Chapter 4 - THE MISTRESS WHO BECAME A HOSTAGE
Sofia hated Valentina.
That was the truth.
But hatred became complicated when the woman you hated was chained to a chair because of your husband.
Gabriel sent the video twenty minutes later.
Valentina sat inside a warehouse.
Her lip was split.
One eye was bruised.
Gabriel stood behind her.
“Alessandro.”
His voice was almost cheerful.
“Bring me Sofia’s key.”
Sofia looked at Alessandro.
He went completely still.
Gabriel continued.
“Or my sister dies before sunset.”
The video ended.
Sofia stared at the blank screen.
Alessandro reached for his phone.
“No.”
He looked at her.
“No?”
“You’re not giving him my key.”
“He’ll kill Valentina.”
Sofia almost laughed.
“And now you care?”
His expression hardened.
“I’m not letting Gabriel murder her.”
“Because you love her?”
The question hit harder than she expected.
Alessandro looked directly at her.
“No.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
He was silent too long.
“Because she was useful.”
Sofia recoiled.
The coldness of the answer shocked even her.
Alessandro saw it.
“That isn’t the whole truth.”
“Of course it isn’t.”
“She came to me because Gabriel threatened her son.”
Sofia froze.
“Her what?”
“Valentina has a six-year-old boy.”
“I never knew.”
“Almost nobody does.”
The child lived with relatives in Sicily.
Gabriel controlled access to him.
He had forced Valentina to spy.
Alessandro discovered the truth three months earlier.
“And then you continued sleeping with her?”
His jaw tightened.
“Yes.”
Sofia stood.
“Why?”
“Because Gabriel had to believe she still controlled me.”
“You could have pretended.”
“I did.”
She stared.
Alessandro finally said the one thing she had not expected.
“I never slept with Valentina.”
Silence.
Sofia laughed once.
“Don’t insult me.”
“I’m not.”
“Seven months.”
“She lied.”
“The lipstick?”
“Planted.”
“Her shoes?”
“Part of the performance.”
“The bedroom?”
“We used it to access your mother’s hidden compartment without Gabriel’s surveillance team realizing what we were doing.”
Sofia’s face went cold.
“You expect me to believe that?”
“No.”
That answer stopped her.
Alessandro continued.
“I expect you to believe evidence.”
He opened his phone.
Security footage.
Dates.
Times.
Valentina entering the west bedroom.
Alessandro entering.
Then Alessandro leaving three minutes later through a concealed service door.
On another night, Valentina entered alone.
Alessandro never joined her.
Every supposed encounter had been staged for cameras Gabriel had planted.
Sofia stared.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because if you reacted naturally, Gabriel would know.”
Her eyes filled.
“You let me believe you betrayed me.”
“I planned to tell you when it was finished.”
“You don’t get to decide what pain I’m allowed to carry.”
“I know.”
“No. You know now.”
The words landed.
Alessandro lowered his head.
Then Marco entered.
“We found the warehouse.”
Alessandro grabbed his coat.
Sofia took the key.
“You’re staying here.”
She looked at him.
“Try again.”
“Sofia.”
“That woman helped you deceive me because her child was threatened.”
She placed the key around her neck.
“If Gabriel wants this, then I’m coming.”
Alessandro stared.
Then he nodded.
At the warehouse, they found Valentina alive.
But Gabriel was gone.
On the wall behind her, he had written one sentence.
SOFIA’S MOTHER NEVER DIED NATURALLY.
Sofia read it twice.
May you like
Then Valentina whispered:
“He knows who killed her.”
