Chapter 5 - The Fiancée Who Was Never Supposed to Fall in Love
Vanessa Sterling had lied to Luca for eighteen months. But the greatest lie had been told to her.
Her younger sister, Claire, had died four years earlier.
At least, that was what Vanessa believed.
Claire had been twenty-six.
A nurse at a private clinic in Connecticut.
Kind.
Stubborn.
The only person who had ever challenged Vanessa when she became too ambitious.
The police said Claire lost control of her car during a rainstorm.
Vanessa had identified the body at a funeral home.
She remembered the closed coffin.
The doctor's explanation.
The grief that made her stop asking questions.
Now Frank was telling her it had all been arranged.
“Where is she?” Vanessa whispered.
Frank said nothing.
“Frank, where is my sister?”
“Bring me Antonio's recording.”
“Let me speak to Claire.”
“You're in no position to negotiate.”
The call ended.
Vanessa stared at the phone.
Then she opened her jewelry box.
Beneath the velvet lining lay the memory card.
She'd taken it from Antonio's study after his death.
Frank had ordered her to destroy it.
But she'd kept it.
At first, as insurance.
Later, because she was afraid of what it contained.
She inserted the card into her laptop.
A single audio file appeared.
The recording began with Antonio's voice.
“Frank, I know about the transfers.”
A second voice answered.
“You should have stayed retired.”
Vanessa covered her mouth.
Frank.
Antonio continued.
“Elena is alive. I've seen her.”
Frank's tone changed.
“Where?”
“I won't tell you.”
“Antonio, you're making a mistake.”
“The mistake was trusting you.”
There was a scraping sound.
Then Antonio said:
“I know what happened to Claire Sterling.”
Vanessa stopped the recording.
Her hands were shaking so violently she could barely touch the keyboard.
She pressed play again.
Frank laughed.
“That girl was asking questions she shouldn't have asked.”
“You took her away from her family.”
“She worked at the wrong clinic.”
“She's innocent.”
“Nobody's innocent once they see the books.”
Antonio's voice hardened.
“If you don't release her, I'll tell Luca everything.”
Frank replied quietly.
“Then you won't live long enough to tell him.”
The recording ended.
Vanessa stared at the screen.
Claire had been alive when Antonio made that recording.
Eight months ago.
Her sister hadn't died four years earlier.
Someone had staged her death.
Vanessa began sobbing.
She had spent years believing Claire was gone.
She had trusted the man who arranged the funeral.
And she'd helped him destroy Luca's marriage.
Luca returned to Manhattan the following evening.
He did not enter the mansion through the main gate.
Instead, he met Daniel Mercer at a private apartment owned by his father's former attorney.
Caleb remained outside.
Luca had agreed to hear his information.
He had not agreed to trust him.
Daniel placed several documents on the table.
“I reviewed the trust records.”
“And?”
“Elena established a protected account after Sofia was born. Antonio funded it through a legitimate family foundation.”
“What's in it?”
“Property, emergency funds, and instructions for Sofia's guardianship.”
“The evidence?”
“Not listed.”
Luca frowned.
“Then why does Frank think it's there?”
“Because he doesn't know where Elena put the original files.”
Luca rubbed his eyes.
For three years, he'd believed Elena abandoned him.
He remembered the final argument before she disappeared.
She'd accused Frank of hiding something.
Luca had defended his uncle.
Frank helped build this family.
Elena had stared at him.
Then maybe you should ask what he built it on.
They hadn't spoken kindly to each other afterward.
The next morning, she was gone.
Luca had spent years replaying that argument.
He'd blamed himself for making her feel alone.
Now he understood that she'd been trying to warn him.
Daniel watched him quietly.
“Luca, there's something else.”
“What?”
“Your father's death certificate.”
Luca looked up.
“What about it?”
“Antonio died of a reported heart attack. But the hospital records show an unusual medication discrepancy.”
Luca sat straighter.
“Explain.”
“His prescribed medication was changed three days before he died. The new dosage was never authorized by his cardiologist.”
“Who requested the change?”
Daniel hesitated.
“The paperwork was signed by a representative of the family.”
“Who?”
“Vanessa Sterling.”
Luca stared at him.
For several seconds, he couldn't speak.
Then his phone rang.
Vanessa.
He almost rejected it.
Instead, he answered.
“What do you want?”
Her voice was raw.
“I need to see you.”
“I'm not interested.”
“Luca, your father recorded something before he died.”
He froze.
“What?”
“I have the recording.”
“Then send it.”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because Frank has my sister.”
Luca frowned.
“Claire died years ago.”
“No.”
Vanessa began crying.
“No, Luca. She didn't.”
They met at an empty church in Queens.
Vanessa arrived wearing jeans, a plain sweater, and no makeup.
Luca barely recognized her.
She looked like a woman who hadn't slept in days.
He remained standing.
“Talk.”
Vanessa handed him the memory card.
“Your father recorded Frank threatening him.”
Luca took it.
“And?”
“He mentioned Claire.”
“Your sister?”
“She was working at a clinic connected to the Crown. She found financial records she wasn't supposed to see.”
Luca studied her.
“Why did you help Frank?”
Vanessa's face crumpled.
“Because he told me Claire was dead. Then he offered me a way to rebuild my life.”
“By marrying me?”
She nodded.
“He wanted someone close to you.”
“And you agreed.”
“Yes.”
Luca looked away.
He remembered the nights Vanessa comforted him.
The way she'd encouraged him to stop searching for Elena.
The way she'd told him he deserved happiness.
Every tender moment suddenly felt contaminated.
“Did you know Elena was alive?”
Vanessa lowered her head.
“Not at first.”
“When did you find out?”
“Six months ago.”
Luca stared at her.
“You knew for six months?”
“Yes.”
“And you let me propose?”
Tears fell onto her sweater.
“I thought Frank would kill her if I told you.”
“You should have trusted me.”
“I know.”
“No, Vanessa. You don't.”
His voice broke.
“You watched me visit an empty grave in my heart every week.”
Vanessa covered her mouth.
Luca stepped backward.
“Did you change my father's medication?”
She went still.
“What?”
“His prescription.”
Vanessa shook her head.
“No. Frank asked me to sign paperwork, but he said it was for an insurance renewal.”
“You signed without reading it?”
“Yes.”
Luca looked at her in disbelief.
Vanessa whispered, “I was afraid of him.”
“That doesn't make Antonio less dead.”
She began crying harder.
“I know.”
Luca turned toward the church doors.
“I'm taking this to the authorities.”
Vanessa caught his sleeve.
“Wait.”
He stopped.
“There's something else.”
“What?”
“Claire sent me a message three days ago.”
Luca turned.
“She contacted you?”
Vanessa nodded.
“She said she'd escaped.”
“Where is she?”
“I don't know. But she sent a photograph.”
Vanessa opened her phone.
The picture showed a little girl asleep on a couch.
Dark curls.
Green eyes.
Sofia.
Luca grabbed the phone.
“Where was this taken?”
Vanessa swallowed.
“Claire wrote one sentence beneath it.”
Luca read the message.
May you like
“I FOUND ELENA'S DAUGHTER. BUT THE WOMAN CALLING HERSELF ELENA IS NOT HER MOTHER.”
Continue to Chapter 6: Who is the woman protecting Sofia—and what happened to the real Elena Moretti?
