THE MAFIA BOSS'S FIANCÉE HUMILIATED HIS MAID—UNTIL HIS MOTHER EXPOSED HER DARKEST SECRET

I ran back down the grand staircase, clutching the faded blue blanket and the water-stained leather wallet against my chest.

The dining room was dead silent. The guests were staring at Vanessa, who was weeping loudly into her hands, while Luca stood over her like a dark storm cloud.

“Mr. Moretti,” I breathed, rushing into the room.

I handed him the wallet first.

Luca opened it. He saw the water damage. He saw Arthur’s ID. And then, he pulled out the two boarding passes to Switzerland.

His dark eyes snapped up to Vanessa.

“You weren’t just having an affair with my driver,” Luca said, his voice terrifyingly hollow. “You were planning to run away with him. On the night my wife died.”

Vanessa sobbed, shaking her head frantically. “Luca, you don’t understand! Arthur was blackmailing me! He told me he’d kill you if I didn’t get on that plane! He said he was going to take care of Catherine, and then we would disappear with your money!”

“And you didn’t warn me?” Luca roared, his sudden shout making everyone in the room jump. “You let my wife get into that car?!”

“I was terrified!” Vanessa screamed back. “I didn’t know he was going to drive her off the bridge! When the car went into the river, Arthur died too! I stayed quiet because I thought the threat was over! I loved you, Luca! I’ve spent four years trying to heal you!”

Luca closed his eyes, his chest heaving. The betrayal was absolute.

Teresa reached out from her chair. “Luca. Look at the blanket.”

Luca opened his eyes. He turned to me and took the faded blue fabric from my shaking hands.

He ran his thumb over the intricate embroidery Catherine had sewn four years ago. There, in beautiful white thread, was the name of his son: Julian.

But just below it, hidden in a fold that had been deliberately sewn shut and then ripped open, was a second name.

Luca stared at it. His breath caught.

“Eliana,” he whispered.

I looked at Teresa in confusion.

“We were going to name our second child Eliana,” Luca said to the room, his voice cracking. He looked completely broken. “But Catherine miscarried at five months. It nearly destroyed her.”

Teresa looked up at her son, tears streaming down her wrinkled cheeks.

“She didn’t miscarry, Luca,” Teresa said.

The room spun. I grabbed the back of a chair to steady myself.

Luca dropped to his knees in front of his mother. “What are you saying? I was at the hospital. I saw the doctor. They told me we lost the baby.”

“You saw the doctor Arthur paid off,” Teresa wept, placing her hand on Luca’s cheek. “Catherine found out Arthur was stealing from the family accounts. But when she confronted him, Arthur threatened to hurt little Julian. Catherine was terrified. She faked the miscarriage to protect her unborn daughter from Arthur’s reach.”

“No,” Luca breathed, shaking his head. “No, that’s impossible. If Eliana survived… where is she?”

Vanessa suddenly let out a sharp, cruel laugh.

We all turned to look at her. The weeping, terrified woman was gone. In her place was something cold, calculated, and entirely remorseless.

“She’s dead, Luca,” Vanessa sneered, leaning back in her velvet chair. “She was in the car with Catherine. Arthur made sure they both went into the river.”

Luca lunged for her, grabbing her by the collar of her red gown. Marcus, the security guard, didn’t intervene.

“You’re lying,” Luca growled, shaking her. “Tell me she’s alive!”

“She’s at the bottom of the Chicago River!” Vanessa spat, a wild look in her eyes.

But as she tilted her head back, her heavy diamond necklace shifted, revealing a thin gold chain tucked beneath her collar.

Teresa gasped. “Hannah. The necklace.”

I reached out and grabbed the gold chain around Vanessa’s neck, pulling it sharply. It snapped, coming loose in my hand.

Dangling from the chain was a child’s hospital identification band.

It was encased in clear resin.

I looked closely at the faded typed letters.

Baby Girl Moretti. Admitted: October 15th.