Chapter 2 - Three Missing Years
Dr. Sarah Bennett examined Elena in a private guest room.
Dominic waited outside.
He had been pacing for almost forty minutes when Marco finally spoke.
“You’re going to wear a hole through the floor.”
Dominic stopped.
“Tell me exactly where you found her.”
“Warehouse district near Pier Nine.”
“Alone?”
“Yes.”
“Did anyone follow you?”
“We checked.”
“Check again.”
“Already did.”
Dominic looked toward Elena’s closed door.
“Three years.”
Marco said nothing.
“My sister disappears for three years, and I don’t even know she’s missing.”
“You thought she was abroad.”
“I thought what I was told.”
Marco studied him.
“By whom?”
Dominic turned.
That question changed the room.
For years, Dominic had received occasional messages supposedly from Elena.
Short emails.
Birthday wishes.
Updates from Paris, Rome, Florence.
She always had an excuse not to video call.
Dominic had accepted them because he was busy.
Because believing she was happy was easier.
His phone was already in his hand.
“Get Luca.”
Marco’s expression tightened.
Luca Moretti handled Dominic’s private financial affairs and family communications.
He had also been with Dominic for twelve years.
Marco understood immediately.
“You think the messages were fake?”
“I don’t think anything yet.”
The bedroom door opened.
Dr. Bennett stepped out.
Dominic approached her.
“How is she?”
“Physically, she needs rest, food, fluids, and follow-up care. Nothing I’ve seen tonight appears immediately life-threatening.”
Dominic exhaled.
“Can I see her?”
“She asked for you.”
He entered alone.
Elena was sitting against several pillows, wearing clean clothes one of the housekeepers had brought her.
She looked smaller than Dominic remembered.
He remained near the door.
“You wanted me?”
“I need to ask you something.”
“Anything.”
“Did you receive my letters?”
Dominic stared at her.
“What letters?”
Elena’s face changed.
“The letters I sent you.”
“I never received letters.”
“I sent dozens.”
“When?”
“The first year.”
Dominic slowly moved closer.
“First year of what?”
Elena looked down.
“When they stopped letting me leave.”
His jaw tightened.
“Who?”
She shook her head.
“Elena.”
“Don’t.”
Dominic stopped immediately.
She looked at him again.
“You’ll turn this into revenge.”
“No.”
“You always do.”
“I’m not twenty-three anymore.”
“No. You’re worse.”
He absorbed that.
“Maybe.”
Elena seemed surprised again.
Dominic pulled a chair beside the bed but remained several feet away.
“Tell me what you need.”
“I need you to listen.”
“I’m listening.”
“No orders.”
“Okay.”
“No shouting.”
“Okay.”
“And nobody gets punished because you’re angry.”
Dominic hesitated.
Elena noticed.
“Dominic.”
He nodded.
“Okay.”
She took a breath.
“When I was twenty, I received a message saying you wanted me moved somewhere safer.”
Dominic went still.
“I never sent that.”
“I know that now.”
“Who gave you the message?”
“Luca.”
Dominic said nothing.
Elena continued.
“He said there had been threats. He said you couldn’t contact me directly.”
Dominic’s hands curled against his knees.
“He moved me to a house outside Bellhaven. At first, everything seemed normal.”
“And then?”
“My phone disappeared.”
Dominic’s eyes hardened.
“My passport disappeared next.”
She looked toward the window.
“Then they told me you didn’t want contact anymore.”
“I would never—”
“I know.”
Those two words almost broke him.
Elena continued.
“I tried leaving. They always brought me back. Eventually Luca stopped pretending it was about protecting me.”
“What did he want?”
“Access.”
“To what?”
“The trust Mom and Dad left us.”
Dominic frowned.
Their parents had left almost nothing.
Except—
“The Bellhaven property.”
Elena nodded.
Dominic suddenly understood.
Their mother had inherited land decades earlier. Worthless then.
Not anymore.
The city had recently approved a massive redevelopment project around Bellhaven Harbor.
That property was now worth tens of millions.
Elena owned half.
Dominic stood.
“Luca knew.”
“Yes.”
“How did you escape?”
“One of the people watching the house left a door unlocked during a shift change.”
“You ran?”
“For almost two days.”
“And ended up at Pier Nine?”
Elena nodded.
Dominic looked away.
His breathing was controlled, but Elena could see the fury behind his eyes.
“Dominic.”
He looked back.
“Remember what you promised.”
He slowly sat down again.
“No revenge.”
“No.”
“No war.”
“No.”
She studied him.
“What are you going to do?”
Dominic reached for his phone.
“Something I should’ve done three years ago.”
“What?”
May you like
“Ask questions before giving orders.”
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