Chapter 8 - The Woman They Planned to Blame
I opened the door with my gun raised.
Sophie stood beside the bed.
Alive.
Terrified.
A man knelt on the floor.
One of my security guards.
Unconscious.
The window was open.
“Lucia,” Sophie said.
I turned.
“She was taken.”
We locked the estate down.
Every gate.
Every road.
Every vehicle.
Marco found the breach in ninety seconds.
A catering truck had entered using wedding credentials.
It left seven minutes later.
We tracked it.
Abandoned two miles away.
Lucia wasn't inside.
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
Carlo's voice had aged.
But I remembered it.
“Hello, nephew.”
“Where is my mother?”
“Safe.”
“If you touch her—”
“You sound like your father.”
“Where?”
“Saturday.”
“What?”
“Have your wedding.”
I understood.
He wanted the event to continue.
“Why?”
“Because our family has unfinished business.”
The call ended.
Sophie was staring at me.
“He wants the wedding?”
“Yes.”
“Then Lucia will be there.”
Probably.
That was his stage.
But Carlo had made one mistake.
He thought I cared about winning more than my mother.
I didn't.
Federal teams searched every known property.
At dawn, Marco found a signal from Lucia's medical monitor.
A warehouse near the Hudson.
We entered with agents.
Lucia sat alone in a heated office.
Untouched.
A note rested on her lap.
SEE YOU AT THE WEDDING.
My mother looked annoyed.
“He gave me terrible tea.”
I nearly laughed from relief.
Sophie reached her first.
Lucia hugged her.
Then me.
“We cancel,” I said.
“No,” Lucia answered.
“Mom.”
“No.”
“You were kidnapped.”
“And now I'm angry.”
Sophie stared at her.
Lucia lifted her chin.
“This family has hidden its sins for too long. Thomas Bennett deserves the truth. Sophie deserves her father's name back. And you deserve to know who you're marrying before God and three hundred witnesses.”
“I already know.”
“Then let them know too.”
Sophie looked at me.
“She's more stubborn than you.”
“Impossible.”
Lucia smiled.
“Genetic.”
We continued.
But now the wedding became a federal operation.
Every entrance monitored.
Every guest screened.
Carlo would be allowed inside.
Then trapped.
That evening, Sophie found me alone in the chapel rehearsal room.
“You're scared.”
“No.”
“You're a terrible liar.”
I looked at her.
“I nearly lost her.”
“I know.”
“I kept watching when Vivian hit her.”
“You were gathering evidence.”
“That doesn't make it easier.”
“No.”
She stepped closer.
“But you came back.”
“What?”
“Most powerful men spend their lives pretending their worst decisions never happened. You came back and faced yours.”
I didn't know what to say.
Sophie touched my hand.
“That's something.”
Our eyes met.
For one second, the world became dangerously quiet.
I leaned closer.
Then stopped.
“You work for me.”
“Yes.”
“And four days ago I was engaged.”
“Yes.”
“This is complicated.”
“Very.”
Neither of us moved.
Then Marco entered.
“Sorry.”
He didn't sound sorry.
“What?”
“We intercepted Damian.”
He handed me a phone.
A message from Carlo:
THE BRIDE KNOWS ONLY HALF.
Damian replied:
HALF OF WHAT?
Carlo's response arrived while we watched.
ASK MASSIMO'S MOTHER WHO REALLY OWNS ACCOUNT 714.
Lucia saw the message.
Her face went white.
I turned to her.
“What haven't you told me?”
She looked at Sophie.
Then at me.
“Account 714 was never Carlo's.”
“Whose was it?”
Lucia opened her mouth.
Before she answered, the chapel door swung open.
Richard Vale stood there.
Blood covered his shirt.
May you like
And he whispered one name before collapsing.
“Massimo... Carlo is already inside.”
