust me.
I remembered the letters.
The room.
The secret.
The warnings.
Then I noticed something.
Her left hand.
She was holding something.
A tiny brass key.
The same key.
I understood.
She had hidden something.
I looked at Eduardo.
“Fine.”
He lowered the gun slightly.
“I'll give you the box.”
“Where?”
“In the car.”
“Go get it.”
“No.”
“Then where?”
I pointed upstairs.
“In the secret room.”
Eduardo's eyes changed.
He believed me.
“Take me there.”
We moved upstairs.
Gabriel followed.
Elena appeared behind us.
Eduardo looked at her.
“You.”
Elena froze.
“You're still alive.”
“So are you.”
Eduardo laughed.
“You betrayed everyone.”
“No.”
“I know what you did.”
“You know nothing.”
He raised the gun.
I stepped between them.
“Enough.”
Eduardo looked at me.
“Open the door.”
I inserted the brass key.
The lock clicked.
The hidden room opened.
Inside were shelves.
Documents.
Hard drives.
Photographs.
Bank records.
And one enormous safe.
Eduardo stared.
“The inheritance.”
I looked at him.
“You wanted this.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because your father stole it from us.”
“No.”
“Your father stole everything.”
I walked toward the safe.
“What is inside?”
Eduardo smiled.
“Your mother's confession.”
I opened it.
Inside was a single envelope.
I opened it.
The document contained one sentence.
The biological mother of Daniel Alvarez is Beatriz Valdés.
I stopped breathing.
I looked at Beatriz's father.
At Elena.
At Gabriel.
Nothing moved.
Then Isabella screamed.
I turned.
Eduardo was gone.
The window was open.
And so was the back door.
He had escaped.
But he had left something behind.
His phone.
I picked it up.
One video was already playing.
Beatriz.
She looked directly into the camera.
“Daniel.”
Her face was pale.
“If you found the room, then Eduardo has already told you part of the truth.”
She swallowed.
“But he lied about one thing.”
The video continued.
“He is not your father.”
I closed my eyes.
“Your father is still alive.”
I looked at Elena.
She whispered:
“No.”
Beatriz continued.
“And he's the man you've trusted more than anyone.”
The video ended.
I slowly turned toward Gabriel.
He stared back at me.
Neither of us spoke.
Then Isabella reached for my hand.
“Daddy?”
I looked at her.
“Who is he?”
I didn't know how to answer.
Because the man standing in front of me was the person who had helped me uncover every lie.
The man who had protected my daughter.
The man who had known my father.
And apparently—
the man whose identity had been hidden from me since birth.
Gabriel looked at me.
His eyes were full of tears.
“Daniel…”
I raised my hand.
“Don't.”
He stopped.
Outside, sirens began approaching.
But I barely heard them.
Because on Gabriel's face, I saw something more frightening than guilt.
Recognition.
He knew exactly what Beatriz's message meant.
And when he finally spoke, his voice broke.
“She shouldn't have told you.”
“Why?”
He looked at Isabella.
“Because now they'll come for both of you.”
“Who?”
Gabriel swallowed.
“Everyone.”
May you like
The lights went out.
And somewhere outside the house, a woman began screaming my name.
