Chapter 7 - Luca Was Closer Than They Thought
Alessandro showed Elena the photograph at breakfast.
She nearly dropped her coffee.
“That was taken recently.”
“How do you know?”
“His jacket.”
Alessandro studied the image.
Luca was standing outside a small roadside diner.
The picture looked ordinary.
Except for the newspaper visible behind him.
The date was three days earlier.
Luca was alive.
Elena covered her mouth.
For three months, she had forced herself to believe she had been abandoned.
Now she had proof that he was still somewhere nearby.
Alessandro asked security to trace the diner.
They found it within an hour.
But Luca was gone.
The owner remembered him.
“He came in alone,” the owner said.
“Did anyone meet him?”
The man hesitated.
“A woman.”
“What woman?”
“I don't know her name.”
“Describe her.”
“Dark coat. Blonde hair. Expensive watch.”
Alessandro knew immediately that this was not random.
Someone had been moving Luca around.
Someone who wanted him alive.
Someone who also knew about Mia.
That afternoon, Elena received another call.
This time, Luca spoke.
“Don't go anywhere with Alessandro.”
Elena froze.
“Why?”
“You don't understand who he is.”
“I know who he is.”
“No. You don't.”
The call ended.
Elena stared at the phone.
Alessandro had heard enough to know what happened.
“Did he say anything else?”
She shook her head.
He didn't look offended.
Instead, he asked one question.
“Did he sound afraid?”
Elena thought.
“Yes.”
“Of me?”
“I don't know.”
Alessandro leaned back.
Luca was alive.
He had access to Elena.
He knew about Mia.
And someone was feeding him information.
Then Marco entered the room.
He said nothing.
He simply placed a document on Alessandro's desk.
A building access report.
One name appeared repeatedly.
Elena Rossi.
Someone had been tracking every time she entered the penthouse.
And the access logs began exactly three months ago.
May you like
The same week Luca disappeared.
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