Chapter 4 - The Woman Who Walked Into the Estate Wearing Elena’s Face
Two days later, Elena received a call from an unknown number.
“Your mother is alive.”
She froze.
“What?”
The voice repeated:
“Lucia Vasquez is alive.”
Then the call ended.
Elena found Matteo immediately.
“My mother is alive.”
He looked at her for a long moment.
“Are you sure?”
“Someone called.”
Matteo stood.
“Then we find her.”
But the truth was worse.
Lucia had not been missing.
She had been hiding.
And someone had been paying her to disappear.
The search led them to a small town three hours north.
They found a woman working at a bakery.
Elena saw her through the window.
Her knees almost gave out.
“Mom.”
Lucia turned.
Her face changed.
Then she ran.
Elena followed.
“Mom!”
Lucia stopped in an alley.
Tears filled her eyes.
“I told them I wouldn't talk.”
“Who?”
“Everyone.”
“You're alive.”
Lucia touched her face.
“I couldn't risk them finding you.”
“Dad is dead.”
“I know.”
“He told me to trust Matteo.”
Lucia looked at him.
“No.”
Matteo frowned.
Lucia stepped backward.
“Gabriel said that because he knew he had no other choice.”
“What does that mean?”
Lucia whispered:
“Your father believed Matteo's father was involved.”
Matteo went still.
“My father?”
“Yes.”
Elena stared.
“My father trusted the Rossis.”
“He trusted your husband-to-be.”
The words made Elena pause.
“What?”
Lucia looked shocked at herself.
Then she said:
“You two were promised before you met.”
Silence.
“What?”
Lucia explained.
Years earlier, the Rossi and Vasquez families had made an arrangement.
Not a marriage contract.
A protection pact.
Matteo's father had agreed to protect Elena because Gabriel knew dangerous information.
But the arrangement collapsed when Gabriel tried to expose a betrayal inside the Rossi organization.
Matteo had never known the full extent.
Elena felt betrayed.
“You knew?”
Matteo shook his head.
“No.”
Lucia looked at him.
“Your father ordered Gabriel to stay silent.”
“My father was dead.”
“He left instructions.”
Matteo clenched his jaw.
That night they returned to the estate.
An unexpected woman was waiting in the foyer.
Elena stopped.
She was staring at herself.
Same dark hair.
Same eyes.
Same small scar near the eyebrow.
Even the same gold necklace.
Matteo immediately reached for his gun.
The woman smiled.
“You finally found me.”
Elena whispered:
“Who are you?”
The woman replied:
“My name is Isabella.”
She looked directly at Matteo.
“But I was raised as Elena.”
The room fell silent.
It was an identity operation.
A substitute child.
Years ago, when the Bellandi organization believed Elena would become a target, someone had created a second girl with similar features and documents.
That girl had been trained to impersonate Elena if necessary.
Isabella held out a photograph.
It showed two little girls.
Elena.
And Isabella.
They were standing beside Gabriel.
Elena felt sick.
“My father knew you.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To protect you.”
Matteo's face hardened.
“Who sent you?”
Isabella looked toward the staircase.
“Your enemy.”
Before anyone could move, the lights went out.
Gunfire erupted outside.
Matteo pulled Elena against him.
“Stay down.”
Men stormed through the side entrance.
The estate became chaos.
Marco returned fire.
Isabella ducked behind the staircase.
Elena heard someone shout her name.
Matteo grabbed her hand.
“Come with me.”
They ran toward the hidden corridor.
Behind the library was a door Elena had never noticed.
It opened into an underground passage.
“What is this?”
“Emergency route.”
“You have an underground tunnel?”
“Several.”
“Of course you do.”
He almost smiled.
They ran until Elena's foot caught a loose stone.
She fell.
Matteo stopped.
“Are you hurt?”
“My ankle.”
He crouched.
“Get on.”
“What?”
“Your back.”
She stared.
“You're injured.”
“So are you.”
“And you think carrying me is logical?”
“I don't think.”
He lifted her.
Elena wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
She felt his heartbeat.
Fast.
Strong.
Real.
He carried her until they reached the safe room.
There he sat her down.
He knelt.
His fingers gently examined her ankle.
“Nothing broken.”
“How do you know?”
“I've had enough injuries.”
She looked at him.
“I hate this part.”
“What part?”
“The part where you make me feel safe.”
He looked up.
“Why?”
“Because when this is over, I might not want to leave.”
His expression went very still.
“You won't have to.”
Elena's breath caught.
“What are you saying?”
“I've been trying not to say it.”
He touched her face.
“I love you.”
The gunfire outside seemed to disappear.
Elena leaned closer.
She kissed him.
Not his cheek this time.
His lips.
For one second he didn't move.
Then his hand slid behind her neck.
The kiss was slow.
Careful.
Almost reverent.
When they separated, Matteo whispered:
“Now you're in trouble.”
May you like
Elena smiled.
“I know.”
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