Chapter 4: The Secret Behind The Engagement
I read the sentence again.
Then again.
But the words did not change.
Lucy was never the target.
My fingers tightened around the paper.
“What does this mean?””
Elena looked at Bianca.
Bianca looked away.
That was enough.
I turned toward my fiancée.
“You knew about this.””
Bianca immediately shook her head.
“No.””
“Then why are you afraid?””
“I’m not.””
But her voice cracked.
Just slightly.
And that small crack told me everything.
Elena stepped forward.
“Bianca didn’t enter your life by accident.””
The room became silent.
I looked at Elena.
“Explain.””
She swallowed.
“Three years ago, when I left, I wasn’t running away from Lucy.””
Lucy was holding my hand.
Listening.
“I was trying to protect her from people who wanted access to your money.””
My expression changed.
“What people?””
Elena looked directly at Bianca.
“Her.””
Bianca laughed.
“You’re unbelievable.””
But Elena continued.
“Bianca knew about Vittorio before she met him.””
I felt a cold feeling in my stomach.
“That’s impossible.””
“No,” Elena said quietly.
“It isn’t.””
She pulled another document from the envelope.
“This is a copy of a private investigation report.””
I took it.
The first page showed Bianca’s name.
The second page showed something else.
A list of connections.
Financial problems.
Debt.
And conversations with Marcus.
My brother had always been close to Bianca.
Too close.
I looked toward the hallway.
“Marcus.””
Bianca’s expression changed.
“Don’t involve him.””
“Why?””
“Because he has nothing to do with this.””
Elena gave a bitter smile.
“That’s the one thing you still don’t understand.””
She pointed at the documents.
“They were planning this together.””
My heart sank.
Marcus wasn’t just a cruel witness.
He was part of the plan.
I grabbed my phone and called him.
He answered quickly.
“Vittorio?””
“Where are you?””
A pause.
“At home.””
“Don’t lie to me.””
Another pause.
Then his voice changed.
“What did you find?””
I looked at Bianca.
She closed her eyes.
Almost like she knew the game was over.
“You tell me.””
Marcus said nothing.
Then the call ended.
I stared at the screen.
He hung up.
Lucy moved closer to me.
“Daddy?””
I looked down.
“Yes?””
“Are we leaving?””
I knelt beside her.
“Yes.””
“Forever?””
That question hurt more than anything.
I held her small hands.
“I don’t know.””
The truth was, I didn’t know anything anymore.
The woman I planned to marry had been hiding things.
My brother had betrayed me.
And Lucy had been suffering while the adults around her played games.
That evening, I packed a bag for Lucy.
Only the things she loved.
Her stuffed rabbit.
Her favorite pajamas.
The little drawing she made of our family.
When I came downstairs, Bianca was waiting.
Alone.
“You really believe her?””
I stopped.
“Believe who?””
“Elena.””
I said nothing.
Bianca stepped closer.
“You think she’s innocent because she showed you papers?””
“No.””
I looked at her.
“I believe Lucy.””
For the first time, Bianca had no response.
Her face changed.
Not anger.
Fear.
Then her phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
And immediately rejected the call.
But not before I saw the name.
Marcus.
I reached for my own phone.
“I’m calling him.””
Bianca moved quickly.
“Don’t.””
That single word stopped me.
Because it wasn’t a warning.
It was desperation.
“Why?””
She stared at me.
And for a moment, I saw something unexpected.
Regret.
Then she whispered:
“Because Marcus isn’t the person you should be afraid of.””
My blood ran cold.
“What does that mean?””
Bianca looked toward Lucy’s room.
Then back at me.
“There’s someone else who has been controlling everything from the beginning.””
The lights suddenly flickered.
And outside the house, a car door slammed.
Elena looked toward the window.
Her face went pale.
“Vittorio…”
I turned.
“What?””
She whispered a name.
A name I had not heard in years.
May you like
A name that should have been impossible.
“Your father.””
