Chapter 5 - THE HIDDEN TRUTH
“He...” Rebecca stammered, her heart pounding against her ribs like a trapped bird. “He gave me his old silver watch before he left for his night shift.”
Every eye in the room locked onto her.
“His watch?” Adriano asked quietly.
“He... he told me the strap was broken,” Rebecca remembered, her voice trembling as memories flooded back. “He said, 'Keep this safe in Clementine’s baby book. Don't ever lose it.' I thought he just meant it had sentimental value because his father gave it to him...”
Julian’s eyes went wild. “Where is it?” he yelled, taking an aggressive step toward Rebecca. “Where is the watch?!”
Before Julian could move another inch, Adriano moved with blinding speed. He grabbed Julian by the throat, slamming him violently against the marble fireplace column. The sound of stone cracking echoed through the room.
“Speak to her like that again, and I’ll tear your throat out with my hands,” Adriano hissed into Julian’s face.
Julian choked, gasping for air, his hands clawing uselessly at Adriano’s iron grip.
“Marco,” Adriano ordered without breaking eye contact with Julian. “Take these two rats down to the basement vault. Secure them until I deal with them.”
“Adriano, please!” Genevieve screamed as Marco’s men seized her by the arms. “I’m your wife! You can’t do this to me!”
“You ceased being my wife the moment you pushed a grieving mother into a pool,” Adriano said coldly.
within minutes, the screaming siblings were dragged away down the dark hallway, their frantic cries fading into the heavy stone architecture of the mansion.
Silence returned to the parlor.
Adriano let out a long, shuddering breath, then turned back to Rebecca. He straightened his collar and took a slow step toward her, looking deeply repentant.
“Rebecca... where is that baby book?” he asked softly.
May you like
Rebecca swallowed hard, looking down at the small child asleep in her lap.
“It’s in my room,” she whispered. “In the bottom of Clementine’s small wooden toy box.”
