Chapter 11 - The Promise Isabella Never Told Him About
The photograph arrived in a plain white envelope.
No stamp.
No return address.
It sat on the breakfast table between a bowl of fruit and Emma's cereal.
Security had failed again.
That disturbed Alejandro almost as much as what was inside.
Marco opened it with gloves.
One photograph.
Emma leaving school three months earlier.
Before Alejandro found her.
Written across the bottom:
HE WILL ALWAYS CHOOSE YOU LAST.
Isabella sat down slowly.
Alejandro read the message twice.
Then tore it in half.
Marco stopped him.
“Evidence.”
Alejandro handed the pieces over.
Emma entered.
Everyone became instantly normal.
Too normal.
She noticed.
“What?”
“Nothing,” Isabella said.
Emma looked at Alejandro.
“You're doing the face.”
“What face?”
“The scary face.”
Marco suddenly found the ceiling interesting.
Alejandro relaxed his jaw.
“Breakfast.”
Emma sat.
“Can I name the kitten Stone?”
“You named it yesterday.”
“I changed my mind.”
“What was yesterday?”
“Mr. Fluff.”
“Stone is better.”
“Why?”
Alejandro poured coffee.
“Less embarrassing.”
Emma smiled.
Isabella watched them.
Then something inside her broke.
She stood.
“We need to talk.”
Alejandro looked up.
“Now?”
“Yes.”
They entered the study.
Isabella closed the door.
“There is something I never told you.”
Alejandro leaned against the desk.
“That sentence has become dangerous.”
She ignored it.
“The night I left, after Father Gabriel found me, I made him promise something.”
“What?”
“If anything happened to me, Emma would never be brought to you.”
Alejandro's expression hardened.
“Why?”
“I was terrified.”
“That does not answer the question.”
“I thought your life would kill her.”
“You thought I would?”
“No.”
She looked him directly in the eyes.
“I thought loving you would.”
That was worse.
Alejandro said nothing.
Isabella continued.
“I knew you loved me.”
“You left anyway.”
“Yes.”
“I spent years thinking you didn't.”
“I spent years thinking you stopped looking.”
Pain moved between them.
Not dramatic.
Not loud.
Just six years sitting in the room.
Isabella whispered, “We were both wrong.”
Alejandro looked away.
“Some things weren't wrong.”
“What?”
“The fight.”
She understood.
“I meant what I said too.”
“So did I.”
“You don't now.”
He looked at her.
“How do you know?”
“Because the man who told me there might not be room in his life for me gave away part of his empire yesterday for someone else's son.”
Alejandro said nothing.
“You changed.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Emma changed my priorities.”
“That is change.”
He walked toward the window.
“I don't know how to be what she thinks I am.”
“A father?”
“A good one.”
Isabella approached.
“You came back.”
He looked at her.
“She asked you to.”
“So?”
“For six years, that is all she ever wanted from people.”
Alejandro's expression softened.
“Did she ask about her father?”
Isabella closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
“What did you say?”
“That you didn't know about her.”
“Truth.”
“I told her you lived far away.”
“Lie.”
“I told her maybe one day…”
She stopped.
“Maybe one day what?”
“She asked if you might find us.”
Alejandro's throat tightened.
“What did you tell her?”
“I said maybe.”
He looked down.
Those four years searching suddenly hurt differently.
While Alejandro chased records and shadows, a little girl somewhere had occasionally wondered whether her father would find her.
He had failed.
Even unknowingly, it felt like failure.
Isabella touched his arm.
“You didn't know.”
“I should have.”
“How?”
“I should have known something was wrong.”
“We were manipulated.”
“I should have known you.”
She looked at him.
He continued.
“When you disappeared, I chose pride before concern. For the first twelve hours, I told myself you'd return.”
“You thought I was punishing you.”
“Yes.”
“You always thought everything was about you.”
Alejandro looked offended.
Isabella smiled faintly.
“You did.”
“I've improved.”
“Marginally.”
He almost smiled.
Their hands remained close.
Neither moved away.
Then the study door opened.
Emma walked in carrying Stone the kitten.
“You're standing weird.”
Alejandro stepped back.
Isabella laughed.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
Emma held up the kitten.
“He likes Dad better.”
Alejandro stared.
“I have done nothing.”
“Exactly. Cats like that.”
Alejandro took the kitten reluctantly.
Stone immediately climbed into his jacket.
Emma grinned.
“You're smiling.”
“I am not.”
“You are.”
Isabella saw it too.
Something almost ordinary entered the room.
A family arguing about a cat.
Then Marco appeared.
“Sorry.”
Alejandro handed Stone back.
“What?”
“We found where the envelope came from.”
“Camera?”
“Delivery entrance.”
“Who?”
“Maria.”
Alejandro went still.
Maria had worked for the Moretti family nineteen years.
She had cared for Alejandro's mother.
Helped arrange his father's funeral.
Cooked for Emma yesterday.
Isabella whispered, “No.”
Marco continued.
“She says a delivery driver gave it to her.”
“Bring her.”
Maria entered crying.
Alejandro had rarely seen her cry.
“Mr. Alejandro, I swear—”
“I know.”
She stopped.
“You believe me?”
“If you wanted Emma harmed, you had easier opportunities.”
Maria covered her face.
Marco said, “Driver wore a catering uniform. Security assumed he belonged to the morning delivery.”
“Vehicle?”
“Fake plates.”
“Face?”
“Camera caught partial.”
Marco showed the image.
Isabella gasped.
A younger man.
Mid-thirties.
Dark hair.
Scar near his chin.
She knew him.
“Who?” Alejandro asked.
Isabella's hands shook.
“Daniel.”
“Daniel who?”
“Daniel Rossi.”
Marco frowned.
“Related to Gabriel?”
“His nephew.”
Alejandro stared.
“You met him?”
“When I was hiding.”
“How often?”
“For years.”
Alejandro's expression hardened.
“Why have you never mentioned him?”
“He helped Gabriel move us.”
“Did he know Emma was mine?”
“Yes.”
“Did he ever threaten you?”
“No.”
Isabella hesitated.
Alejandro caught it.
“What?”
“Daniel wanted me to leave with him.”
The room became still.
“When?”
“Three years ago.”
“And?”
“I refused.”
“Why?”
Isabella looked at Alejandro.
“Because I still loved you.”
Nobody spoke.
Alejandro's anger disappeared beneath something far more complicated.
Isabella continued.
“Daniel knew.”
“Knew what?”
“That I never stopped.”
Marco cleared his throat.
“I'll give you two five seconds to process that later.”
Alejandro glared.
Marco held up the photograph.
“Right now we have a man who knew where Emma lived for six years, knew Gabriel's system, and got an envelope through our gate.”
Alejandro's eyes narrowed.
“Find Daniel Rossi.”
Marco left.
Isabella whispered, “I don't think he would hurt Emma.”
Alejandro looked at her.
“People rarely announce what they are capable of.”
“You think he is with Dominic?”
“I think six years of secrets just gained another name.”
Emma entered again.
She had apparently been listening from the hallway.
“Who is Daniel?”
Isabella's face changed.
Emma continued.
“Uncle Danny?”
Alejandro looked sharply at Isabella.
“Uncle?”
Emma nodded.
“He used to bring me birthday presents.”
Alejandro stared.
“When did you last see him?”
Emma thought.
“A long time.”
“How long?”
“Before Mama said we couldn't talk to him anymore.”
Alejandro's gaze moved to Isabella.
She whispered, “Three years.”
Emma frowned.
“He got mad when Mama wouldn't marry him.”
The room became silent.
Isabella looked horrified.
“Emma.”
“What?”
Alejandro crouched.
“What did Daniel say?”
Emma thought hard.
“He said Mama would understand when you were really gone.”
Alejandro's blood chilled.
“When I was gone?”
Emma nodded.
“He said some people only stop waiting when there's nothing left to wait for.”
The convoy attack.
Alejandro suddenly understood why it happened now.
Daniel Rossi had not only known Emma existed.
He had loved Isabella.
He had watched her wait for Alejandro.
May you like
And maybe he had finally decided the easiest way to end that waiting was to make Alejandro Moretti permanently unavailable.
That afternoon, Marco found Daniel's apartment—and on his wall was a wedding photograph with Isabella's face pasted beside his own.
