For a long moment, no one moved.
The night air around the mansion felt still, as if the world itself had paused to watch the two identical boys standing a few steps apart.
Adrian and Alessio.
The twins.
Separated for eleven years.
Now finally standing face to face again.
Adrian didn't know what he was supposed to feel.
Shock.
Confusion.
Fear.
But most of all… unfamiliarity.
Because the boy standing in front of him looked exactly like him.
Same eyes.
Same face.
Same height.
Except this version of him looked healthy.
His clothes were clean.
His hair neatly styled.
His posture confident.
Adrian suddenly became aware of how he looked.
Dirty shoes.
Oversized shirt.
Thin arms.
He lowered his gaze.
Alessio noticed immediately.
His chest tightened painfully.
For years, he had imagined this moment.
A thousand different scenarios.
In some, Adrian ran toward him.
In others, they hugged and laughed like they used to.
But never…
Not once…
Had he imagined Adrian looking like this.
So small.
So fragile.
So… broken.
Alessio took one careful step forward.
Adrian instinctively stepped back.
The movement made Alessio stop instantly.
Silence fell again.
Then Nico, the youngest of the older brothers, quietly spoke from behind.
"…He's scared."
Adrian glanced toward the voice.
More faces were watching him now.
Six older boys.
All different ages.
All staring at him with a mix of shock and concern.
Marco spoke gently.
"Adrian, these are your brothers."
Adrian blinked slowly.
Seven brothers.
The words still didn't feel real.
Marco gestured toward them one by one.
"That's Marco—you already met him."
Adrian nodded slightly.
"And Dante."
Adrian glanced toward the tall man who had protected him earlier.
Dante looked away immediately, like he didn't want Adrian to see the anger in his eyes.
Not anger at Adrian.
Anger at what had been done to him.
Marco continued.
"Rafael."
A man with calm eyes gave Adrian a small nod.
"Enzo."
The one with glasses raised a hand awkwardly.
"Luca."
A tall boy gave a nervous half-smile.
"Matteo."
A quiet one leaned against the railing silently.
"And Nico."
The youngest of the older brothers gave Adrian a warm but careful smile.
Adrian looked at each of them slowly.
Seven strangers.
Seven people claiming to be family.
His chest felt tight again.
The woman beside him—his supposed mother—noticed.
"Adrian," she said softly.
He looked up.
"My name is Isabella."
She didn't say "your mother."
She didn't push him.
Just her name.
Adrian nodded quietly.
"…Adrian," he said.
Isabella's lips trembled.
But she smiled gently.
"Yes."
Another presence stepped forward from the top of the stairs.
Heavy footsteps.
Calm.
Controlled.
Adrian turned.
A tall man stood there.
His presence alone made the air feel heavier.
His dark eyes were sharp.
Powerful.
The kind of man people moved out of the way for.
Marco spoke quietly.
"Father."
The man walked down the steps slowly.
Every guard around the mansion straightened instantly.
Adrian noticed.
Even the brothers stood slightly straighter.
The man stopped in front of Adrian.
His gaze moved over the boy carefully.
Taking in everything.
The thin frame.
The bruises.
The small cut on his finger.
His jaw tightened slightly.
But his voice, when he spoke, was steady.
"…Adrian."
Adrian stared at him.
Something about the man made him nervous.
But not in the same way as before.
Not like danger.
More like… importance.
"I'm Lorenzo De Luca," the man said.
Adrian nodded slowly.
He didn't know what else to do.
The man studied him for another long moment.
Then he said something Adrian didn't expect.
"You've had a long night."
Adrian blinked.
"Yes… sir."
Lorenzo's brow furrowed slightly.
"Don't call me sir."
Adrian looked confused.
"…What should I call you?"
The question hung awkwardly in the air.
For eleven years, Adrian had never used that word.
Dad.
Father.
It felt strange in his mouth.
Lorenzo seemed to understand.
So he simply said,
"Lorenzo is fine for now."
Adrian nodded again.
"…Okay."
Isabella gently touched Adrian's arm.
"You must be exhausted."
He hesitated.
Then admitted quietly,
"…A little."
That was an understatement.
His body felt like it might collapse.
Isabella turned toward the staff.
"Prepare a room."
A maid quickly nodded and hurried inside.
Adrian stiffened slightly.
"A room?"
"Yes," Isabella said softly.
"Your room."
Adrian looked toward the mansion again.
The place still felt too big.
Too clean.
Too different from what he knew.
"…Do I have to?"
The question slipped out before he could stop it.
Several of the brothers exchanged looks.
Isabella didn't seem offended.
Instead, she crouched slightly so they were eye level.
"You don't have to do anything tonight."
Adrian blinked.
"You can sleep. Eat. Rest."
Her voice was calm.
"No pressure."
Adrian didn't realize how much he needed to hear that until his shoulders slowly relaxed.
Marco spoke up.
"There's one more thing."
Everyone looked at him.
Marco glanced at Adrian.
"We should get him checked by a doctor."
Dante nodded immediately.
"Agreed."
Adrian stiffened again.
"A doctor?"
His voice sounded nervous.
Marco noticed.
"It's just to make sure you're okay."
Adrian hesitated.
Doctors meant questions.
Questions meant mistakes.
But Isabella gently squeezed his hand.
"No one will hurt you here."
Adrian looked at her.
Then slowly nodded.
"…Okay."
Alessio finally spoke again.
His voice had been silent until now.
"…Can I walk him inside?"
Everyone looked at him.
Adrian hesitated.
But something about Alessio felt different from the others.
Maybe it was the way he looked nervous too.
Like he didn't know what to say either.
Marco gave a small nod.
"That's fine."
Alessio turned back to Adrian.
He didn't try to touch him.
Didn't get too close.
He simply gestured toward the entrance.
"…This way."
Adrian followed slowly.
The doors of the mansion opened.
Warm light spilled into the night.
Adrian stepped inside.
The floor beneath his feet was polished marble.
The ceiling stretched high above.
Huge chandeliers hung like stars.
Adrian stopped walking.
"…This is a house?"
Alessio laughed softly.
"…Yeah."
Adrian looked around again.
He had never seen a place like this before.
Not even in pictures.
"…It's bigger than my whole street," he whispered.
Alessio didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
They walked slowly down the hallway.
Adrian kept glancing around nervously.
Finally he spoke again.
"…Do I really live here?"
Alessio looked at him.
Then answered honestly.
"You used to."
Adrian thought about that.
Then quietly asked,
"…What if I don't remember how?"
Alessio stopped walking.
For a moment he didn't say anything.
Then he smiled gently.
"That's okay."
Adrian looked at him.
Alessio shrugged slightly.
"We'll teach you again."
Adrian felt something strange in his chest.
A warmth he didn't recognize.
Maybe…
Maybe this place wasn't as scary as he thought.
They reached the top of the stairs.
A maid opened a door to a large bedroom.
Adrian stepped inside slowly.
The room was bigger than the entire space he used to sleep in.
A large bed.
A desk.
A balcony.
Clean clothes already laid out.
Adrian stared at everything.
Then quietly asked the question that had been sitting in his mind all night.
"…What happens now?"
Alessio leaned against the doorway.
His answer was simple.
"Now?"
He smiled a little.
"Now you get your life back."
Adrian looked down at his hands again.
Life.
Family.
Home.
They all felt like fragile words.
And somewhere deep inside him…
A small voice whispered a thought he wasn't ready to say out loud yet.
What if he didn't know how to be Adrian De Luca anymore?