Chapter 3 - My Fiancé Hid the One Thing Lorenzo Feared Most
Ethan proposed six months later.
He chose a small restaurant.
Nothing extravagant.
A simple ring.
A candle.
Music in the background.
I said yes.
But something about his expression bothered me.
“You're happy?”
“Of course.”
He smiled.
“Then stop looking over your shoulder.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“You've been doing it ever since that Moretti man came back.”
I laughed.
“I work with his grandmother.”
“You don't need to be around him.”
“He's a patient’s grandson.”
“People like him don't have normal families.”
I pulled my hand away.
“Don't insult him.”
Ethan stared.
“You're defending him?”
“I am telling you to stop judging someone you don't know.”
He didn't respond.
That night, my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
“Emily Carter?”
“Yes.”
“You need to leave Ethan.”
My heart dropped.
“Who is this?”
“Someone who knows what he is.”
The line went dead.
I told myself it was nonsense.
Then Ethan came home at two in the morning.
His shirt was torn.
“What happened?”
“Work.”
“That doesn't look like work.”
“Emily.”
He walked past me.
The next morning, I found a folded document in his car.
A property transfer.
One of the names was familiar.
Victor Moretti.
Lorenzo's uncle.
I stared at it for a long time.
Then I called Lorenzo.
He answered immediately.
“What happened?”
I told him.
His voice changed.
“Don't touch anything.”
“Why?”
“Because Victor has been missing for eleven years.”
“Then why is he buying property with Ethan?”
Silence.
“Emily, where are you?”
“Home.”
“Lock the doors.”
My pulse raced.
“Why?”
“Because Victor doesn't invest in real estate.”
“What does he do?”
“He hides money.”
I looked at the document.
“What does that have to do with Ethan?”
“I don't know yet.”
That scared me.
Lorenzo always seemed to know everything.
Now he didn't.
Two hours later, Ethan arrived.
He seemed calm.
“What's wrong?”
“Who is Victor Moretti?”
His face changed.
Only for a second.
Then he smiled.
“Why?”
“Answer me.”
“He's a businessman.”
“Lorenzo says he's dangerous.”
“Of course Lorenzo says that.”
“You know him.”
“No.”
I held up the document.
“Then explain this.”
He stared.
“Where did you get that?”
“In your car.”
He grabbed it.
“You went through my things?”
“You lied to me.”
“I didn't.”
“Then tell me the truth.”
He stepped closer.
His voice changed.
“Emily, you don't understand the kind of world you're stepping into.”
“I didn't step into it.”
“You did the day Lorenzo noticed you.”
I froze.
“How do you know about my childhood?”
He didn't answer.
“Ethan.”
He backed away.
“I need time.”
“Time for what?”
“To fix this.”
He left.
I called Lorenzo.
“Don't go home.”
“Why?”
“Because I think Ethan knows where you live.”
“I've lived here for two years.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you worried?”
“Because Victor has been looking for someone for years.”
“Who?”
“You.”
I went cold.
“Why?”
“Your family once received money from my father's organization.”
“What?”
“My mother never told me.”
Lorenzo's voice was low.
“Your mother may know more about my family than she ever admitted.”
I called Mom.
She didn't answer.
I tried again.
Nothing.
Noah called instead.
“Emily?”
“Where are you?”
“At Mom's.”
My blood froze.
“What happened?”
“She collapsed.”
I grabbed my coat.
Lorenzo's men were already outside.
I got into the SUV.
At the hospital, I found Mom unconscious.
Noah was crying.
A doctor said she had been given something.
Poison.
I stared at the floor.
Lorenzo arrived minutes later.
He looked at the medical chart.
Then at me.
“I know who did this.”
“Who?”
“Victor.”
“How?”
“Because your mother knew where he was.”
“Where?”
He looked at me.
“With my uncle.”
My phone buzzed.
A message from Ethan.
I told you to stay out of this.
May you like
Then another.
If you want your mother alive, bring Lorenzo alone.
Related Stories
