Chapter 2 - The Woman Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
I watched the black sedan disappear beyond my gates while the baby slept against my chest.
Vanessa's car.
Following Mara.
That fact changed everything.
"Elias," I said, "stay back. Don't let them see you."
"I'm two vehicles behind."
"Who is driving?"
"Can't tell yet."
"Don't interfere unless Mara is in danger."
"Understood."
"And find Sofia Bellini."
There was a short silence.
"You mean the Sofia Bellini?"
"Yes."
"Luca, she's dead."
"Find her anyway."
I ended the call.
Ten years earlier, Sofia had been the only woman who'd ever made me imagine a life outside the one I'd inherited.
We were twenty-three.
Young enough to believe wanting something made it possible.
She had studied pediatric nursing.
I was already handling acquisitions and "security problems" for my father.
Sofia knew enough to understand the world around me but not enough to be frightened by it.
Or so I thought.
Then she disappeared.
A wrecked car was found near Montauk.
Blood on the driver's side.
No body.
The police assumed the ocean had taken her.
Her family held a funeral.
I attended from the back.
For years, I blamed myself.
People close to me became targets.
That was the lesson I took from her death.
So when I later built Moretti Holdings into something stronger and colder than what my father left behind, I stopped confusing affection with safety.
Then Vanessa entered my life.
Beautiful.
Educated.
Strategic.
She understood leverage better than most men at my table.
Our relationship made sense.
Until a hospital bracelet proved the dead sometimes left traces.
I heard footsteps in the hallway.
Vanessa appeared in the doorway.
I still held Elena.
She stopped.
For a fraction of a second, Vanessa's expression disappeared completely.
No smile.
No annoyance.
Nothing.
Then the mask returned.
"What are you doing?"
"Holding a baby."
"I can see that."
Her eyes locked onto the infant.
"Whose?"
I watched her carefully.
"One of the staff's."
"Which staff?"
I smiled faintly.
"Why does it matter?"
"It doesn't."
She stepped into the room.
Elena stirred.
Vanessa immediately stopped moving.
Interesting.
Not dislike.
Fear.
She was afraid of the child.
"Give her to me," Vanessa said.
"No."
Her eyes snapped toward mine.
"I mean I'll take her downstairs."
"No."
"Luca, we have guests arriving in two hours."
"Then you should probably go downstairs."
Her jaw tightened.
"What's gotten into you?"
"Nothing."
She glanced toward the floor.
The bill was gone.
I'd already slipped it into my pocket.
"Where's Mara?"
"Working."
"Doing what?"
"Whatever you asked her to do."
Vanessa studied me.
We'd spent eighteen months together.
She knew when I was hiding something.
But I also knew when she was measuring risk.
"You're acting strange."
"Three days before a wedding does that."
Her shoulders relaxed slightly.
She came closer.
"We're almost there."
"There?"
"Our future."
She smiled.
"We've worked too hard to let anything interfere now."
I looked down at Elena.
"Anything?"
Vanessa followed my gaze.
Her face tightened again.
Then she leaned forward and kissed my cheek.
"I'll see you downstairs."
She left.
I waited ten seconds.
Then I locked the door.
Twenty minutes later, my sister Gianna arrived through the private staircase.
She stared at me.
Then at the baby.
Then back at me.
"You have exactly thirty seconds before I start asking very uncomfortable questions."
"I need you to watch her."
Gianna took Elena automatically.
"Whose baby?"
"I don't know."
"That's usually an important detail."
"Her name is Elena Ellis."
"Ellis? Mara?"
"Maybe."
Gianna's expression changed when I showed her the hospital bracelet.
She read Sofia's name.
Her face went pale.
"No."
"I know."
"Sofia is dead."
"Apparently that statement needs revisiting."
Gianna sat down.
Unlike me, she'd openly mourned Sofia.
They'd been friends.
"Where did this come from?"
"Mara."
"You think she knows?"
"She knows everything."
"And Vanessa?"
"Knows enough to have Mara followed."
Gianna looked toward the door.
"Cancel the wedding."
"Not yet."
"Luca."
"If I cancel now, everyone goes to ground."
"This isn't one of your business negotiations."
"I know."
"Do you?"
That irritated me because she was right.
Gianna looked down at Elena.
The baby's eyes opened.
Gray-green.
Gianna froze.
Then she whispered, "Oh my God."
"What?"
"Her eyes."
"I noticed."
"No, Luca. Look at her."
"I am."
"Look properly."
Elena's gaze moved toward me.
Gianna's voice dropped.
"She has your mother's eyes."
I felt a chill move through me.
"Lots of people have green eyes."
"Not that ring around the iris."
I looked closer.
A thin amber circle surrounded each pupil.
My mother had the same feature.
So did I.
Coincidence.
It had to be.
The phone rang again.
Elias.
I stepped into the bathroom and answered.
"We followed Mara to Saint Catherine," he said.
"And Vanessa's car?"
"Still behind her."
"Driver?"
"Rafael Marino."
Vanessa's cousin.
One of her father's most trusted men.
"What's Mara doing?"
"Entered through the employee garage. She's talking with a doctor."
"Name?"
"Dr. Nathan Cole. Pediatric cardiology."
"Get photos."
"Already have them."
My phone buzzed with an image.
Mara stood beside a silver-haired doctor in a parking structure.
She was crying.
Dr. Cole handed her an envelope.
"What's in the envelope?"
"Working on it."
Another image arrived.
Rafael Marino watching from behind a concrete column.
My pulse slowed.
I become calmer when danger turns real.
"Elias, get Mara out."
"She hasn't been approached."
"Doesn't matter."
"How?"
"Car trouble. Fire alarm. I don't care."
"I can create a distraction."
"Do it."
Ten minutes later, Elias called back.
"Mara's moving."
"Rafael?"
"Lost her in the confusion."
"Good."
"There's more."
I waited.
"Dr. Cole accessed a restricted medical archive immediately after Mara left."
"What patient?"
"I'm trying to confirm."
"Do it."
I returned to the nursery.
Gianna sat in the rocker holding Elena.
"I want a DNA test," I said.
Her eyes widened.
"Against who?"
"Me."
Gianna stared.
"Luca."
"It's probably nothing."
"And if it isn't?"
I looked at Elena.
"I'll deal with that when I know."
"What are you thinking?"
"I don't know what I'm thinking."
For once, it was true.
An hour later, a private physician I trusted arrived through the service entrance.
He took samples discreetly.
Mine.
Elena's.
He promised results within twelve hours.
Too long.
Every minute suddenly felt expensive.
That evening, the estate filled with relatives and business associates.
Vanessa moved through them flawlessly.
Gold dress.
Perfect smile.
Her father Anthony shook my hand near the bar.
"Three days," he said.
"Two and a half."
He laughed.
"You nervous?"
"Should I be?"
Anthony's smile lingered.
"Every smart man is nervous before giving someone access to half his life."
"Good thing there's a prenup."
His smile disappeared for half a second.
Then returned.
"You always did like insurance."
Across the room, Vanessa watched us.
At 10:14 p.m., Mara returned.
She entered through the servants' corridor.
I intercepted her near the kitchen.
"What did Dr. Cole give you?"
She froze.
"So you followed me."
"Answer."
"No."
"Mara."
Her eyes filled.
"You have no idea what you're doing."
"Then help me."
"I tried."
"When?"
"Two years ago."
That stopped me.
"What happened two years ago?"
She looked toward the crowded room.
"Not here."
I took her into my study.
Locked the door.
She stood near the fireplace.
"Who is Sofia Bellini?"
Mara's shoulders sagged.
"You already know."
"Is she alive?"
Mara whispered, "Yes."
My chest tightened.
"Where?"
"I don't know anymore."
"Don't lie."
"I'm not."
"When did you last see her?"
"Four months ago."
I stepped back.
Sofia.
Alive.
For ten years.
"Why didn't she contact me?"
Mara's face twisted with pain.
"Because she believed you'd chosen what happened to her."
I stared at her.
"Chosen what?"
"She thought your family ordered the attack."
"My father?"
"No."
"Then who?"
Mara looked directly at me.
"Vanessa's father."
Everything became still.
"Anthony Marino?"
Mara nodded.
"Why?"
"Because Sofia had discovered something."
"What?"
"I promised her I wouldn't say until she could prove it."
"She's supposedly dead and you're still protecting a promise?"
"I'm protecting Elena."
My eyes narrowed.
"What does Elena have to do with Sofia?"
Mara covered her mouth.
Too late.
She had said enough.
"Who is Elena?"
Mara shook her head.
"Please."
I walked closer.
"Who is she?"
Before Mara could answer, someone knocked.
Three slow knocks.
Mara went white.
"Who knows we're in here?" she whispered.
"No one."
Another knock.
Then Vanessa's voice came through the door.
"Luca?"
Mara backed away.
I motioned for silence.
"What?"
Vanessa tried the handle.
"Why is your door locked?"
"I'm working."
"With Mara?"
Neither of us answered.
Vanessa knocked again.
Then her voice changed.
Calmer.
Colder.
"Luca, open the door."
I reached toward the handle.
My phone buzzed.
The private physician.
DNA PRELIMINARY MATCH CONFIRMED.
I opened the attachment.
Probability of biological relationship: 99.98%.
I stared at the words.
Elena was related to me.
But before I could read exactly how, Vanessa spoke through the door again.
"I know the baby is upstairs."
Mara whispered, "Don't open it."
Vanessa lowered her voice.
"And I know whose child she is."
My hand stopped on the lock.
Then another voice came from the hallway.
May you like
Anthony Marino.
"Open the door, son."
