Chapter 2 - The Bruise That Disappeared
Julieta immediately put Noah beside Gianna and stood.
Then she moved half a step.
It was subtle.
But I noticed.
She placed herself between Regina and my children.
A shield.
“Good afternoon, Miss Ashford.”
Regina didn't answer.
She ran one manicured finger across the back of a chair.
Then she inspected it.
“You missed a spot.”
Julieta looked.
There was nothing there.
“I'll clean it.”
“No.”
Regina stepped closer.
“You'll do exactly what I tell you today, because by tomorrow Emilio will throw you out of this house.”
My fingers tightened around the edge of my desk.
Julieta's face went pale.
“Why would he do that?”
“Because he believes me.”
Regina smiled.
“Men like Emilio always believe women like me over women like you.”
Julieta glanced toward the twins.
“Please don't speak like this in front of the children.”
Regina laughed.
“Still pretending you're their mother?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Regina rolled up her sleeve.
I leaned closer to the monitor.
The bruise was gone.
Completely.
Smooth skin.
No swelling.
No discoloration.
Nothing.
I replayed the image from the night before in my head.
Dark purple bruise.
Large enough to make me furious.
Now there wasn't even a mark.
Regina noticed Julieta staring.
“What?”
“That bruise.”
Regina smiled.
“What bruise?”
“The one you told Mr. Verona I gave you.”
Silence.
Then Regina laughed.
“Oh, that.”
My stomach turned.
Julieta whispered, “You lied.”
“Of course I lied.”
The room seemed to shrink around me.
Julieta stared at her.
“Why?”
“Because you won't leave.”
“I work here.”
“You live here.”
“My room is downstairs.”
“You eat with his children. You carry them. They reach for you when they cry.”
Regina stepped closer.
“And lately Emilio watches you.”
Julieta shook her head.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“You're imagining things.”
“Am I?”
Regina's voice hardened.
“I am going to be Mrs. Verona. I won't have some nanny playing family in my house.”
Julieta looked toward Noah.
“This is their house.”
Regina's smile vanished.
“Excuse me?”
“The children.”
Julieta stood straighter.
“This is their home.”
I almost smiled.
Almost.
Regina pointed toward the floor.
“Get on your knees.”
Julieta didn't move.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me. Emilio wanted the floor cleaned.”
“It is clean.”
“I don't care.”
“No.”
Regina froze.
“What did you say?”
“I said no.”
Julieta's voice remained quiet.
“The children are hungry. I'm making their dinner.”
Regina stepped toward Gianna.
Julieta instantly blocked her.
“Don't.”
Regina stared at her.
Then she smiled again.
“You really don't understand, do you?”
“Understand what?”
“Emilio doesn't trust you.”
Julieta flinched.
Regina saw it.
“He thinks you're working for Kowalski.”
Julieta's expression changed.
“How do you know that?”
My entire body went still.
Regina had just made a mistake.
A serious one.
I had never told Julieta about the Kowalski accusation.
More importantly, only four people knew the cameras had been installed.
None of them were Regina.
Julieta whispered, “Why would Mr. Verona think that?”
“Because I made sure he would.”
There it was.
A confession.
But Regina wasn't finished.
“You should have left months ago.”
“Months?”
Julieta stared at her.
“What have you been doing?”
Regina walked toward the window.
“I tried being polite.”
“You threatened me.”
“You didn't listen.”
“You told me Mr. Verona hated having me here.”
“He did.”
“No.”
Julieta's voice changed.
“You told me the twins cried because I reminded them of their mother. You told me I was confusing them. You told me Mr. Verona wanted me to stop speaking Spanish around them.”
My jaw clenched.
I had never said any of those things.
Regina shrugged.
“It almost worked.”
Julieta stared at her.
“What else did you lie about?”
Regina turned.
“Enough.”
“Did you send the anonymous complaints about me?”
No answer.
“Did you tell the agency I was stealing?”
Regina smiled.
Then my office phone rang.
I ignored it.
On-screen, Julieta stepped closer.
“What does Kowalski have to do with this?”
For the first time, Regina looked cautious.
Julieta noticed.
So did I.
“Nothing,” Regina said.
“You used his name.”
“I said enough.”
“No.”
Julieta shook her head.
“You wanted Mr. Verona frightened.”
Regina's expression hardened.
“You're smarter than you look.”
Then she leaned toward Julieta.
“I needed Emilio to believe someone inside this house couldn't be trusted.”
My blood went cold.
Julieta whispered, “Why?”
Regina answered with seven words.
“Because he was asking the wrong questions.”
I reached for my phone.
“Marco.”
My security chief answered immediately.
“Yes, boss?”
“Lock the estate.”
A pause.
“Problem?”
“Every gate. Every garage. Nobody leaves.”
I looked at Regina on the monitor.
“And Marco?”
“Yes?”
May you like
“Don't tell Regina.”
---
