Chapter 6 - The Woman Who Watched Sophia Sleep|
"Who was Sophia's nanny three years ago?" I asked.
Luca didn't answer immediately.
His eyes remained fixed on the computer screen.
Then he spoke.
"Elena Rossi."
Mrs. Carter made a small sound.
I turned toward her.
She looked as though she'd been struck.
"Elena left after Caroline died," she whispered.
Luca nodded.
"She said she couldn't bear working in the house anymore."
Sophia looked confused.
"Miss Elena?"
Her voice was tiny.
"She used to sing to me."
Luca gently squeezed her shoulder.
"I remember."
I looked toward the computer.
"Open the recording."
Luca hesitated.
Then clicked.
Caroline's face appeared again.
She was sitting somewhere dimly lit.
A parking garage, perhaps.
Her eyes were swollen from crying.
"Elena Rossi isn't who she says she is," Caroline whispered.
"Her real name is Elena Bellini."
Luca went still.
"She's Dominic Bellini's niece. She came into our home using forged references."
Caroline wiped her cheek.
"At first, I thought she was only watching me. Then I discovered she had been photographing Sophia's school schedule."
Mrs. Carter covered her mouth.
I felt sick.
Caroline continued.
"Antonio told me I had forty-eight hours to transfer control of the Bennett inheritance into one of his companies. If I refused, he said Sophia would disappear."
Sophia grabbed her father's arm.
Luca immediately paused the recording.
"Sweetheart, you don't have to watch this."
But she shook her head.
"I want to know why Mommy was scared."
Luca studied her.
Then he nodded.
He resumed the video.
Caroline looked directly into the camera.
"I've arranged to meet a federal investigator tomorrow morning. If I can get the records into the right hands, Antonio won't be able to hide."
She took a trembling breath.
"Luca, I should have told you sooner. But I was afraid you'd confront him before we had proof."
Her voice cracked.
"I was wrong to carry this alone."
Then she whispered something that broke my heart.
"Tell Sophia I wasn't trying to leave her."
The recording ended.
Nobody spoke.
Luca stared at the screen.
Then he rose and walked to the window.
His shoulders were rigid.
His hands were clenched.
I knew he wanted to destroy something.
Maybe someone.
But Sophia was watching him.
And he remembered that.
Finally, he turned.
"Mrs. Carter, take Sophia to my bedroom. She'll sleep there tonight."
Sophia looked worried.
"Are you leaving?"
Luca knelt.
"No."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
She wrapped her arms around his neck.
He held her for a long time.
After Mrs. Carter took her upstairs, Luca turned toward me.
"Megan, I need you to tell me something."
"Anything, sir."
"Has anyone been asking questions about Sophia's routine?"
I hesitated.
Then remembered something.
"Vanessa."
His expression changed.
"What about her?"
"She asked me last week what time Sophia's school driver arrived."
Luca stared at me.
"Why?"
"She said she wanted to surprise Sophia with a shopping trip."
"Anything else?"
I swallowed.
"She asked whether the side entrance cameras worked."
The room became quiet.
Luca reached for his phone.
He called his head of security.
"Daniel, I want every entrance covered. Nobody enters or leaves without my permission."
He listened.
Then his face hardened.
"What do you mean she's gone?"
My heart stopped.
Luca slowly lowered the phone.
"Vanessa left the guest room."
"How?"
"Through the service corridor."
I stared at him.
That corridor led directly to the old garage.
The same garage where Sophia's school driver parked.
Luca was already moving toward the door when his phone rang again.
He answered.
A man's voice spoke rapidly.
I couldn't hear the words.
But I saw Luca's expression change.
"Lock down the property."
He ended the call.
Then looked at me.
"Someone disabled the east gate camera."
I thought of Vanessa's questions.
And suddenly remembered something else.
"Mr. Moretti."
He turned.
"Yesterday, Vanessa asked whether Sophia still kept her mother's jewelry box beside her bed."
Luca stopped moving.
"Why would she ask that?"
I shook my head.
"I don't know."
Then we heard a scream.
A child's scream.
From upstairs.
Luca ran.
I followed.
By the time we reached his bedroom, Mrs. Carter was standing near the open balcony doors.
Her face was white.
The bed was empty.
And Sophia was gone.
For one terrible moment, Luca didn't move.
Then he saw something on the floor.
A small white pearl.
Beside it lay a folded piece of paper.
He picked it up.
There were only seven words.
YOU SHOULD HAVE LEFT THE PAST BURIED.
Luca looked toward the balcony.
May you like
Then at me.
And I saw a father's worst nightmare become real.
