Chapter 4 - The Woman Who Knew My Father’s Secret
Her name was Eleanor Shaw.
She had been my mother's closest friend.
For twelve years, I believed she was dead.
She wasn't.
She was living under another name in Wisconsin.
We found her two days later.
She opened the door holding a shotgun.
“Luca Vale.”
I froze.
“You know me.”
“I knew your father.”
“Why did you disappear?”
Her eyes filled with sadness.
“Because your father was murdered.”
I stared.
“My father died in a car accident.”
“No.”
She lowered the shotgun.
“He was poisoned.”
The words hit me like a physical blow.
“By whom?”
“Vincent.”
I felt the room spin.
“Why?”
“Your father discovered the theft.”
“What theft?”
“Money.”
She explained that Vincent had been moving money out of the company for years.
My father confronted him.
Vincent threatened to expose a secret.
“What secret?”
Eleanor looked at me.
“You.”
I frowned.
“What about me?”
“Your father knew Vincent was manipulating your medical records.”
I froze.
“He knew?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't he tell me?”
“Because he was trying to protect you.”
She handed me an envelope.
Inside was a letter from my father.
I read it.
Luca,
If you're reading this, Vincent has probably convinced you that I died naturally.
He will tell you that you are fragile.
He will tell you that you cannot trust women.
He will tell you that love is dangerous.
Don't believe him.
My hands trembled.
The next line broke something inside me.
Your mother never left because she didn't love you.
She left because Vincent threatened her life.
I looked at Eleanor.
“My mother is alive?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
Eleanor hesitated.
“Chicago.”
I couldn't breathe.
My mother had been alive for twelve years.
And Vincent had kept her away from me.
“Why?”
“Because he threatened to kill you if she contacted you.”
I sat down.
Everything I believed about my childhood had been a lie.
Eleanor continued.
“Your father had proof against Vincent.”
“What happened to it?”
“He hid it.”
“Where?”
She pointed to the letter.
“Your father left the location.”
I read the final paragraph.
The truth is beneath the place where you first learned to swim.
I remembered.
A private lake house.
My father had taught me to swim there when I was six.
We drove there that night.
Marcus and Isabella came with me.
We found the old house abandoned.
Beneath the pool was a locked room.
Inside were boxes.
Financial records.
Medical files.
Photographs.
And a video.
My father appeared on screen.
He looked tired.
Afraid.
“Luca, if you're watching this, I'm probably dead.”
I swallowed.
He continued.
“Vincent will try to take the company.”
He paused.
“But that's not why he wants you alone.”
The screen flickered.
My father looked directly into the camera.
“He needs you emotionally broken because he needs you to sign something.”
I leaned forward.
“What?”
The video continued.
“There is a second inheritance agreement.”
I froze.
“Your grandfather created a trust.”
My father explained that the trust contained controlling shares worth billions.
But Vincent couldn't access them unless I voluntarily transferred my voting rights.
And the only way he could force me to do that was through a clause allowing him to claim control if I was declared mentally or medically unfit.
The false diagnosis wasn't about keeping me single.
It was about making me doubt my own mind.
I felt sick.
Then Isabella touched my hand.
“You know the truth now.”
I looked at her.
“Yes.”
My father appeared one final time.
“There is one more thing.”
His expression became serious.
“Never trust Vincent.”
The screen went black.
Behind us, a gunshot shattered the window.
Marcus drew his weapon.
“Down!”
Someone had followed us.
May you like
And they weren't shooting at me.
They were shooting at Isabella.
