Chapter 3 - THE BILLIONAIRE COMES LOOKING
Alessandro had never been good at ignoring unanswered questions.
By Monday morning, he had discovered that “Emma” had worked three temporary jobs under slightly different records.
By noon, he knew she was attending nursing school.
By three, he knew she lived with Liam Carter.
And by five, he knew something was wrong.
His chief of staff, Marcus Bell, stood across from him.
“You want me to investigate her?”
Alessandro looked through the glass wall of his office.
“No.”
Marcus frowned.
“No?”
“I want you to investigate why someone else already is.”
That changed everything.
An hour later, Marcus placed a thin folder on Alessandro's desk.
Inside was a photograph.
A little girl.
Eleven years old.
Standing beside a woman at a funeral.
On the back:
Elizabeth Hart.
Alessandro stared at the picture.
He remembered that name.
His father had spoken it once.
Years ago.
The night Matteo Vitali came home drunk and furious, he had thrown a glass against the wall and shouted:
“The Hart girl must never come near this family.”
Alessandro had been seventeen.
He had never understood why.
Now he did.
Or thought he did.
“Find her,” he said.
Marcus hesitated.
“We already did.”
Alessandro looked up.
“Where?”
Marcus slid another page across the desk.
Emma Hart.
Alessandro's face hardened.
“She lied to me.”
“Possibly.”
“Why?”
“We don't know.”
Before he could answer, his phone rang.
His younger sister, Sofia.
“Alessandro?”
“Yes?”
“Dad's old attorney just died.”
He sat straighter.
“When?”
“Yesterday.”
“Cause?”
“Heart attack.”
Alessandro looked at Marcus.
Something about the timing felt wrong.
Sofia continued.
“He left something for you.”
“What?”
“A key.”
Alessandro's fingers tightened around the desk.
“What kind?”
“A small brass key. There's a note.”
“What does it say?”
Sofia read it.
“Find Elizabeth Hart before they do.”
The call ended.
Alessandro didn't move.
Then his phone rang again.
This time, it was Emma.
He answered immediately.
“Where are you?”
Silence.
“Emma?”
“I need to see you.”
His heart tightened.
“Where?”
“Somewhere private.”
Two hours later, they met in an empty restaurant owned by his company.
She sat across from him wearing a dark coat, her hair tied back, her face pale.
“You know who I am,” she said.
“Yes.”
“You know about my parents.”
“Yes.”
She looked down.
“Do you know why they died?”
Alessandro's expression changed.
“I don't.”
She placed the photograph on the table.
“My father is standing beside yours.”
Alessandro stared at it.
Then he noticed something.
A third person was visible in the reflection of a window behind them.
A man partially obscured by the curtain.
Alessandro leaned closer.
“Where did you get this?”
“Someone sent it to me.”
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
He studied her face.
“Elizabeth.”
She flinched.
He hadn't expected that reaction.
“Don't call me that.”
“Why?”
“Because that person doesn't exist anymore.”
“You're carrying my child.”
Her eyes widened.
Alessandro had guessed.
She slowly placed one hand over her stomach.
“How?”
“You touched your stomach every time I mentioned the future.”
She looked away.
“How far?”
“Six weeks.”
He closed his eyes.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Alessandro stood.
“You should have told me.”
“I was afraid.”
“Of me?”
“Yes.”
The answer hurt.
But he understood why.
“I won't force you to stay.”
She looked at him.
“But?”
“But you're not facing this alone.”
He reached across the table.
She hesitated before placing her hand in his.
His fingers closed around hers.
Then the restaurant lights went out.
A crash came from the kitchen.
Alessandro immediately pulled Elizabeth behind him.
“Stay here.”
A gunshot shattered the window.
Glass exploded across the dining room.
Alessandro dragged her to the floor.
Security rushed in.
The attacker disappeared through the rear exit.
When the lights returned, Elizabeth was trembling.
Alessandro looked at her.
“Now you understand.”
“Understand what?”
“Someone isn't trying to scare you.”
He picked up the photograph.
“They're trying to stop you from discovering something.”
Elizabeth stared at him.
“And my baby?”
His voice softened.
“Your baby makes you even more valuable.”
That night, Alessandro moved her into a secure guest residence.
Neither of them realized that a camera hidden inside the restaurant had recorded the entire meeting.
May you like
And the person watching the footage smiled.
Because Elizabeth Hart had finally stepped into the trap.
