Chapter 4 - Matteo’s Secret
Elena called Luca.
She hated herself for doing it.
Not because she believed he couldn't help.
Because she knew he could.
People like Luca Santoro had solutions ordinary people didn't.
That was exactly why calling him felt dangerous.
He answered before the second ring.
"Elena."
No greeting.
No question about who was calling.
"You know my number."
"I know many things."
"Don't make me regret this."
His voice changed instantly.
"What happened?"
She looked at the envelope.
"I found something in my locker."
"Don't touch anything else."
"I already touched it."
"What does it say?"
Elena read the sentence.
Silence.
Then Luca spoke.
"Where are you?"
"Hospital staff room."
"Stay there."
"I'm working."
"Not anymore."
"You're not my employer."
"No. At this moment, I'm the man telling you someone threatened your life."
"It's probably meant to scare me."
"Yes."
"Then it's working."
Another silence.
His voice softened.
"I'm coming."
"You don't have to."
"I know."
Twenty minutes later the emergency entrance changed.
Elena noticed it before she saw Luca.
Security guards straightened.
Two administrators appeared.
A doctor whispered to another doctor.
Then Luca walked through the corridor in a charcoal suit with three men behind him.
He didn't look left or right.
People moved automatically.
Elena folded her arms.
"You brought an army."
"I brought three people."
"That's an army in a hospital."
Luca ignored the comment.
"Show me."
She gave him the envelope.
He passed it to one of his men.
"Camera footage."
"The hospital won't just give you security recordings."
The hospital director appeared.
"Mr. Santoro."
Elena stared.
Five minutes later they had access.
She looked at Luca.
"That's disturbing."
"Efficient."
"Same thing when you're involved."
The footage showed a person in medical scrubs entering the locker room.
Cap.
Mask.
Face hidden.
The individual moved directly to Elena's locker.
No hesitation.
"They knew which one," Luca said.
Elena's stomach tightened.
"And they knew my shift."
"Yes."
"What exactly have you dragged me into?"
His jaw hardened.
"I didn't drag you anywhere."
"Someone threatened me because I saved your child."
"I know."
"Do you?"
Luca turned toward his men.
"Outside."
They obeyed.
Then he faced Elena.
"I have spent every hour since that street determining who knew Matteo left the villa."
"And?"
"Seven people."
"That's too many."
"Agreed."
"Who?"
"My household security director. Two gate officers. Signora Russo. Matteo's tutor. My cousin Stefano."
"And you."
"And me."
"Who is Stefano?"
"A man I trusted."
Past tense again.
Elena noticed.
"You suspect him?"
"I suspect everyone."
"Even Signora Russo?"
His expression hardened.
"Everyone."
Elena sat.
She was exhausted.
"Take me home."
Luca's eyes narrowed.
"Your apartment isn't secure."
"It's my home."
"Not tonight."
"No."
"Elena—"
"No."
A nurse passing outside slowed down.
Luca lowered his voice.
"Someone entered a secured hospital staff area to threaten you."
"And your solution is taking me back to the house where the problem started?"
That stopped him.
"You believe someone in my house is responsible."
"You just said you suspect everyone."
His eyes held hers.
"Come somewhere else."
"Where?"
"A hotel I own."
"Of course you own a hotel."
For half a second, he nearly smiled.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed instantly.
"What?"
Elena stood.
Luca listened.
"When?"
Another pause.
"I'll be there."
He ended the call.
"What happened?"
"Matteo woke from a nightmare."
Elena waited.
"He won't let anyone near him."
"Not even you?"
"No."
Luca hated admitting it.
Elena could see that.
"What nightmare?"
"He keeps saying your name."
Her resistance broke.
"Take me there."
During the drive, neither spoke.
At the villa, Matteo was sitting beneath his bed.
Not on it.
Beneath it.
Elena lowered herself to the floor.
"Hey."
Brown eyes appeared in the darkness.
"Elena?"
"I'm here."
He crawled toward her immediately.
She gathered him into her arms.
His body shook.
Luca stood several feet away.
"What happened?" Elena asked.
Matteo wouldn't answer.
She stroked his hair.
"It's okay."
"No."
"What isn't okay?"
"The man."
Luca went still.
"What man?"
Matteo buried his face against Elena.
"The man at the gate."
Luca crouched.
"What man, Matteo?"
The boy shook his head.
Elena looked at Luca.
"Give him room."
Luca reluctantly stepped back.
Elena waited.
Minutes passed.
Finally Matteo whispered.
"He told me Mama wanted me."
Elena's blood turned cold.
"When?"
"The day before the rain."
"Who told you?"
"A man."
"What did he look like?"
Matteo hesitated.
"He had a scar."
Elena's heart slammed against her ribs.
"Where?"
Matteo touched beneath his left eye.
Exactly where the man at the hospital had one.
Elena looked toward Luca.
His expression became terrifyingly calm.
"The man who met me tonight," Elena said.
"What man?"
"At the hospital."
Luca stood.
"Describe him."
She did.
One of his guards stepped forward.
"Boss."
Luca looked at him.
"That's Enzo Marin."
The name meant nothing to Elena.
It meant something to everyone else.
"Bellini's driver," the guard said.
Luca turned slowly.
"You allowed him into the hospital?"
The guard's face drained.
"He said you sent him."
"I didn't."
Silence.
Elena hugged Matteo tighter.
Luca took out his phone.
"Lock every gate."
The villa suddenly erupted into controlled movement.
Men spoke into radios.
Doors closed.
Cars started outside.
Elena looked down at Matteo.
"You followed that man's instructions?"
Matteo nodded.
"He said Mama had been waiting."
Elena closed her eyes.
Someone had manipulated a grieving six-year-old boy into leaving his home.
The speeding car had not necessarily been part of the plan.
Perhaps Matteo was meant simply to disappear.
Perhaps the driver hadn't expected Elena.
Perhaps the entire accident had gone wrong because one exhausted nurse chose the wrong street at exactly the right time.
Matteo whispered, "Am I bad?"
Elena immediately pulled back.
"No."
"I disobeyed Papa."
"You made a mistake."
He began crying.
"I just wanted Mama."
"I know."
Luca stood several feet away.
He looked devastated.
Elena extended one hand toward him.
Luca stared at it.
Then he came closer.
For the first time since Elena had met him, he lowered himself onto the floor beside his son without issuing a command.
Matteo looked at him.
Luca swallowed.
"I'm sorry."
The boy blinked.
"For what?"
"For making you believe you couldn't tell me how much you miss her."
Matteo's face crumpled.
Luca opened his arms.
The boy hesitated.
Then fell into them.
Elena slowly moved away.
Father and son held each other.
Neither looked powerful.
Neither looked dangerous.
They looked broken.
And in that moment Elena understood something she had not expected.
The greatest threat to Luca Santoro wasn't an enemy with a weapon.
It was losing the only person he loved enough to make him afraid.
Later that night, Luca found Elena standing on the terrace.
"You were right."
"About what?"
"Matteo filled my silence with his own explanation."
Elena looked toward the sea.
"He needed the truth."
"Some truths are dangerous."
"So are lies."
Luca leaned against the stone railing.
"You should leave Sicily."
Elena looked at him sharply.
"You want me gone?"
"No."
The answer came too quickly.
They both noticed.
Luca looked away.
"I think Bellini is escalating."
"And sending me away fixes that?"
"It protects you."
"You don't get to decide my life."
"I know."
"Do you?"
His eyes returned to hers.
Something had changed.
The air between them seemed suddenly too quiet.
Then Luca said,
"The problem, Elena, is that for the first time in a very long time, I wish I did."
Before she could respond, a guard rushed onto the terrace.
"Don Luca."
He held out a phone.
"We found Bellini's message."
Luca read it.
His face became stone.
Elena stepped closer.
"What does it say?"
Luca handed her the screen.
There were only six words.
The nurse was not part of the plan.
And below them:
May you like
Next time, she will be.
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