Chapter 8 - The Bedroom Where Everything Began
Dr. Nathan Greer looked nothing like the man in the photograph Sofia had used to convince Marco I was unfaithful.
He looked seventy.
He was sixty-two.
Fear had aged him.
We reached the private Wisconsin hospital shortly after midnight.
Marco remained outside the room at first.
My choice.
Dr. Greer stared at me from the bed.
"Caroline."
My heart twisted.
"I'm Elena."
His eyes cleared.
"Of course."
"You knew my mother."
"Very well."
"You helped my sister destroy my marriage."
He closed his eyes.
"Yes."
I expected anger to explode.
Instead, I felt tired.
"Why?"
"Money."
At least he didn't insult me with a noble excuse.
"How much?"
"Two hundred thousand initially."
"For drugging Marco?"
His face tightened.
"Yes."
"Did you know I was pregnant?"
"No."
"Did Sofia?"
"Not when she first hired me."
"When did she know?"
"The afternoon of the setup."
I remembered the pregnancy test inside my purse.
"She found the test."
"Yes."
My stomach turned.
"And she continued anyway?"
"She panicked."
"Because of the trust."
He stared.
"So you know."
"I know enough."
"Then you understand why everybody became desperate."
"No."
I leaned closer.
"I will never understand destroying two people because of money."
His eyes dropped.
"You're right."
"Where is the recording?"
Dr. Greer glanced toward the door.
"Is Marco here?"
"Yes."
"Does he know about it?"
"No."
"Good."
I frowned.
"Why?"
"Because the recording wasn't Sofia talking to Anthony."
My breath caught.
"Who was it?"
He looked frightened.
"Bring Marco in."
I opened the door.
Marco entered.
He stayed near the wall.
Dr. Greer studied him.
"You didn't find Elena for three years."
Marco's expression hardened.
"No."
"Ever wonder why?"
"Every day."
Greer nodded.
"Sofia couldn't have hidden her alone."
"Who helped?"
"I recorded the conversation because I knew eventually they'd blame me."
"Who?"
The doctor's hand shook as he opened a drawer.
Inside was an old phone.
He gave it to me.
"Play the only audio file."
I pressed the screen.
Static.
Then Sofia.
"She'll be home by nine-thirty."
A man's voice answered.
"If she sees enough, she won't stay."
Marco stiffened.
I didn't recognize the voice.
Sofia said, "And if she calls him?"
"She won't be able to."
"You're certain?"
"Her phone routing has already been altered."
Marco looked at Daniel.
Daniel's expression darkened.
The man continued.
"Once she leaves Chicago, Vale's people will track her long enough to make sure she's safe."
Sofia laughed.
"Safe isn't the point."
"It is to Anthony."
"Anthony is sentimental."
My heart pounded.
The unknown man replied.
"You're not."
"No."
"What about the pregnancy?"
Pause.
Then Sofia:
"I'll deal with it."
Marco's hand clenched.
The unknown man said sharply, "No. We agreed nobody touches Elena."
"Then pray she loses it naturally."
I stopped breathing.
Marco's face became stone.
The recording continued.
"If the child is born, the trust transfers."
"Only if paternity is established."
"She'll never tell Marco."
"And if he finds her?"
"He won't."
"You're very confident."
"I have access to the Bellini search network."
Marco turned toward Daniel.
Daniel looked horrified.
Sofia had seen Marco's search efforts.
Every lead.
Every investigator.
Every place he checked.
Someone inside Marco's world had been feeding her information.
The recording ended.
I looked at Greer.
"Who is the man?"
He swallowed.
"His name is Victor Bellini."
Marco went pale.
I knew the name.
"Your uncle."
Marco nodded.
Victor was his father's younger brother.
He had acted like family during our wedding.
He danced with me.
Called me the daughter he never had.
Marco's voice lowered.
"Why?"
Greer answered.
"Because Victor is the current Bellini trustee."
Everything clicked.
If the trust transferred to our children, Victor lost control too.
This wasn't simply Vale versus Bellini.
The powerful people on both sides had benefited from keeping the assets exactly where they were.
Our marriage threatened them.
Our children destroyed their control entirely.
"Where is Victor now?" Marco asked.
"I don't know."
"Who attacked you?"
Greer's face tightened.
"Men I believe work for him."
"Why now?"
"Because I contacted Anthony."
I stared.
"My father?"
"I told him I still had the recording."
"And?"
"He told me to give it to you."
That didn't fit the villain I had constructed in my mind.
"Why?"
Greer looked at me.
"Because Anthony has been trying to undo his mistake for three years."
I laughed without humor.
"He could've called."
"He did."
"No."
"Many times."
"I never received anything."
Greer looked at Marco.
"Neither did he."
The scale of manipulation became impossible.
Calls diverted.
Messages intercepted.
Searches monitored.
Documents forged.
Two families full of people with access to money and information.
All working to make two individuals believe the other had chosen silence.
"Why didn't my father simply come find me?"
"He didn't know where you were."
"His people tracked me."
"Only for the first week."
"What happened?"
"Sofia took control of the surveillance company through Victor."
Daniel swore quietly.
Greer continued.
"Anthony discovered the takeover months later. By then the trail was gone."
I sat back.
For years, I'd hated my father.
Maybe he deserved some of it.
He had participated in separating us.
But the picture was changing.
No one was innocent.
Not Anthony.
Not Greer.
Not Sofia.
Not Victor.
Maybe not even Marco, because he'd hidden the existence of the trust from me.
But some sins were not equal.
"Why does Sofia want us at St. Catherine's?"
Greer looked confused.
"She doesn't."
"What?"
"I spoke with her yesterday."
"Why?"
"She called because she knew I'd contacted Anthony."
"And?"
"She said she was leaving the country."
Marco and I looked at each other.
"Then who sent the message?"
Greer's face drained.
"If Victor is using her name..."
Marco pulled out his phone.
Daniel was already moving.
"Check the church."
Daniel called someone.
I walked toward the window.
Snow had begun falling lightly.
Three years ago, I'd run from Chicago through rain.
Now every mile back toward the truth seemed to bring different weather.
Marco approached.
"Are you okay?"
"No."
"Fair."
I looked at him.
"Do you hate your uncle?"
"Right now?"
"Yes."
"I don't know what I feel."
That answer sounded familiar.
He studied me.
"I spent three years imagining finding you."
"And?"
"In every version, I knew exactly what I would say."
"What did you say?"
"Mostly angry things."
I almost smiled.
"And now?"
"Now I keep thinking about how many mornings I missed."
My throat tightened.
"Marco."
"I don't want sympathy."
"Good."
He nodded.
"I want time."
"That's harder."
"I know."
Before either of us could say more, Daniel returned.
"The church is empty."
"Then what?"
Daniel's phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed.
"What happened?"
He looked directly at me.
"Your father didn't show at Lincoln Park."
I checked the time.
9:45 a.m.
His meeting was in fifteen minutes.
Daniel continued.
"We sent someone to his residence."
My heart dropped.
"And?"
"Signs he left in a hurry."
"Was he taken?"
"Unknown."
Then my phone vibrated.
One photograph.
My father sitting in a chair.
Alive.
Terrified.
Behind him stood Sofia.
She wasn't smiling.
Beneath the photograph was a message.
I TOLD YOU TO STAY GONE. NOW YOU'VE FORCED ME TO FINISH WHAT FATHER STARTED.
I stared at my sister's face.
Marco moved beside me.
"Sofia has him."
"No."
I zoomed in.
Something bothered me.
Her hand.
Sofia's left wrist showed a dark bruise.
Her expression wasn't triumphant.
It was frightened.
I looked at Marco.
"She doesn't have my father."
"What?"
"Someone has both of them."
And suddenly Sofia was no longer merely the woman who had destroyed my marriage.
May you like
She might also be the only person alive who knew where Victor Bellini was taking this.
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