Chapter 5 - SOPHIA’S LAST WARNING
We entered the estate through the kitchen.
Vincent knew exactly where the old servants' entrance was, which made me wonder how many times he had used it when he was younger.
Emma stayed between Daniel and me.
The house was silent.
Too silent.
Vincent raised one hand.
We stopped.
A faint sound came from upstairs.
A chair scraping.
Then a woman's voice.
“Vincent?”
Sophia.
My heart jumped.
Vincent moved first.
I followed.
We reached the old study.
Sophia was sitting on the floor beside the desk.
Her wrists were bound.
Her face was bruised.
But she was alive.
Vincent crossed the room and cut the restraints.
“Who did this?”
Sophia looked at him.
“Richard.”
I stayed in the doorway.
She noticed me.
“Claire.”
I said nothing.
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I deserve your hatred.”
“You do.”
Vincent looked between us.
Sophia lowered her head.
“I didn't know what he planned.”
“Then why did you help him?”
She swallowed.
“Because he lied to me.”
“What did he promise?”
“That Vincent would leave you.”
The words were quiet.
I felt strangely numb.
Sophia continued.
“He told me you were already finished. That Vincent stayed because of the family name. That he would choose me once Emma was older.”
Vincent's face hardened.
“I never told him that.”
“I know.”
Sophia looked at me.
“I know now.”
I crossed my arms.
“You came back anyway.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
She hesitated.
“Because I was selfish.”
At least she didn't lie.
“I thought I could have the life I lost.”
Vincent looked away.
Sophia wiped her face.
“Then Richard showed me the accounts.”
“What accounts?”
“The missing money.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“What did you see?”
“Transfers. Shell companies. Payments.”
“To whom?”
“I don't know.”
Vincent asked, “Why did you take the bracelet?”
Sophia looked at me.
“I didn't.”
Silence.
“What?”
“I never had it.”
Vincent's eyes narrowed.
“Richard told you to take it.”
“Yes.”
“But I couldn't.”
“Why?”
“Because Emma wouldn't give it to me.”
I looked at my daughter.
Sophia continued.
“She knew something was wrong.”
My throat tightened.
“What did she say?”
“She asked why I wanted something her mother had given her.”
I frowned.
“I never gave her that bracelet.”
Sophia shook her head.
“I know.”
Then she looked at Vincent.
“Your daughter found it in the house.”
My blood ran cold.
“When?”
“Months ago.”
Vincent went still.
“Where?”
“In your father's old desk.”
I stared at him.
Emma had been playing in his study months earlier.
I remembered her telling me she had found a pretty silver bracelet.
I had assumed it belonged to someone in the family.
I had no idea.
Sophia whispered, “Richard has been searching for it ever since.”
Vincent moved toward the desk.
He opened a hidden drawer.
Empty.
“He found the second key,” Sophia said.
Vincent turned.
“Second key?”
She nodded.
“The bracelet is only half.”
Daniel frowned.
“What's the other half?”
Sophia looked at me.
“The mother.”
I felt cold.
“What does that mean?”
“The bracelet identifies Emma.”
She pointed toward the desk.
“But the archive won't open unless the mother is physically present.”
Vincent cursed.
“And Richard knows that.”
“Yes.”
I looked at Sophia.
“How did you escape?”
She smiled sadly.
“I didn't.”
“What?”
“He let me go.”
Vincent's expression changed.
“Why?”
“To bring you here.”
A chill moved through me.
“You were supposed to lure us here.”
Sophia nodded.
“Richard wants the three of you together.”
“Why?”
“He wants Claire to sign.”
I looked at Vincent.
“Sign what?”
Sophia's voice dropped.
“Transfer of guardianship.”
My stomach twisted.
“If I sign, he gets control of Emma?”
“Not directly.”
“Then what?”
“He gets access to the trust.”
Vincent stepped forward.
“What happens if she refuses?”
Sophia looked at him.
“He'll use the child.”
The room became very quiet.
I heard Emma's breathing behind me.
Vincent turned toward her.
His face changed.
He looked like a father again.
Not a king.
Not a crime boss.
Just a man terrified of losing his daughter.
A phone rang.
Sophia's.
She froze.
Vincent took it.
One message.
COME TO THE CHURCH.
Another followed.
BRING THE GIRL.
Vincent's eyes went black.
“He knows we're here.”
Daniel looked toward the windows.
“Then we leave.”
“No,” Vincent said.
I stared at him.
“What are you thinking?”
“We go to the church.”
I shook my head.
“That is exactly what he wants.”
“Yes.”
“Then why?”
“Because Richard thinks he controls the board.”
Vincent looked at me.
“He doesn't know we've changed the rules.”
Sophia stood slowly.
“You don't understand.”
“What?”
“Richard has men everywhere.”
Vincent smiled coldly.
“So do I.”
Sophia shook her head.
“No.”
Her voice trembled.
“You don't understand.”
She pointed toward the hallway.
“He doesn't want the money.”
Vincent stopped.
“What does he want?”
Sophia looked directly at me.
“He wants Vincent dead.”
Silence.
“Then why keep him alive?”
“Because the trust requires the Moretti heir.”
Vincent frowned.
“That's me.”
“No.”
Sophia shook her head.
“The trust recognizes bloodline.”
Vincent's face went still.
“Then who?”
Sophia looked at Emma.
“Your daughter.”
I felt my arms tighten around her.
Vincent whispered, “If I die, the trust transfers to her.”
“Yes.”
“And Richard wants to control her.”
“Yes.”
“So he needs Claire.”
Sophia nodded.
“And he needs me gone.”
Vincent understood.
“He wants to create a situation where I die, Claire is forced to sign, and Richard becomes Emma's guardian.”
I felt sick.
“Then we can't go to the church.”
“We have to,” Vincent said.
I stared at him.
“Why?”
“Because that's where the evidence is.”
Daniel looked at the old study.
“And if we get it?”
Vincent's voice was quiet.
“Then Richard loses everything.”
Sophia stepped closer.
“I can help.”
I looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because I owe you.”
“You don't owe me.”
“I do.”
She looked toward Emma.
“I helped the wrong man because I wanted your life.”
Her eyes filled.
“But I won't help him destroy your daughter's.”
Vincent nodded.
“Then you're coming with us.”
Sophia looked surprised.
“You trust me?”
“No.”
He checked his weapon.
“But Claire needs someone who knows Richard.”
Sophia looked at me.
“I'll do whatever I can.”
We left the estate through a hidden road.
The storm had grown stronger.
Thunder rolled across the hills.
Inside the car, Emma slept against me.
I looked at her face.
Then at Vincent.
“After this is over, we're leaving Chicago.”
He didn't argue.
“Okay.”
“I'm serious.”
“I know.”
“No more empire.”
His hands tightened on the steering wheel.
“I know.”
“No more lies.”
“I know.”
I looked out the window.
“Then prove it.”
Vincent nodded.
“I will.”
The church appeared in the distance.
Its old stone tower rose above the trees.
The doors were open.
Lights glowed inside.
Vincent slowed the car.
“Something's wrong.”
Daniel looked ahead.
“What?”
“There should be guards.”
“There are none.”
We stopped.
Nobody moved.
Then the church bells began ringing.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Emma woke.
“Mommy?”
“Yes?”
She looked toward the church.
“I know that place.”
My heart stopped.
“What?”
She pointed at the bell tower.
“Daddy took me there.”
Vincent turned toward her.
“I never did.”
Emma frowned.
“Yes, you did.”
“When?”
She looked at me.
“Before Sophia came back.”
Vincent's face drained of color.
“That wasn't me.”
The church doors slowly opened wider.
A figure appeared inside.
Richard Vale.
He raised one hand.
Then I saw who stood beside him.
My daughter’s teacher.
The woman who had signed Emma out of school three days earlier.
She was holding Emma's pink backpack.
And inside the church, a voice called softly,
“Claire, come in.”
I realized Richard had been planning this long before Vincent ever knew he was at war.
I couldn't breathe.
“How does he have her backpack?”
Vincent looked at me.
“Because someone at the school has been helping him.”
My stomach dropped.
The teacher stepped forward.
“She wasn't harmed.”
Richard smiled.
“Not yet.”
Vincent's entire body went rigid.
“Let her go.”
Richard laughed.
“You still think you can give orders.”
Vincent stepped toward the church.
I caught his arm.
“Wait.”
He looked at me.
I whispered, “He's expecting you to rush in.”
Vincent stopped.
Richard's smile disappeared.
He had heard me.
“Smart woman,” he called.
Then the church doors slammed shut.
A second later, every light inside went dark.
Daniel looked at Vincent.
“What now?”
Vincent stared at the doors.
“Now we stop playing his game.”
I felt something change in him.
For seven years, I had watched Vincent solve problems with money, fear, and force.
Tonight, he finally understood that none of those things would save us.
Only trust would.
And for the first time, he turned to me before making a decision.
“What do you see?”
I looked at the church.
Then at Sophia.
Then at my daughter.
“I see a man who thinks he knows exactly what we're going to do.”
I tightened my grip on Emma's hand.
May you like
“So let's surprise him.”
Vincent nodded. “Together.” I looked at Vincent and knew this time I would not face the danger alone.
