Chapter 2: The Signature
For several seconds, Vittorio could hear nothing except the faint ticking of the grandfather clock.
He stared at Marcus.
Marcus stared back.
Bianca had stopped crying.
That was the first thing Vittorio noticed.
She had been trembling moments earlier, but now her face was strangely calm.
Too calm.
“Mr. Romano?”” his attorney said through the phone.
“Are you still there?””
Vittorio brought the phone closer.
“Who has the documents?””
“Three major news outlets. At least two legal blogs. Someone uploaded the entire file overnight.””
“Who filed it?””
“The petition lists Bianca as the petitioner.””
Vittorio’s eyes moved toward his wife.
Bianca folded her arms.
“Vittorio, please.””
He slowly lowered the phone.
“Please what?””
She swallowed.
“Let’s not do this in front of Lucy.””
Lucy was still in Emma’s arms.
The little girl had her face buried against Emma’s shoulder.
Vittorio looked at his daughter.
Then at Bianca.
“Emma,” he said.
“Yes?””
“Take Lucy upstairs.””
Bianca immediately stepped forward.
“No.””
Vittorio looked at her.
“No?””
“She’s my daughter.””
“Then you should have remembered that before breakfast.””
Bianca flinched.
Emma turned toward the hallway.
Bianca reached for Lucy.
Lucy recoiled.
“Daddy!””
Vittorio’s expression hardened.
“Emma.””
Emma carried Lucy away.
The moment they disappeared around the corner, Vittorio turned back to Marcus.
“Start talking.””
Marcus leaned against the broken map rack.
“I think you need to calm down.””
Vittorio walked toward him.
Marcus lifted both hands.
“See? This is exactly what I’m talking about.””
“What?””
“You lose control.””
Vittorio stopped.
Marcus nodded toward the shattered glass.
“The tables. The map rack. Your wife. Me.””
He touched the cut on his lip.
“You made my point for me.””
Vittorio’s attorney spoke again through the phone.
“Sir, there is video.””
Vittorio’s eyes narrowed.
“What video?””
“Security footage from the breakfast room.””
His stomach dropped.
“From this morning?””
“Yes.””
Marcus smiled.
Vittorio understood.
“You already had cameras installed.””
Marcus shrugged.
“The house has security cameras.””
“Who controls them?””
A pause.
Then his attorney answered.
“Your private security company.””
Vittorio looked at Marcus.
“Who has administrative access?””
Another pause.
“Marcus Hale.””
The silence that followed was absolute.
Vittorio slowly turned toward the hallway.
“Send me everything.””
“I already have.””
“Send it to Emma.””
“Sir—”
“Now.””
He ended the call.
Marcus chuckled.
“You’re making this worse.””
Vittorio stepped closer.
“Did you fabricate the footage?””
“No.””
“Did you edit it?””
“No.””
“Did you submit it to the court?””
Marcus smiled.
“You're asking the wrong questions.””
Vittorio grabbed his jacket.
Bianca’s voice followed him.
“Where are you going?””
“To find out who forged my signature.””
“You're not leaving me here.””
He turned.
“You're coming with me.””
Bianca’s face tightened.
“Why?””
“Because your name is on the petition.””
“I didn't file it.””
“Then you should have no problem proving that.””
Marcus pushed away from the wall.
“I wouldn't go to the courthouse if I were you.””
Vittorio stopped.
“Why?””
Marcus glanced toward Bianca.
“Because that's not where the trap ends.””
Vittorio stared at him.
“What trap?””
Marcus said nothing.
The front doors suddenly opened.
Two men in dark suits entered the foyer.
Behind them came Vittorio’s head of security, Daniel Moretti.
Daniel looked pale.
“Sir.””
Vittorio walked toward him.
“What happened?””
Daniel glanced at Bianca.
Then Marcus.
Then lowered his voice.
“We have a problem.””
“I noticed.””
Daniel handed him a tablet.
The screen showed a security log.
Vittorio scanned it.
His eyes stopped.
“Three nights ago.””
“Yes.””
“Someone accessed my private office.””
Daniel nodded.
“Using your biometric clearance.””
Vittorio looked up.
“My fingerprint?””
“Yes.””
“Impossible.””
Daniel hesitated.
“There’s something else.””
He swiped.
A photograph appeared.
A man entering Vittorio’s private office at 2:13 a.m.
His face was partially hidden beneath a hood.
But his right hand was visible.
A gold ring.
A black stone.
Vittorio knew that ring.
He looked at Bianca.
She was wearing it.
No.
Not Bianca.
The same design.
The same black stone.
But Bianca’s ring was on her left hand.
The photograph showed the stranger wearing his ring on his right.
Vittorio zoomed in.
His blood ran cold.
The ring wasn't Bianca’s.
It belonged to someone Vittorio had buried twelve years earlier.
His older brother, Matteo.
Daniel watched his face.
“Sir?””
Vittorio whispered, “Where did you get this?””
“From the hallway camera.””
“When was the image captured?””
“Three nights ago.””
“That's impossible.””
Daniel nodded.
“I know.””
A phone rang.
This time, it was Bianca’s.
She looked at the screen.
Her face drained of color.
Vittorio held out his hand.
“Give it to me.””
She didn't move.
“Bianca.””
She slowly handed him the phone.
One message.
No number.
No name.
Just a photograph.
Vittorio opened it.
It showed Lucy asleep in her bedroom.
Taken from inside the house.
Beneath it were seven words:
*YOU SHOULD HAVE LEFT HER WITH US.*
Vittorio’s fingers tightened around the phone.
He looked toward the staircase.
Then at Marcus.
Marcus was no longer smiling.
“Who is ‘us’?”” Vittorio asked.
Marcus said nothing.
Vittorio stepped forward.
“I asked you a question.””
Marcus looked at the photograph.
For the first time that morning, genuine fear crossed his face.
“I don't know.””
Vittorio stared at him.
“You're lying.””
“No.””
Marcus shook his head.
“I swear to God, Vittorio, this wasn't supposed to happen.””
“Then what was supposed to happen?””
Marcus opened his mouth.
Before he could answer, a scream came from upstairs.
May you like
Emma.
Vittorio ran.
