Chapter 2 - The Secret Hidden in the Laundry Bill
By dawn, the mansion no longer felt like a home.
It felt like a fortress preparing for war.
Armed men stood on every hallway corner. Black SUVs blocked the drive. The gates were sealed, and every employee had been ordered to remain inside the estate while Alessandro's security team checked identities and phones.
I sat in the cottage with Emma asleep against my shoulder.
Her curls were damp from the bath Alessandro had insisted she take.
My fever had finally broken, but weakness still made my hands shake.
A doctor had come and given me antibiotics, fluids, and strict instructions to rest.
I hated resting.
Resting meant thinking.
And thinking meant remembering what Alessandro had said.
Someone close to me arranged tonight.
The door opened.
Alessandro entered carrying two cups of tea.
I stared at him.
“You made those?”
He glanced down.
“Yes.”
“You don't look like someone who makes tea.”
“I don't.”
“Then who did?”
“I did.”
I almost smiled.
He placed one cup on the table.
“Chamomile.”
“Thank you.”
He nodded toward Emma.
“She asleep?”
“Yes.”
He approached her quietly.
She was sprawled sideways across my lap, clutching her blue rabbit.
Alessandro looked at the rabbit.
“She carries that everywhere?”
“Almost.”
“Why blue?”
“She says blue makes bad dreams go away.”
He seemed thoughtful.
“Does it work?”
“No.”
His mouth twitched.
“But she believes it does.”
Alessandro sat opposite me.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then he placed the laundry receipt on the table.
“I had every laundry transaction from the estate pulled.”
I looked at the paper.
“What did you find?”
“The shirt you gave Emma was scheduled for professional cleaning.”
“I know.”
“It never arrived.”
My stomach tightened.
“Why?”
“Because someone canceled the pickup.”
“Who?”
He slid another receipt across the table.
“An employee signed for the cancellation.”
I stared at the name.
My hands went cold.
“Marcus Bell.”
Alessandro nodded.
Marcus had been a laundry supervisor for six years.
He was quiet, polite, and forgettable.
He had also been the man who gave me the cottage job when I first arrived.
“Why would Marcus do this?”
Alessandro looked at me.
“That's what we're going to find out.”
He stood.
I reached for his sleeve.
“Wait.”
He turned.
“Why did he want Emma to wash your shirt?”
His eyes sharpened.
“Because he knew I would find her.”
I swallowed.
“And you did.”
“Exactly.”
“Why?”
“To make me emotionally attached.”
I stared at him.
He continued.
“Someone wanted me to discover her existence under controlled circumstances.”
“Controlled?”
“They knew you were sick.”
“They knew my schedule.”
“They knew the shirt was stained.”
“They knew you wouldn't have time to send it to the cleaners.”
“They knew your child would try to solve the problem.”
I felt nauseated.
“That doesn't make sense.”
“It does.”
He leaned over the table.
“They wanted me to believe I discovered Emma by chance.”
I looked at the sleeping child.
“Why?”
“To create a bond.”
“With her?”
“With both of you.”
My heart stopped.
Alessandro continued.
“Once I cared about you, you would become difficult to remove.”
I stared at him.
“You think I was used to manipulate you?”
“I think somebody wanted to make sure that happened.”
The room seemed suddenly too small.
I remembered the cottage.
The job.
The strange kindness.
The way no one had ever bothered me.
Had it all been planned?
I shook my head.
“No.”
Alessandro's gaze softened.
“You don't have to believe it yet.”
“But if someone planned for me to meet you—”
“They didn't create your life.”
He paused.
“They only manipulated the moment.”
A knock interrupted us.
“Boss.”
Luca's voice.
Alessandro looked at the door.
“Come in.”
Luca entered with two guards.
“We found Marcus.”
“Where?”
“Basement archive.”
Alessandro nodded.
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
“Bring him.”
Twenty minutes later, Marcus was dragged into the room.
His face was pale.
His hands trembled.
When he saw me, he immediately looked away.
Alessandro noticed.
“Interesting.”
Marcus said nothing.
Alessandro placed the laundry receipt in front of him.
“Explain.”
Marcus stared at it.
“I don't know anything.”
“Wrong answer.”
“I swear.”
Alessandro slapped the table.
Emma stirred in her sleep.
I glared at him.
His face softened immediately.
“Sorry.”
He looked back at Marcus.
“You nearly woke my daughter.”
Marcus swallowed.
“I didn't mean—”
“Then speak carefully.”
Marcus began sweating.
“I was paid to cancel the laundry pickup.”
“By whom?”
“I don't know his name.”
“Description.”
“Tall. Gray coat.”
“That's not enough.”
“He wore gloves.”
“When?”
“Three days ago.”
Alessandro stared at him.
“Who contacted you?”
Marcus hesitated.
Then said something that made the guards exchange looks.
“The man's message came from inside your office.”
Silence.
“Whose office?”
“Yours.”
Luca stepped forward.
“That's impossible.”
Marcus looked at him.
“The message was sent from your private terminal.”
Luca's expression hardened.
Alessandro didn't look at him.
“Continue.”
Marcus's voice shook.
“The caller said the boss needed to find the child.”
My blood ran cold.
“He said the child?” I whispered.
Marcus nodded.
“He knew her name.”
Emma's blue rabbit slipped from her arms.
I quickly picked it up.
Alessandro looked at Marcus.
“What exactly did he say?”
Marcus closed his eyes.
“He said, ‘Make sure Moretti finds the child. Once he loves her, he can be controlled.’”
Nobody moved.
Then Alessandro slowly turned toward Luca.
Luca's hand moved toward his jacket.
Every guard raised a weapon.
“Don't,” Alessandro said.
Luca stopped.
His jaw clenched.
“Boss, you've known me for ten years.”
“That makes this worse.”
“I would never—”
“Then you'll have no problem proving it.”
Luca stared at him.
“How?”
Alessandro pointed toward the door.
“Give me your phone.”
Luca hesitated.
“That is personal.”
“I don't care.”
He pulled out his phone.
Before he could hand it over, the device buzzed.
Everyone froze.
Luca looked at the screen.
Alessandro's eyes narrowed.
“Answer it.”
Luca didn't move.
“Answer it.”
He accepted the call.
No one spoke.
Then a distorted voice came through.
“You found the girl earlier than expected.”
The room erupted.
Guards aimed their weapons.
Alessandro stepped closer.
“Who are you?”
The voice laughed.
“You still don't understand, Alessandro.”
The call ended.
Luca looked devastated.
Alessandro took the phone.
“Lock him up.”
Two men grabbed Luca.
He shouted.
“Boss! Listen to me! I'm being framed!”
Alessandro watched him disappear.
Then he looked at me.
“This isn't over.”
I knew.
But what frightened me most was the tiny detail nobody else had noticed.
The unknown caller hadn't said, “You found the child.”
He had said:
“You found the girl earlier than expected.”
Meaning there had been a schedule.
A plan.
May you like
And Emma had been supposed to be discovered later.
Someone had been watching us long before that night.
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