Chapter 5 - The Ring In The Photograph
Alessandro zoomed in until the photograph became grainy.
The ring remained visible.
A thick silver band with a narrow black stone.
He had seen it before.
On Marco Bellini, the man who had supervised household security for nearly a decade.
Marco was loyal.
At least, Alessandro had believed he was.
When Marco entered the room, Alessandro showed him the photograph.
Marco's face remained calm.
But his hand moved unconsciously toward his right pocket.
Alessandro noticed.
“Do you recognize this?”
Marco looked at the image.
“No.”
Too fast.
Alessandro said nothing.
Elena stood behind him.
Mia was sleeping against her shoulder.
Marco's eyes flicked toward the baby.
Only for a second.
But Elena saw it.
She stepped backward.
Alessandro immediately noticed her reaction.
“Marco,” he said quietly, “leave the room.”
Marco hesitated.
“Boss—”
“Now.”
After Marco left, Elena whispered, “That's him.”
Alessandro turned.
“The man?”
“I don't know his face.”
“Then what do you recognize?”
“The ring.”
She stared at the door.
“He wore it the night I saw the shadow.”
Alessandro's expression became unreadable.
He didn't confront Marco.
Not yet.
If Marco was involved, confronting him too soon would reveal that Alessandro knew.
Instead, he instructed security to quietly monitor Marco's movements.
That afternoon, Alessandro received another message.
This time, there was text.
STOP ASKING ABOUT THE BABY.
Elena read it over his shoulder.
Her breathing changed.
Alessandro looked at her.
“Has anyone ever said that to you?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
She nodded.
Then Mia began to fuss.
Elena took her.
As she lifted the baby's blanket, a tiny envelope fell from inside the blue travel bag.
Neither of them had put it there.
Alessandro picked it up.
There was no name.
Only one sentence written across the front.
Ask Elena what happened three months ago.
Alessandro looked at Elena.
She closed her eyes.
Because there was one thing she had never told him.
Mia's father was not dead.
He was missing.
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And three months ago, he had called her from a number she had never seen before.
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