Chapter 11 - The Betrayal Was Closer Than Home
The message changed everything.
It wasn't directed at Alessandro.
It was directed at Elena.
Someone knew her personally.
Someone knew what she feared.
Alessandro looked at her.
“Who could write that?”
Elena shook her head.
“I don't know.”
Then she stopped.
Her eyes moved toward the small dresser.
A memory surfaced.
Three months earlier, before bringing Mia into the penthouse, Elena had worked briefly at another Duca property.
There had been another maid.
Her name was Grace.
Grace had been kind.
Too kind.
She had helped Elena find affordable childcare.
She had also asked many questions about Mia.
At the time, Elena had thought nothing of it.
Now she remembered Grace had left the property suddenly.
Alessandro searched his records.
Grace had been hired by one of his subcontractors.
Her employment file was almost empty.
No family.
No references.
No permanent address.
She had disappeared two weeks before Daniel.
But the real discovery came from the building access records.
Grace had entered the penthouse twice.
Under another employee's badge.
Alessandro realized the pattern.
Grace wasn't working alone.
She had been using people.
Daniel.
Marco.
Even Luca.
Each person knew only one part of the operation.
The goal had been to keep everyone confused while someone inside the penthouse collected information.
Then Marco admitted something.
“I saw Grace three days ago.”
Elena stared at him.
“Where?”
“Outside the building.”
“Why didn't you tell Alessandro?”
“Because she told me Luca was in danger.”
Alessandro closed his eyes for a moment.
Everyone had been manipulated by the same fear.
Grace had never needed to threaten them directly.
She only needed to make them believe someone they loved was already in danger.
Then Elena's phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered.
A woman's voice whispered:
“You brought your baby into the wrong house.”
The call ended.
But this time Elena recognized the voice.
Grace.
May you like
And Grace knew exactly where Mia was.
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