Chapter 3: The Woman Who Came Back
“Vittorio… you need to take Lucy and leave the house before Bianca finds out what I know.””
The voice on the other end was one I never thought I would hear again.
Elena.
Lucy’s mother.
For three years, I had believed Elena abandoned us. She disappeared after a custody battle, left no explanation, no message, no goodbye. Every question I asked was met with silence.
And now she was calling me in the middle of the night, warning me about the woman I was supposed to marry.
I gripped the phone tighter.
“Where are you?””
There was a pause.
“I’m close.””
“That’s not an answer.””
“I know what Bianca has been doing.””
My eyes moved toward the hallway.
The house was quiet.
Too quiet.
“Then tell me.””
Elena took a shaky breath.
“Not over the phone.””
I stood up.
“Why?””
“Because she knows how to manipulate people, Vittorio. She always has.””
The anger I had been holding for hours returned.
“You disappeared for three years. You don’t get to call me and tell me who to trust.””
Silence.
Then her voice softened.
“I know.””
That surprised me.
“I know exactly what I did. I know what Lucy lost because of me.””
I looked toward the staircase.
A small shadow appeared.
Lucy.
She was standing there holding her stuffed rabbit, watching me.
“Daddy?””
I immediately lowered my voice.
“I have to go.””
“Vittorio…”
“Come here.””
Lucy ran into my arms.
I held her tightly.
“Who was that?”” she asked.
“Someone who wants to help.””
She looked uncertain.
“Is it someone safe?””
That question hurt.
A three-year-old should not have to ask that.
“Yes,” I whispered.
“I’m going to make sure.””
The next morning, I made one decision.
Bianca was not staying in this house.
Not one more night.
When I entered the kitchen, she was already there.
She sat at the table drinking coffee, dressed perfectly as usual.
Like yesterday never happened.
“Good morning,” she said.
I looked at her.
“Pack your things.””
Her smile disappeared.
“What?””
“You heard me.””
She slowly placed her cup down.
“You’re throwing me out because of a video?””
“I’m asking you to leave because of what I saw.””
“You don’t know the full story.””
“Then explain.””
Again, silence.
Bianca looked away.
That was the answer.
She stood up.
“You’re making a mistake.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“I made the mistake of trusting someone without asking what kind of person they really were.””
Her face tightened.
“You think Lucy’s mother is going to save you?””
My eyes narrowed.
“How do you know Elena called?””
For the first time, Bianca looked caught.
Just for a second.
But I saw it.
“You don’t understand what she is capable of.””
I stepped closer.
“Funny.””
My voice lowered.
“That’s exactly what I’ve been thinking about you.””
Before Bianca could respond, the front door opened.
Everyone turned.
Elena stood there.
Older than I remembered.
Tired.
But still carrying the same familiar eyes.
Lucy froze.
She looked at the woman in the doorway.
Then at me.
“Daddy…”
I knew what she was asking without words.
I walked beside her.
“This is your mother.””
Elena’s eyes filled with tears.
“Lucy.””
Lucy didn’t move.
Three years was a lifetime for a child.
Elena slowly knelt down.
“I know you don’t remember me.””
Lucy held onto my hand.
“But I remember you.””
Elena covered her mouth.
“What?””
Lucy looked at the floor.
“You sang the bunny song.””
Elena started crying.
“I thought you forgot.””
Lucy shook her head.
“No.””
The moment was interrupted by a sharp laugh.
Bianca.
“So touching.””
Everyone looked at her.
She stood near the stairs, holding her purse.
But there was no sadness in her expression.
Only anger.
“You really think she came back because she missed Lucy?””
Elena stood.
“Stop.””
Bianca smiled.
“You don’t know what she did, do you?””
I stepped between them.
“Enough.””
But Bianca wasn’t looking at me.
She was looking at Elena.
“You told him?””
Elena’s face changed.
And I noticed.
She wasn’t afraid of Bianca.
She was afraid of what Bianca knew.
“What is she talking about?”” I asked.
Neither woman answered.
Then Elena reached into her bag.
She pulled out a small envelope.
“I was trying to protect Lucy.””
She handed it to me.
“What is this?””
“Proof.””
I opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
A document.
And a handwritten note.
My eyes moved across the page.
Then stopped.
Because the name written at the bottom wasn’t Bianca’s.
It was mine.
May you like
And beneath it were four words that made my hands go cold.
*“Lucy was never the target.””*
