Chapter 4 - The Woman Who Knew My Husband's Secret
Adrian took us to a secluded estate outside Lake Geneva.
It had belonged to his mother.
An old stone house surrounded by snow-covered trees.
When we arrived, an elderly woman was waiting.
She stared at me.
Then covered her mouth.
“Oh.”
Adrian stepped forward.
“Lucia.”
The woman looked at him.
“You found her.”
My heartbeat quickened.
“Found me?”
Lucia stepped closer.
“My dear.”
She touched my cheek.
“You have your mother's eyes.”
I froze.
“How do you know my mother?”
Lucia looked at Adrian.
He lowered his gaze.
Then she said the words that changed my life.
“Because your mother saved my son.”
I stared.
“Your son?”
“Adrian.”
He had never told me.
His mother wasn't dead.
She had been hidden.
Years ago, Adrian had believed she died.
She had been forced into hiding after his father was murdered.
She had survived.
She had spent years protecting the truth.
And the truth connected Damian.
My mother.
And the Moretti family.
My mother had once been a financial analyst working for Damian's father.
She discovered money was being moved through fake charities.
Damian was involved even then.
But my mother refused to cooperate.
She gave evidence to Adrian's mother.
That evidence helped expose several powerful men.
But before the investigation was complete, Damian's father had discovered the plan.
My mother disappeared.
I thought she had died.
She hadn't.
She had been hiding to protect me.
I cried.
“Why didn't she tell me?”
“Because every person who knew was hunted.”
Lucia's voice softened.
“Your mother loved you.”
I sat down.
Adrian remained silent.
Then he showed me a photograph.
My mother.
Lucia.
Adrian as a child.
And a man standing behind them.
Damian.
Young.
Smiling.
My stomach turned.
“He knew my mother.”
“Yes.”
“And me?”
“Not until later.”
I stared at Adrian.
“Why did you recognize me on the plane?”
“I saw your mother's photograph in your passport years ago.”
My breath caught.
“You knew who I was.”
“Yes.”
“You chose that seat?”
“No.”
“But you knew.”
“I knew the moment the flight attendant said your name.”
I stared.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I didn't know whether you were running from Damian or working for him.”
That hurt.
But I understood.
“I thought you were protecting me because I was a stranger.”
He looked at me.
“I was protecting you because you reminded me of the person who once saved my life.”
My mother.
The same woman who had protected him as a child.
Everything was connected.
That night, Amelia slept beside me.
I sat awake.
Adrian came to the doorway.
“You should sleep.”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because every truth I knew about my life was a lie.”
He stood quietly.
“I understand.”
“How?”
“My childhood was built on a lie too.”
“What happened?”
“My father was murdered.”
“By Damian?”
“No.”
He looked away.
“By someone inside my family.”
The silence stretched.
“Then why are you helping me?”
“Because years ago, your mother saved my mother.”
He looked at Amelia.
“And because no child should pay for the sins of adults.”
I smiled sadly.
“You really are different.”
He sat beside me.
“I'm not.”
“You are.”
“You haven't seen everything.”
He was right.
The next morning, Lucia brought us breakfast.
She also brought a letter.
“Your mother left this.”
The envelope had my name.
My hands trembled as I opened it.
Inside was one sentence.
“Do not trust Damian's lawyer. He is the person who put the prison doors around you.”
I knew the man.
Jonathan Pierce.
Damian's personal attorney.
The man who had helped me sign every contract.
The man who had encouraged me to trust Damian.
My blood ran cold.
Adrian took the letter.
“I know him.”
“How?”
“He represents several companies connected to Damian.”
“He can't know we're here.”
Adrian looked at me.
“He already does.”
A laptop on the table suddenly lit up.
A message appeared.
YOU CAN RUN, ISABELLA.
BUT YOUR DAUGHTER CANNOT.
I froze.
May you like
Adrian closed the screen.
“This ends now.”
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