Chapter 4: The Woman Who Tried to Erase Us
Mia's cry cut through the room like an alarm.
Everything else disappeared.
Not the threatening message.
Not the photograph.
Not the terrifying realization that someone had been watching us.
Only my daughter.
I moved toward her instinctively.
But Alessandro was already there.
He adjusted his hold carefully, one hand supporting her tiny back, the other gently rubbing between her shoulders.
"It's okay," he whispered.
The words surprised me.
Not because they were kind.
Because they sounded practiced.
Like he had said them before.
But I knew he hadn't.
Alessandro Duca, the man who owned hotels, towers, and companies across the world, looked completely lost trying to comfort an eight-month-old baby.
And somehow, that made him look more human than anything else.
Mia's cries slowly softened.
Her tiny fingers curled around his shirt.
She trusted him.
The realization hit me harder than I expected.
Because for three months, I had only thought about keeping her hidden.
Keeping her alive.
Keeping her safe.
I never considered that someone else could become part of her world.
Someone I had never expected.
Someone I had spent months fearing.
"Give her to me," I whispered.
Alessandro looked at me.
For a second, I thought he would refuse.
Instead, he carefully handed her over.
The moment Mia touched my arms, she relaxed.
But her eyes kept drifting back to him.
Like she was wondering where he went.
I noticed.
So did he.
And I hated that it made my chest ache.
Adrian watched silently.
His face was impossible to read.
Pain.
Regret.
Jealousy.
Maybe all three.
"You trust him," Adrian said quietly.
I looked up.
"What?""
He nodded toward Mia.
"She trusts him.""
I didn't answer.
Because I didn't know how to explain something I barely understood myself.
Alessandro had been a stranger yesterday.
A terrifying stranger.
But Mia had seen something in him that I hadn't.
Children didn't care about money.
They didn't care about reputations.
They didn't care about rumors.
They only knew how people made them feel.
And Mia felt safe with him.
Adrian looked away.
That hurt him.
I could see it.
But I couldn't comfort him.
Not yet.
Not after everything.
Alessandro picked up his phone again.
"We need to leave.""
I looked at him.
"What?""
"This apartment is no longer secure.""
My stomach tightened.
"Because of your message?""
"Because someone took a photograph of you and my daughter from outside my building.""
His voice became colder.
"That means they know your routine.""
The way he said "my daughter" made me look at him.
He noticed.
"I mean the child currently inside my home.""
I nodded slowly.
But something about his words felt different.
Like he had almost said something else.
Raymond stepped forward.
"Sir, should I contact security?""
"Not building security.""
Alessandro looked at him.
"I don't know who I can trust.""
That sentence silenced everyone.
Because men like Alessandro Duca weren't supposed to admit that.
They were supposed to have answers.
They were supposed to control every situation.
But right now, he looked at a photograph of me and Mia and realized someone had been closer than he allowed.
"Where are we going?"" Adrian asked.
Alessandro looked at him.
"You're coming too?""
The question was sharp.
Adrian's expression hardened.
"I have a daughter involved.""
"According to you.""
A flash of anger crossed Adrian's face.
"Careful.""
"No.""
Alessandro stepped closer.
"You need to be careful.""
The room changed.
The argument wasn't between two wealthy men anymore.
It was between two fathers.
Two men who believed they had a right to protect the same child.
And I was caught in the middle.
"Stop.""
My voice surprised them both.
They looked at me.
"I am not moving Mia around like she's a piece of property.""
Silence.
"She is a person.""
I adjusted her blanket.
"She has been through enough.""
Alessandro's expression softened.
Adrian looked down.
Because he knew.
He knew he had missed everything.
The first smile.
The first steps.
The first fever.
The first time she reached for someone.
All the moments fathers were supposed to have.
"I want to make it right," Adrian whispered.
I looked at him.
"You can't.""
The honesty hurt.
But I needed it.
"You can't erase eight months.""
His eyes filled with regret.
"I know.""
"Do you?""
I shook my head.
"Because while you were searching, I was learning how to survive.""
He closed his eyes.
The words landed.
Good.
They needed to.
Then Alessandro interrupted.
"We can discuss this later.""
He walked toward the private hallway.
"Right now, we need answers.""
I followed.
Not because I trusted him completely.
But because I trusted the way he had protected Mia tonight.
Adrian followed behind us.
The three of us moved through the penthouse that suddenly felt different.
A place that had been my hiding spot.
A place where I had tried to disappear.
Now it felt like the center of a storm.
Alessandro entered his private office.
I had cleaned that room dozens of times.
But I had never noticed how personal it was.
Books.
Photographs.
Documents.
A single framed picture on the desk.
I stopped.
Because it wasn't a business photograph.
It was a family photo.
A younger Alessandro stood beside a woman and a little boy.
They were smiling.
Really smiling.
Not the controlled expression he wore now.
The boy looked about ten years old.
I stared.
Alessandro noticed.
"That's my brother.""
His voice changed.
Softer.
"What happened to him?""
A long pause.
"He died.""
I immediately looked away.
"I'm sorry.""
He nodded once.
"He was twelve.""
The room became quiet.
I didn't ask more.
Some wounds didn't need questions.
Then he opened a drawer and removed a file.
"Your name.""
I looked at him.
"What?""
He placed a folder on the desk.
"Elena Moretti.""
My heart stopped.
"What is that?""
"A background report.""
My face changed.
"You investigated me?""
"After tonight.""
He corrected.
But I didn't feel better.
"Why?""
"Because someone is targeting you.""
He opened the folder.
"And I need to know why.""
I hated that part of me understood.
The logical part.
The part that knew danger was bigger than pride.
But another part of me was angry.
"You had someone investigate me?""
"Yes.""
The honesty was almost frustrating.
"At least you're honest.""
"I don't lie.""
I almost smiled.
"Everyone lies.""
His eyes met mine.
"Not everyone.""
The confidence annoyed me.
But before I could answer, Adrian moved closer.
"What's inside?""
Alessandro looked at him.
"Information about Elena.""
"I want to see it.""
"No.""
Adrian's jaw tightened.
"She's the mother of my child.""
"And she's the woman who was threatened inside my home.""
Their voices rose.
Again.
I stepped between them.
"Enough.""
Both men stopped.
I looked at the folder.
"Open it.""
Alessandro hesitated.
Then he did.
The first pages were normal.
My name.
My employment history.
My apartment address.
Nothing surprising.
Then I saw a document attached at the back.
A birth certificate.
My hands went cold.
"Why is that there?""
Alessandro looked at it.
Then at me.
"I was hoping you could tell me.""
I picked it up.
My eyes scanned the page.
Then froze.
Because the name listed under "father" wasn't Adrian Vale.
It wasn't blank.
It wasn't unknown.
It was another name.
A name I had never seen.
A name that made Adrian's face lose all color.
Because he recognized it.
"No," Adrian whispered.
I looked at him.
"What?""
He took a step back.
"No.""
"What is it?""
His eyes moved between the document and Alessandro.
"That name...""
His voice cracked.
"That name belongs to my father.""
The room went silent.
My fingers went numb.
"What are you saying?""
Adrian looked at me.
And for the first time since he entered the penthouse, he looked truly afraid.
"Elena...""
He swallowed.
"You were never just a secret my mother wanted to hide.""
I couldn't breathe.
"Then what was I?""
Nobody answered.
Because the truth was worse than anything I imagined.
Alessandro slowly turned the page.
There was one more document.
One more piece of information.
A DNA test request.
Dated six months ago.
Before I gave birth.
Before Mia was born.
Before I disappeared.
Alessandro looked at the date.
Then at Adrian.
"Your family knew about this before you did.""
Adrian stared at the paper.
And whispered the words none of us wanted to hear.
"My father knew Mia existed.""
A cold silence filled the office.
Then the penthouse lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
And every screen in Alessandro's office turned black.
Except one.
A message appeared.
White letters against a dark screen.
*"You should have let the baby stay hidden.""*
My blood ran cold.
May you like
Then another line appeared.
*"Now everyone will know who she really belongs to.""*
