Chapter 3: The Woman Behind the Mask
The hidden phone sat on Vittorio’s desk like a bomb.
Emma had found it inside a locked drawer in Bianca’s private room.
The drawer was behind a painting.
A place nobody would look.
Except someone had.
Vittorio stared at the device.
“Who knew about this?””
Emma shook her head.
“No one.””
Marcus looked uncomfortable.
“Maybe we should give it to the police.””
Vittorio didn’t answer.
He unlocked the phone.
The password was Lucy’s birthday.
That alone made his stomach turn.
Bianca hadn’t hidden it because she forgot the date.
She used his daughter’s birthday as a password.
Inside were hundreds of messages.
Some were harmless.
Shopping.
Travel plans.
Social events.
Then they reached the conversations with a name.
Adrian Cole.
Vittorio recognized it.
A businessman who had lost millions in a deal with him.
He opened the messages.
The first one was simple.
“Everything is going according to plan.””
The second one made his blood run cold.
“Once Vittorio believes he needs Bianca, the company will be easier to control.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“What is that?””
Vittorio handed him the phone.
Marcus read silently.
His face changed.
“She married you for your company.””
Vittorio kept scrolling.
There were conversations about his finances.
His schedule.
His habits.
Even Lucy.
“She knew everything.””
Emma covered her mouth.
“She was never trying to be Lucy’s mother.””
“No,” Vittorio said.
He looked at the screen.
“She was trying to become untouchable.””
That evening, Vittorio sat beside Lucy’s bed.
She was asleep.
But even sleeping, she held onto his hand.
Like she was afraid he would disappear.
He stared at his daughter.
“How long did you keep this inside?””
Lucy opened her eyes slightly.
“Daddy?””
“I’m here.””
She looked at him.
“Are you mad at me?””
His heart shattered.
“Why would I be mad at you?””
“Because I didn’t tell you.””
Vittorio felt tears burn his eyes.
“Lucy, look at me.””
She did.
“You never have to be scared to tell me the truth.””
“But Bianca said…”
Vittorio waited.
“She said you would think I was bad.””
He held her hand.
“Your only mistake was believing someone who was hurting you.””
The next day, Bianca returned.
Not with lawyers.
With tears.
She stood outside the mansion wearing a simple coat.
No designer dress.
No confidence.
Just a performance.
“Vittorio, please.””
He watched her through the security monitor.
“I know I made mistakes.””
Lucy was behind him.
She heard Bianca’s voice.
Immediately, she stepped back.
That was enough.
Vittorio opened the door.
“You have five minutes.””
Bianca looked at him sadly.
“I love Lucy.””
“No.””
The answer came instantly.
Bianca blinked.
“You don’t get to decide that.””
“I do.””
“She needs a mother.””
“She needed kindness.””
Bianca’s eyes hardened for half a second.
Then the tears returned.
“You’re destroying my life.””
Vittorio almost laughed.
“Your life?””
He pointed toward the house.
“My daughter stopped asking for food because she was afraid of you.””
Bianca looked away.
Then she whispered:
“She was difficult.””
Vittorio stared.
There it was.
The truth.
Not hidden.
Not disguised.
Just spoken.
“You still don’t understand.””
Bianca’s voice dropped.
“You think you won?””
She stepped closer.
“You have no idea what I already did.””
Vittorio’s expression changed.
“What does that mean?””
Bianca smiled.
A small, cold smile.
“Ask your brother.””
Vittorio froze.
“My brother?””
Bianca turned toward the driveway.
A black car was waiting.
Before leaving, she said:
“You should check the company accounts.””
Then she walked away.
Ten minutes later, Vittorio was in his office.
He opened the financial records.
And what he found made him forget how to breathe.
Millions of dollars were missing.
But the transfers weren’t made by Bianca.
They were authorized by someone else.
Someone whose name appeared on every document.
May you like
Someone Vittorio trusted his entire life.
His brother.
