Chapter 3: What Elena Knew
“Letters,” Vanessa whispered.
“Elena left letters about me.”
Emily’s fingers closed over her mouth.
“You knew my mother?”
Vanessa pulled the brass key from her necklace.
“Before Luca introduced us.”
Luca held out his hand again.
“You told me you had never met her.”
“I said we weren’t friends.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
Vanessa pressed the key into her palm.
“Elena accused my brother of taking money from her charity.
She was sick, frightened, and suspicious of everyone.”
Emily stepped forward.
“My mother wasn’t confused.”
“You were twenty when she d!ed,” Vanessa said.
“You weren’t in every room.”
“I was in the room when she gave me that key.”
Vanessa’s face tightened.
“Then perhaps you should ask yourself how I got it.”
Emily swayed, and Luca caught her elbow.
“Sit down, sweetheart.”
“No.” Emily pulled free.
“I want to hear her say it.”
I moved a chair behind Emily anyway.
Vanessa watched me, then gave a cold laugh.
“Still pretending to be part of this family, Claire?”
“No,” I said.
“I’m making sure Emily doesn’t fall while you insult her mother.”
Luca took one step toward Vanessa.
“Who is inside that house?”
“My brother may have gone to retrieve family papers.”
“His family or mine?”
Vanessa lifted her chin.
“Dominic’s name was dragged through the mud by Elena.
He had a right to protect himself.”
“You sent him into my daughter’s home.”
“I sent him to retrieve property that belongs to him.”
Emily’s voice cracked.
“You tried to send me away so he could search without being caught.”
Vanessa looked at her stomach.
“You should be thinking about your baby, not old papers.”
“My baby is exactly why I won’t let you erase my mother.”
Luca’s security chief, Reid, appeared in the doorway.
“Car is ready.”
Luca pointed to Vanessa.
“She comes with us.”
Vanessa laughed once.
“You cannot hold me here.”
“No,” Luca said.
“But if you leave, I call the police and report the key, the access card, and the unauthorized entry.”
“You think the police will believe a housekeeper and a frightened pregnant woman?”
Emily’s shoulders pulled back.
“They’ll believe the deed with my name on it.”
Vanessa’s smile vanished.
I helped Emily into her coat.
Luca picked up the tiny onesie and tucked it carefully inside his jacket.
“Claire,” he said, “stay beside her.”
Vanessa turned toward me.
“Don’t get comfortable.
By morning, you won’t have a job or a house for your mother.”
I stopped.
“What does my mother have to do with this?”
“You said her taxes were overdue last winter.” Vanessa tilted her head.
“I listen when the staff talk.”
Luca’s hand closed around the back of a chair.
“What did you do?”
“Nothing yet.”
“That wasn’t an answer.”
“It was the only one you’re getting.”
Emily reached for my hand.
“Claire, come with us.”
I forced my feet forward, but Vanessa’s words followed me through the hall.
Outside, Reid opened the car door.
Luca waited until Emily and I were inside, then turned to Vanessa.
“You are not my fiancée anymore.”
Vanessa touched the ring on her finger.
“You’ll change your mind when you see what Elena wrote about you.”
Luca went still.
Emily leaned toward the open door.
“What did Mom write?”
Vanessa removed the engagement ring and dropped it into Luca’s hand.
“Ask your father why Elena was preparing to leave him.”
Luca stared at the ring.
May you like
Then Emily slowly pulled her hand from mine.
“Dad,” she whispered, “is that true?”
