Chapter 3: The Man From My Past
For three years, I had lived as if Victor Brooks was a ghost.
A memory.
A chapter I had closed and buried so deeply that even I sometimes wondered if it had really happened.
Then, on the night I finally caught the attention of Luca Moretti, Victor appeared at the door of his mansion.
Like he had been waiting for the exact moment my life began changing.
"Natalie?""
Luca's voice pulled me back.
I realized I was still staring at the doorway.
Still frozen.
The waiter stood there awkwardly, waiting for an answer.
"Should I tell him to leave, sir?"" he asked.
Before Luca could respond, I spoke.
"No.""
Both men looked at me.
I forced myself to stand.
The moment my injured foot touched the floor, pain shot through my ankle.
Luca immediately noticed.
"You shouldn't be walking.""
"I need to talk to him.""
His eyes narrowed.
"You don't sound like someone who wants to.""
I looked away.
Because he was right.
I didn't want to see Victor.
I didn't want to hear his voice.
I didn't want to remember the person I used to be before I learned how easily someone could destroy your life and walk away.
The waiter cleared his throat.
"Mr. Moretti?""
Luca didn't answer immediately.
He looked at me.
Then toward the hallway.
"Where is he?""
"In the front entrance, sir.""
Luca's expression became unreadable.
"Bring him to the study.""
My heart jumped.
"No.""
The word came out too quickly.
Luca looked at me.
"Why?""
"Because...""
I stopped.
Because I didn't have a good reason.
The real reason was that I didn't want Victor anywhere near the private parts of my life.
Not near my job.
Not near my employer.
Not near the one person who seemed capable of seeing through every lie.
Luca noticed my hesitation.
"Who is he, Natalie?""
I swallowed.
"My brother.""
The answer surprised him.
"You have a brother?""
I nodded.
"An older brother.""
"And you haven't seen him in three years?""
I looked at him.
"How did you know that?""
Luca's expression didn't change.
"Because you reacted like someone who saw a stranger.""
The accuracy of his observation made me uncomfortable.
Before I could respond, another voice echoed from the hallway.
"Well, look at that.""
My entire body went cold.
Victor Brooks stood at the entrance.
He hadn't changed as much as I hoped.
Same dark hair.
Same confident smile.
Same eyes that always looked like they were searching for weaknesses.
He wore an expensive jacket and a watch I knew he couldn't afford honestly.
His gaze moved from me to Luca.
Then back.
"So this is where you've been hiding.""
I said nothing.
Luca stepped slightly in front of me.
A small movement.
But I noticed.
He was protecting me.
Victor noticed too.
And he smiled.
"Interesting.""
Luca's voice was calm.
"Who are you?""
Victor extended a hand.
"Victor Brooks.""
Luca looked at the offered hand.
Then didn't take it.
The silence lasted long enough to become uncomfortable.
Victor lowered his arm.
"I guess introductions aren't your style.""
"They're usually unnecessary.""
Victor laughed softly.
"I see.""
His eyes moved around the study.
"Very impressive place.""
"Why are you here?""
Luca didn't bother with small talk.
Victor looked at me.
"Actually, I came to see my sister.""
I crossed my arms.
"You haven't called me in three years.""
His smile faded slightly.
"Still angry?""
The question made something inside me tighten.
Not because I was angry.
Because I wasn't.
Anger was easier.
Anger meant you still expected something from someone.
I had stopped expecting anything from Victor a long time ago.
"You disappeared.""
Victor sighed.
"That's not what happened.""
"It is exactly what happened.""
"Natalie—"
"No.""
My voice shook.
But I didn't stop.
"You left me with the debt.""
The room became silent.
Luca's expression changed.
Just slightly.
Victor looked annoyed.
"That was complicated.""
"No.""
I stared at him.
"It was simple.""
Three years earlier, Victor had convinced me to help him start a small business.
He had promised he had everything planned.
He had promised we would finally escape struggling.
I believed him.
Because he was my brother.
Family was supposed to mean something.
Then the business failed.
The debts appeared.
And Victor vanished.
Leaving my name attached to loans I never agreed to.
Leaving me to answer angry phone calls from strangers.
Leaving me to rebuild everything alone.
"I paid what I could," I said.
Victor rolled his eyes.
"Here we go.""
Luca looked at him.
"Explain.""
Victor laughed.
"Are you serious?""
"Very.""
Victor studied Luca for a moment.
Then smiled.
"So Natalie hasn't told you.""
My stomach dropped.
"Told me what?"" Luca asked.
I looked at Victor.
"Don't.""
That single word carried every warning I had.
Victor ignored it.
"Your employee isn't exactly who you think she is.""
Luca didn't move.
"Meaning?""
Victor walked farther into the room.
"Natalie has always been good at looking innocent.""
I felt my hands clench.
"Stop.""
Victor continued.
"She didn't mention why she left Boston, did she?""
Luca glanced at me.
I hated that.
Not because he believed Victor.
Because I suddenly felt exposed.
Like the carefully built wall around my life had cracked open.
"I left because I had to," I said.
Victor smiled.
"That's one version.""
Luca's voice hardened.
"Victor.""
Something about the way he said his name made Victor pause.
"Choose your next words carefully.""
For the first time, Victor looked uncertain.
Only briefly.
Then he recovered.
"I'm just saying you should know who you hired.""
Luca stepped closer.
"I hired someone who has worked in my home for two years without a single complaint.""
Victor shrugged.
"People can hide things.""
"So can people who arrive uninvited at midnight.""
Victor's jaw tightened.
Good.
For once, someone had made him uncomfortable.
But I knew Victor.
He didn't stop when things became difficult.
He pushed harder.
Because that was always his answer.
"Ask her about the money.""
My heart stopped.
Luca looked at me.
"What money?""
I stared at Victor.
"Leave.""
He smiled.
"There it is.""
"What?""
"The look.""
I said nothing.
Victor leaned against the desk.
"You always get that look when you're afraid someone will learn the truth.""
Luca's eyes moved between us.
"What truth?""
I wanted to answer.
I wanted to tell him.
I wanted to explain everything before Victor twisted it into something ugly.
But my voice wouldn't work.
Because the truth was complicated.
And complicated truths sounded like lies when told by the wrong person.
Victor reached into his jacket.
He pulled out an envelope.
My stomach turned.
I recognized it immediately.
"No.""
He smiled.
"Yes.""
He placed it on the desk.
Luca looked at the envelope.
Then at me.
"Natalie.""
I couldn't breathe.
"Where did you get that?""
Victor's smile widened.
"From the same place I got everything else.""
The room became silent.
Luca picked up the envelope.
I took a step forward.
"Please don't open it.""
Those words made both men look at me.
Because I had just revealed something.
Fear.
Real fear.
Luca studied my face.
"What is inside?""
I didn't answer.
Victor did.
"Proof.""
My heart pounded.
"Proof of what?""
Victor looked directly at Luca.
"That your sweet, hardworking housemaid isn't as innocent as she pretends.""
I felt the old panic return.
The same panic from three years ago.
The same helpless feeling.
Except this time, I wasn't alone.
Luca opened the envelope.
He pulled out a stack of documents.
His eyes moved across the first page.
Then the second.
The silence was unbearable.
Finally, he looked up.
And the expression on his face had changed.
Not anger.
Not disappointment.
Something worse.
Confusion.
"Natalie...""
My fingers trembled.
"Yes?""
He held up the document.
"Why is your signature on a transfer agreement connected to one of my family's companies?""
I stared at the paper.
Because that wasn't possible.
I had never signed anything for Luca Moretti.
Never.
Then I saw the date.
And my blood turned cold.
Three years ago.
The same week Victor disappeared.
The same week my life fell apart.
I whispered:
"I don't know.""
Victor smiled.
A smile that told me he had been waiting for this moment.
But Luca wasn't looking at Victor.
He was looking at me.
May you like
And then he asked the question I feared most.
"Natalie, what exactly happened three years ago?""
