Chapter 1 - THE WOMAN HOLDING MY FATHER'S LETTERS
The woman standing in my bedroom doorway was the last person I expected Matteo Marino to fear.
“Vivienne.”
His voice was dangerously quiet.
Vivienne Russo had been Matteo's personal assistant for seven years. She organized his appointments, handled confidential business correspondence, and knew every security code inside the mansion.
She was also the woman who brought me tea every evening.
And now she stood holding twenty-three letters from my father and an empty bottle that looked exactly like my vitamins.
“Mr. Marino,” she whispered. “I can explain.”
“Then start explaining.”
Vivienne glanced at me.
Her eyes were red.
“I didn't know they would hurt her.”
My stomach dropped.
“They?”
Matteo moved between us.
“Put everything on the floor.”
Vivienne obeyed.
Luca immediately secured the letters and bottle as evidence.
Dr. Bennett stepped closer.
“Naomi, you need to sit down.”
I barely heard him.
For eleven months, Vivienne had treated me kindly. She remembered my birthday, brought me soup when I had a cold, and told me not to worry when I broke an expensive vase.
Now I wondered whether every kindness had been calculated.
“Were you poisoning me?” I asked.
Vivienne began crying.
“I never wanted this.”
“That wasn't my question.”
She covered her mouth.
Matteo's expression hardened.
“Answer her.”
Vivienne looked toward the hallway.
“They said if I didn't replace the capsules, my daughter would disappear.”
Luca immediately contacted the police, who were already responding to the suspected poisoning.
Matteo didn't move.
“Who threatened you?”
Vivienne shook her head.
“I can't say.”
I stared at her.
“Please. Someone has been making me sick for two weeks.”
Her face crumpled.
“I'm sorry, Naomi.”
Suddenly, Luca's phone vibrated.
He glanced at the screen.
“The preliminary laboratory report is back.”
Dr. Bennett took the phone.
His expression became grave.
“We need to get Naomi to a hospital.”
Matteo looked at him.
“What was in the capsules?”
“A prescription sedative mixed with an unidentified compound. We need confirmatory testing.”
My hands began shaking.
“Why would someone do that?”
Vivienne started sobbing harder.
“Because they wanted you to forget.”
The room fell silent.
Matteo slowly turned toward her.
“Forget what?”
Vivienne looked directly at me.
“The things your father told you before he disappeared.”
I felt the world tilt.
“My father died when I was nineteen.”
Vivienne shook her head.
“No, Naomi.”
My breath stopped.
May you like
Then she whispered:
“Your father is alive. And he's been trying to contact you for eleven months.”
