Chapter 3 - The Woman He Thought Would Always Wait
Gianna stopped waiting.
That was the first thing everyone noticed.
She stopped waiting for Rafael's calls.
She stopped waiting for apologies.
She stopped waiting for wedding invitations that came with new excuses.
She stopped waiting for her father to explain why he had hidden the truth.
And she stopped being afraid of what people would say.
Within two weeks, she had restructured three companies.
Within a month, she had replaced six executives.
Within six weeks, she had discovered nearly thirty million dollars missing from Rosetti accounts.
The money had moved through shell companies.
The shell companies were controlled by people connected to Arthur Voss.
And the final authorization?
Matthew Steele.
Gianna stared at the transaction records.
Bianca stood beside her.
“That's enough.”
“No.”
“You have proof.”
“I have enough to accuse him.”
“Isn't that what you wanted?”
Gianna shook her head.
“I want to know why Rafael never noticed.”
That question kept her awake.
Because Rafael was not stupid.
He was ruthless, cautious, observant.
Yet every time Natalie appeared, he became blind.
There was only one explanation.
The betrayal was personal.
Someone had trained him to react.
Someone had planted fear into his head long before Gianna ever met him.
Gianna began investigating Rafael's past.
She discovered something surprising.
Rafael's mother had died when he was nineteen.
His father had told him Antonio Sullivan was responsible.
But the evidence had disappeared.
The same evidence that might have proved Rafael's father had ordered the shooting.
Gianna contacted an old investigator who had worked for her grandfather.
His name was Samuel Ortiz.
He was seventy-two.
He lived alone near the river.
When Gianna arrived, he looked at her for a long time.
“You have your grandfather's eyes.”
“Everyone says that.”
“He was a difficult man.”
“So was my father.”
Samuel smiled.
“Your father was afraid of your grandfather.”
“Why?”
“Because your grandfather knew the truth.”
“What truth?”
Samuel handed her an envelope.
“About Rafael.”
Inside was a photograph from twenty-two years ago.
Rafael was seventeen.
Beside him stood Antonio Sullivan.
Behind them stood Rafael's father.
And behind Rafael's father stood Matthew Steele.
Much younger.
Gianna looked again.
“Matthew knew Rafael's father.”
“He worked for him.”
“Then why is Rafael trusting him?”
Samuel sighed.
“Because Matthew saved Rafael's life.”
“When?”
“The night his father ordered him killed.”
Gianna stared.
“Why would his father want his own son dead?”
“Because Rafael found out about the trafficking operation.”
Gianna's face changed.
“Trafficking?”
Samuel nodded.
“His father used the freight network for illegal human shipments.”
“And Antonio?”
“Discovered it.”
“That's why he died.”
“No.”
Samuel looked directly at her.
“Antonio died because he tried to expose it.”
Gianna sat down.
“The story Rafael was told…”
“Was a lie.”
She looked at the photograph.
“And Matthew?”
“He pulled Rafael out.”
“So Rafael thinks Matthew saved him.”
“He believes Matthew is the reason he survived.”
Gianna's hands tightened.
“Then Matthew has been manipulating him ever since.”
“Possibly.”
“Not possibly.”
She stood.
“I know that look.”
“What look?”
Samuel smiled.
“Your grandfather had it too.”
“What?”
“The look of someone who has stopped forgiving.”
Gianna walked out.
That night, Rafael came to the Rosetti estate.
The guards nearly stopped him.
Gianna ordered them to let him in.
He walked into the sitting room.
He looked exhausted.
No expensive confidence.
No controlled smile.
Just a man who had not slept.
“I won't stay long.”
“Good.”
He looked at her stomach.
“How is he?”
“He's fine.”
“Can I—”
“No.”
His eyes fell.
“I deserve that.”
“You deserve worse.”
“I know.”
She crossed her arms.
“Why did you come?”
“I need to tell you something.”
“You're going to marry Natalie?”
His face twisted.
“No.”
“Then what?”
“Someone tried to kill me.”
Gianna's expression changed.
“When?”
“Last night.”
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
“Matthew?”
Rafael stared.
“What?”
“Did Matthew drive you home?”
“Yes.”
Gianna's heart sank.
“Of course he did.”
Rafael stepped closer.
“Why do you keep saying his name?”
“Because he's been stealing from us.”
“That's impossible.”
“I have evidence.”
Rafael shook his head.
“Matthew has saved my life.”
“So did the man who held a gun to your head before he fired.”
He stopped.
“What?”
Gianna showed him the photograph.
Rafael stared.
His hands began to shake.
“Where did you get this?”
“Your father.”
“My father is dead.”
“So is the version of the story you've been believing.”
Rafael looked at her.
“What are you saying?”
“I think Matthew has been controlling you.”
Rafael's jaw tightened.
“You don't know him.”
“I know what your accounts say.”
He looked at the documents.
Then at her.
“You investigated me.”
“You investigated me every time Natalie cried.”
He flinched.
Gianna's voice softened.
“Did you ever ask yourself why she always needed you five minutes before our wedding?”
He looked away.
“I thought she was afraid.”
“She was afraid.”
“Of what?”
“Of losing you.”
He closed his eyes.
“And you?”
Gianna swallowed.
“I was afraid of losing myself.”
Silence.
Then he whispered, “I never meant to hurt you.”
“But you did.”
“I loved you.”
“You loved me every time it was convenient.”
His eyes filled.
“I was wrong.”
Gianna shook her head.
“You don't get to fix this with one apology.”
“I know.”
“You don't get to ask me to wait.”
“I won't.”
“Then what do you want?”
He looked at her.
“One chance to tell you everything.”
She said nothing.
He reached into his coat.
Pulled out a sealed envelope.
“This is my father's personal file.”
He placed it on the table.
“I've never opened it.”
Gianna stared at the envelope.
“Why not?”
“Because Matthew told me my father left instructions that if I ever opened it, people I loved would die.”
Gianna looked at him.
“And now?”
“I don't care.”
She slowly reached for the envelope.
Their fingers touched.
Neither moved.
Then a gunshot shattered the window.
Rafael grabbed Gianna and pulled her to the floor.
Glass rained over them.
Guards stormed the room.
Another shot.
Rafael covered her body.
“Stay down!”
Gianna looked up.
There was blood on his shoulder.
“Rafael?”
“I'm fine.”
“You're bleeding.”
“Later.”
She looked through the broken glass.
A black SUV disappeared down the road.
Rafael stood.
His expression had changed.
Cold.
Focused.
Then he looked at Gianna.
“You were right.”
“About what?”
“Someone has been controlling my life.”
May you like
His eyes hardened.
“And I think I finally know who.”
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