Chapter 3 - The Name of My Most Trusted Lieutenant Appeared in Isabella’s Secret Records—But Lily’s Drawing Revealed a Clue He Had MissedI found Marco in the war room.
He was standing over a city map.
His sleeves were rolled up.
His expression was calm.
Too calm.
“Boss.”
I closed the door.
“Did you know Isabella had another child?”
Marco froze.
Only for half a second.
But I saw it.
“Yes,” he said.
My blood ran cold.
“You knew?”
He looked at me.
“I knew Isabella was pregnant.”
“You told me she wasn't.”
“She asked me not to.”
“Why?”
“Because she believed someone was watching her.”
“Who?”
Marco didn't answer.
I placed Elena's paper on the table.
“She said you tried to kill her.”
His face hardened.
“That's a lie.”
“Then explain.”
Marco looked exhausted.
“Three years ago, Isabella discovered that someone inside the organization was selling information.”
“Who?”
“I didn't know.”
“That's your job.”
“I know.”
“You were my security chief.”
“I know.”
“You were supposed to protect her.”
“I tried.”
“Then why did she hide the child?”
Marco's eyes lowered.
“Because she didn't trust anyone.”
I stepped toward him.
“Did she trust me?”
“Yes.”
“Then why?”
“Because loving someone doesn't mean you can protect them.”
I almost hit him.
Instead, I walked away.
When I reached the door, Lily was standing there.
She held a piece of paper.
“Daddy?”
I crouched.
“What is it?”
She handed me a drawing.
It showed four stick figures.
Me.
Lily.
A woman.
And another little girl.
I stared.
“Who's this?”
“Mommy.”
I pointed to the fourth figure.
“And her?”
“My sister.”
My heart stopped.
“Who told you that?”
“Mommy.”
“When?”
“Before she went to heaven.”
I sat on the floor.
Lily had been too young.
She couldn't possibly remember.
But children remembered strange things.
Things adults underestimated.
“What did Mommy tell you?”
Lily whispered:
“She said my sister was hiding.”
“Where?”
“She didn't tell me.”
Then Lily pointed at the woman's figure.
“She said Auntie Elena knew.”
I looked toward Marco.
His face had gone pale.
The drawing contained something else.
A small black bird.
I recognized the symbol.
It belonged to a shipping company I had destroyed five years earlier.
The company had been owned by Victor Kane.
My former business partner.
A man everyone believed was dead.
I looked at Marco.
“Victor Kane.”
Marco's eyes narrowed.
“You think he's alive?”
“I know he is.”
“How?”
“Because Isabella's drawing says he is.”
Marco shook his head.
“That's impossible.”
May you like
I turned toward the security monitors.
“Find him.”
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