Chapter 3 - The Man Sophia Was Running From
Sophia saw Nathan.
Everything inside her stopped.
She dropped her glass.
It shattered.
The room went silent for one second.
Then Luca was beside her.
"What is it?"
She couldn't answer.
Nathan smiled from across the ballroom.
Not a friendly smile.
A promise.
Sophia stepped backward.
Luca caught her arm.
"Who is he?"
She whispered,
"Run."
Luca didn't move.
"Who?"
"He's the reason I changed my name."
Nathan began walking toward them.
Luca looked at his security team.
"Get her out."
Sophia grabbed his sleeve.
"No."
He stared.
"He wants me."
"Exactly."
"You don't understand."
"I understand enough."
Nathan stopped ten feet away.
"Hello, Sophia."
Luca moved in front of her.
Nathan smiled.
"Moretti."
"You should be dead."
"So should she."
Sophia's voice trembled.
"Don't."
Nathan looked at her.
"You stole something from me."
"I stole nothing."
"You know what you have."
Luca turned.
"What does she have?"
Nathan laughed.
"Ask her."
Then he walked away.
Security moved to stop him.
He disappeared through a side door before they reached him.
Luca took Sophia into a private room.
"Start talking."
She sat.
"I knew him."
"How?"
"He was my employer."
"Before me?"
"Yes."
"What did you do for him?"
She looked down.
"I handled accounts."
Luca's jaw tightened.
"Illegal?"
"Yes."
"What kind?"
"Money transfers."
"How much?"
"Millions."
Silence.
"Why did you leave?"
"Because I discovered what he was really doing."
"What?"
She looked at him.
"People."
Luca stared.
"Human trafficking."
"He was moving women and children through shell companies."
Luca's face hardened.
"You found evidence."
"I copied it."
"Where is it?"
She shook her head.
"I don't know."
"You're lying."
"No."
"Then why is he hunting you?"
"Because he thinks I have it."
She opened her handbag.
Inside was a tiny metal drive.
"I don't."
Luca stared.
"What is that?"
"A key."
"To what?"
"The evidence."
She had never planned to tell him.
But now she had no choice.
Nathan had found her.
The past was back.
Luca took the drive.
"Who else knows?"
"My old boss."
"Nathan."
"Yes."
"Anyone else?"
She shook her head.
"Why did Ethan say he knew you?"
Sophia's expression changed.
"He doesn't."
"His sister does."
She froze.
"Ethan's sister was one of the women Nathan moved."
Luca stared.
"What happened?"
"She died."
Silence.
"How?"
"Trying to escape."
Luca's hands tightened.
He understood.
Ethan wasn't flirting with Sophia.
He was looking for the woman responsible for exposing the network.
He thought she had been involved.
Maybe he had been following her.
"Does Ethan know you didn't betray her?"
"No."
"He thinks you're responsible."
"Yes."
Luca sat across from her.
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I didn't know whether I could trust you."
He looked at her.
"Do you now?"
She swallowed.
"I don't know."
He nodded.
"Good."
He stood.
"I'm taking you somewhere safe."
"Where?"
"My house."
"I can't."
"You can."
"I don't want your protection."
He leaned down.
"That's unfortunate."
"Why?"
"Because you're getting it anyway."
She looked at him.
"Why?"
His answer was quiet.
"Because I made you my fake girlfriend."
He paused.
"And now someone is treating you like you're real."
They left the hotel through a private entrance.
The drive was silent.
When they reached Luca's penthouse, Sophia stopped in the hallway.
"How many people know I'm here?"
"Four."
"That's too many."
He looked at her.
"Three."
She almost smiled.
"You counted yourself."
"Yes."
The penthouse was quiet.
Sophia entered.
Luca closed the door.
For the first time, they were alone.
No cameras.
No ballroom.
No fake audience.
"Tell me everything," he said.
She sat.
"I was twenty-three when I met Nathan."
She explained how he recruited her.
How he used her financial skills.
How she believed she was helping legitimate businesses.
Then she discovered the shipments.
Names.
Girls.
Children.
She secretly copied files.
One woman helped her.
Nathan found out.
The woman died.
Sophia escaped.
She changed her name.
Three years later, she became Luca's secretary.
"And you never planned to tell me."
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I needed a job."
"That isn't the whole answer."
She looked at him.
"Because your father once worked with Nathan."
Luca froze.
"My father is dead."
"I know."
"He never met him."
"He did."
Sophia pulled out another document.
A photograph.
Luca's father.
Nathan.
And a third man.
Ethan's father.
Luca's expression turned cold.
"What is this?"
"Your fathers were partners."
"That's impossible."
"Your father helped Nathan build the network."
Luca stared.
He felt something inside him crack.
His entire family history had been a lie.
Then the penthouse lights went out.
Sophia grabbed his arm.
"Don't move."
Luca whispered,
May you like
"Why?"
"Because we're not alone."
