Chapter 13
Bianca had lied to Elena.
Told her the triplets loved her.
Called her Mama.
Slept beside her.
Cried when she left.
Every lie designed to make a mother believe she had been replaced.
“She cried,” Bianca said.
Proud.
Hannah looked sick.
Samuel stared at her.
“You enjoyed that.”
Bianca smiled.
“Elena always thought she was better than me.”
There it was.
Not strategy.
Not family.
Jealousy.
“I wanted her to understand she lost.”
I stepped closer.
“She lost two years because you kidnapped her.”
“She should have stayed out of Bellandi business.”
“She was my wife.”
“She was a charity girl with opinions.”
Hannah looked at her.
“Sounds familiar.”
Bianca turned.
“What?”
“You hate women you think rank beneath you.”
That landed.
Bianca laughed.
“You serve tables.”
“Yes.”
“And my girls call her Mama,” I said.
Bianca flinched.
I didn’t enjoy using my children as a weapon.
But truth has edges.
“What happened after Elena cried?”
Bianca’s face hardened.
“She left.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
“Marco?”
He stared at the floor.
I turned.
“Where?”
“She went toward Briar Station.”
George said:
“There’s an abandoned Bellandi safehouse near there.”
I knew it.
My father had used it decades ago.
No modern security.
No digital records.
Perfect place for someone hiding from a compromised organization.
I sent Elias.
Bianca laughed again.
“She won’t trust you.”
“Why?”
“Because I told her you were marrying me.”
“That part was true.”
“She thought you chose me.”
My chest tightened.
Of course.
From Elena’s perspective:
She disappeared.
Fought alone.
Returned secretly.
Then saw me engaged to the woman who helped destroy her life.
I looked at Bianca.
“You made sure she knew.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“So she’d stop coming back.”
No.
Not strategy.
Erasure.
If Elena believed she no longer had a husband, maybe she’d abandon the fight.
Then Elias called.
I answered immediately.
“Boss.”
“What?”
“We found someone.”
The room disappeared.
“Who?”
Pause.
“A woman.”
I couldn’t breathe.
“She gave us one sentence.”
“What?”
Elias’s voice softened.
“She said if Dominic sent you, ask him what song he played the night Lily kicked for the first time.”
Only Elena knew that.
May you like
My wife was alive.
And she still needed proof I was truly looking for her.
