Chapter 3 - Unraveling the Web
By morning, the Sterling estate was transformed into a command center. Alejandro had summoned his top legal counsel, private intelligence operative Elijah Sterling (his younger brother), and a team of medical specialists.
Elena was resting peacefully under heavy blankets, surrounded by 24-hour private security. For the first time in three years, Alejandro felt a flicker of peace, but it was quickly eclipsed by a burning demand for justice.
In the glass-walled study downstairs, Elijah slapped a thick file down on Alejandro’s desk.
"You were right, brother," Elijah said, his tone grim. "It wasn't an accident. Richard Vance—Victoria’s father—was heavily invested in the offshore drilling rights your company bought three years ago. When Elena’s plane went down, it was forced off course by tampered navigation systems."
Alejandro’s eyes narrowed into slits. "Go on."
"She survived the crash in the wilderness," Elijah continued. "Vance’s men found her first. Realizing she had severe amnesia, Vance didn't kill her. He decided to hold onto her as an insurance policy. If you ever stopped playing ball with his financial interests, he could use her. But when his company faced bankruptcy last month, he got desperate. He had Victoria orchestrate a takeover of your personal life while keeping Elena hidden in their low-tier maid service right under your nose."
"Cruel," Alejandro spat, his fist slamming onto the solid mahogany desk. "They treated my wife like dirt, made her scrub floors in her own house, just to humiliate her before they disposed of her!"
"There’s more," Elijah added softly. "Thomas—the man who kept her captive in the coastal town—just tried to flee the country. My team intercepted him at JFK airport an hour ago. He spilled everything. Richard Vance paid him five hundred dollars a month to keep Elena isolated, fed just enough to work, and completely unaware of her real name."
At that moment, the door to the study creaked open. Elena stood in the doorway, dressed in a simple, elegant cream sweater and trousers. She looked fragile, but her eyes held a newfound firmness.
"Alejandro," she said softly.
Alejandro immediately stood up, walking over to wrap his arms around her waist. "You should be resting, darling."
"I heard," she said, looking into his eyes. "I remember more now. I remember the flight. I remember the pilot panicking... and I remember Richard Vance meeting me at a warehouse two years ago, telling me you were dead, that you had forgotten all about me and moved on."
Alejandro felt his heart break all over again. He pulled her tight, kissing her hair. "I never stopped looking for you. Not for a single day."
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"I know that now," Elena whispered, her hands gripping his jacket. "And I don't want to hide anymore. They tried to break us, Alejandro. They tried to strip away my dignity. I want them to pay for what they did—not just to me, but to every helpless person they’ve stepped on."
Alejandro smiled—a cold, ruthless smile that spelled doom for the Vance family. "Oh, my love. They are going to lose everything."
