Chapter 7 - HARPER WAS NOT AS UNCOMPLICATED AS SHE LOOKED
Harper screamed when Matteo confronted her.
Not from fear.
From insult.
“You think I’m working with Luca?”
They were back in Boston.
Harper stood inside the Park Avenue apartment Matteo had rented for her months earlier.
Her suitcases from Santorini remained unopened.
Matteo placed the company document on the table.
“Your name owns the storage entity.”
“I don’t own a company.”
“Your signature says otherwise.”
She stared.
“That isn’t mine.”
Matteo believed her.
Mostly because she looked genuinely terrified.
“Did Luca ever give you paperwork?”
“No.”
“Victor?”
“Who the hell is Victor?”
Wrong person.
“What about Daniel Mercer?”
Harper froze.
There.
“Who is Daniel?” Matteo asked.
“My financial manager.”
“For what?”
“My brand stuff.”
Harper earned money through luxury social media campaigns and event promotions.
She was not poor.
She was also nowhere near wealthy enough to require complicated holding companies.
“Who introduced you?”
“Luca.”
Of course.
Harper sat.
Her face was pale.
“Matteo, what’s happening?”
For the first time, he saw her clearly.
Not innocent.
She knowingly slept with a married man.
She enjoyed Norah’s humiliation more than once.
But she had not understood the world she entered.
Luca had introduced her to a financial manager.
Had documents signed.
Opened entities.
Used her name.
Exactly as Victor planned to use Norah.
Disposable women around powerful men.
Clean names.
Useful signatures.
Matteo felt disgusted.
Partly at them.
Mostly at himself.
“Did Luca encourage you to pursue me?”
Harper looked offended.
Then uncertain.
“No.”
“When did you first meet him?”
“At Sofia Bellini’s party.”
“That was before you met me.”
“Yes.”
“What did he say?”
Harper thought.
“He said you were unhappy.”
Matteo went still.
“What?”
“He said your marriage was basically political and Norah stayed because she liked the lifestyle.”
His jaw tightened.
Luca had been feeding Harper a story before the affair even started.
He had not forced Matteo to betray Norah.
Matteo would not hide behind that.
But Luca had encouraged the weakness because Matteo distracted was useful.
Family made you weak.
No.
Betrayal made him careless.
Harper whispered:
“Was I bait?”
Matteo answered:
“You were a choice I made.”
She looked at him.
That was not the comfort she wanted.
“You’re blaming yourself?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Luca did not make me touch you.”
Silence.
Then Harper started crying.
“Do you love her?”
Matteo did not hesitate.
“Yes.”
“Then why did you do this?”
There was no good answer.
“Because I thought love meant she would stay.”
Harper stared.
“That’s terrible.”
“Yes.”
Matteo almost laughed at the absurdity.
Even his mistress understood.
Then she remembered something.
“Luca gave me a phone.”
“When?”
“Two months ago.”
“Where?”
She found it inside a dresser.
Matteo did not touch it.
Arthur’s technical team collected it properly.
Messages recovered later were revealing.
Luca to Harper:
Keep Matteo in Greece as long as possible.
Harper:
Why?
Luca:
Norah needs space to calm down.
Harper:
He wants to go home.
Luca:
Distract him.
Matteo read the exchange.
Luca had wanted him out of Boston.
Why?
Because Norah was supposed to remain in the house.
Accessible.
Maybe framed.
Maybe worse.
Then technicians recovered a deleted message from Victor to Luca.
Move Raven assets before Matteo returns. Wife signs after pressure.
Matteo’s blood went cold.
Norah was never meant to leave.
Her disappearance had ruined their plan.
May you like
Then came another deleted line.
If she refuses, use the baby.
