Chapter 5: The Night Everything Disappeared
I stared at the message until the screen went dark.
Then I turned it back on.
I read it again.
*Ask Luca what happened the night your brother disappeared.*
My first thought was that it was a lie.
A cruel one.
Victor was good at those.
He knew exactly where to press.
Exactly which memories to drag out.
Exactly which questions would make me doubt myself.
But then I looked at the photograph lying on my bed.
The photograph of me outside Moretti Holdings.
My hands went cold.
Because I knew that building.
Everyone in Chicago knew that building.
The black glass tower downtown.
The headquarters of the Moretti empire.
And I had never been there.
I had never stepped inside.
I had never met Luca Moretti three years ago.
At least...
I thought I hadn't.
A knock sounded at my door.
I quickly turned the phone over.
"Come in.""
The door opened.
Luca stood there.
Not wearing the cold expression he used with everyone else.
Not wearing the expression of a businessman.
Just Luca.
Tired.
Serious.
Careful.
"How is your ankle?""
The question surprised me.
"Fine.""
He looked down.
"That's a lie.""
I almost smiled.
Almost.
"You always know when people are lying?""
"Usually.""
"And when you don't?""
"I find out.""
The answer should have frightened me.
Instead, it made me feel strangely safe.
Then his eyes moved to the envelope on my bed.
My heart jumped.
He noticed.
Of course he noticed.
"What is that?""
I hesitated.
Then I handed it to him.
He read the message on the back of the photograph.
His expression changed.
Only slightly.
But enough.
"You know something.""
It wasn't a question.
I crossed my arms.
"You tell me.""
His eyes lifted.
"What?""
"The message says to ask you what happened the night my brother disappeared.""
Silence.
A heavy silence.
For the first time since I met Luca Moretti, he looked like he didn't have an answer ready.
That scared me more than anything.
"Luca.""
The use of his first name made his attention sharpen.
"Who was Victor to you three years ago?""
I watched his face.
Nothing.
No reaction.
No surprise.
No confusion.
Just a quiet stillness.
Then he walked to the window.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Finally:
"Victor Brooks was someone I investigated.""
My stomach tightened.
"Why?""
"Because his name appeared in a financial report connected to one of my companies.""
The room felt smaller.
"The same company on those documents?""
He nodded.
"Yes.""
I sat down slowly.
"So you knew him.""
"Not personally.""
"But you knew about him.""
"Yes.""
I stared at him.
"Then why didn't you tell me?""
His jaw tightened.
"Because until tonight, I didn't know you were connected to him.""
I looked away.
That made sense.
But it still hurt.
There was a part of me that wondered how many secrets existed around me.
How many people knew things about my life that I didn't.
"What happened to him?""
Luca didn't answer immediately.
That was answer enough.
Something happened.
Something serious.
"He disappeared after an internal investigation began.""
I swallowed.
"An investigation into what?""
"Fraud.""
The word landed heavily.
"Victor stole money?""
"I don't know.""
"You don't know?""
"No.""
That surprised me.
"You are Luca Moretti.""
His eyes met mine.
"That doesn't mean I know everything.""
For some reason, that was the most human thing I had heard him say.
I looked at the photograph again.
"Then why do I have this?""
"I don't know.""
"But someone wants me to think I was involved.""
"Yes.""
"Was I?""
The question came out before I could stop it.
Luca went still.
"Natalie.""
"I need to know.""
"You don't remember?""
I shook my head.
"No.""
He studied me.
Not suspiciously.
Carefully.
Like he was trying to understand something impossible.
"Then we need to find out.""
The next morning, the Moretti mansion felt different.
Usually, mornings were quiet.
Orderly.
Predictable.
Staff moved through the halls like shadows.
But that day, everyone seemed to sense something had changed.
Nobody said anything.
Nobody asked questions.
They didn't need to.
People always knew when power shifted.
I sat in the small breakfast room with my ankle wrapped, staring at a cup of coffee I hadn't touched.
Luca sat across from me.
There was a folder between us.
Documents.
Photographs.
Information about a past I couldn't remember.
"I had my team review the paperwork Victor brought," Luca said.
I looked up.
"And?""
"Several signatures are real.""
My heart sank.
"Mine?""
"Yes.""
I looked down.
"Then maybe Victor is right.""
Luca's expression hardened.
"Don't do that.""
I frowned.
"Do what?""
"Decide you're guilty because someone else wants you to.""
I didn't know how to answer.
Because that was exactly what I had been doing my entire life.
Taking responsibility.
Even when it wasn't mine.
He opened the folder.
"There are inconsistencies.""
"What kind?""
"The dates.""
He placed one document in front of me.
"Your signature is dated March 14.""
I looked at it.
"Okay.""
"This agreement was filed March 12.""
I frowned.
"What does that mean?""
"It means the paperwork existed before you supposedly signed it.""
I stared at the page.
"So someone copied my signature?""
"Possibly.""
The relief was immediate.
Then came the fear.
"Who?""
Luca leaned back.
"That's what we're finding out.""
A quiet knock interrupted us.
Daniel entered.
"Sir.""
Luca looked up.
"What happened?""
Daniel glanced at me.
Then lowered his voice.
"We found something.""
My stomach tightened.
"What?""
Daniel placed a tablet on the table.
"There was a security record from three years ago.""
Luca looked at the screen.
"What record?""
"Building access.""
My fingers froze.
"From Moretti Holdings?""
Daniel nodded.
"Yes.""
Luca's expression changed.
"Play it.""
Daniel pressed the screen.
A security video appeared.
The quality was poor.
Old footage.
Black and white.
A woman walking through the lobby.
My breath stopped.
Because I recognized her.
Even before the camera zoomed closer.
It was me.
Three years younger.
Same face.
Same hair.
Same necklace I used to wear every day.
I stood in the Moretti Holdings lobby.
Holding a folder.
Talking to someone.
I couldn't hear the audio.
But I knew one thing.
I had been there.
Luca watched my reaction.
"Natalie.""
I couldn't look away.
"I don't remember.""
Daniel paused the video.
"There's more.""
He continued.
The footage jumped forward.
Another angle.
A hallway.
A private elevator.
Then a man appeared.
My blood went cold.
Because I recognized him too.
Victor.
He was standing beside me.
But that wasn't the worst part.
The worst part was what happened next.
Victor handed me something.
I took it.
Then he looked directly at the camera.
Like he knew it was there.
Like he wanted someone to see.
Then the footage ended.
Nobody spoke.
Finally, Luca asked:
"What did he give you?""
I shook my head.
"I don't know.""
"Think.""
"I can't.""
"Natalie.""
The urgency in his voice made me look at him.
"I swear I don't remember.""
Daniel looked uncomfortable.
"Sir...""
Luca didn't take his eyes off me.
"What?""
Daniel hesitated.
"There is one more thing.""
"What?""
Daniel took a breath.
"The security footage wasn't hidden.""
My eyebrows pulled together.
"What do you mean?""
"It was recently accessed.""
Luca's face changed.
"By who?""
Daniel looked at the tablet.
Then at me.
"The account used to access it belonged to...""
He stopped.
I felt my heartbeat slow.
"Belonged to who?""
Daniel answered quietly.
"Vanessa Bellini.""
The room went silent.
Because suddenly the flowers, the injury, the lie, the photograph...
Everything connected.
Luca stood.
His expression was no longer calm.
"Find her.""
Daniel nodded.
But before he could leave, my phone buzzed.
Another unknown number.
One new message.
I opened it.
And felt the blood drain from my face.
*You should stop digging, Natalie. The last person who asked questions about that night didn't survive.*
I looked up at Luca.
He saw my expression.
"What is it?""
I handed him the phone.
He read the message.
Then his eyes lifted slowly.
"From now on...""
His voice was quiet.
Deadly serious.
"You don't go anywhere alone.""
I stared at him.
"Why?""
He looked toward the window.
Toward the massive gates protecting the Moretti estate.
Because whoever was watching me had already gotten inside once.
And Luca Moretti finally understood something.
May you like
The person who destroyed my life three years ago...
was much closer than either of us thought.
