Chapter 4 - The Sister Nobody Mentioned
Victoria Moretti entered the study as though she owned it.
Maybe she did.
She looked around thirty-five. Elegant. Calm.
Blonde.
Leo’s description flashed through my mind.
Yellow hair.
Adrian stepped between us.
“You were supposed to be in Paris.”
“I came back yesterday.”
“Why?”
“I heard my nephew disappeared.”
Anthony pointed at her.
“That voice.”
Victoria laughed.
“Seriously?”
Adrian didn’t.
“Where were you tonight?”
“At my hotel.”
“Which one?”
“The Langham.”
“I’ll check.”
Her smile vanished.
“You think I kidnapped Leo?”
“I think someone did.”
“And your waitress solved the mystery?”
Her eyes landed on me.
I immediately disliked her.
“She’s not my waitress,” Adrian said.
Victoria’s eyebrows lifted.
“Interesting.”
I folded my arms.
“Very.”
Adrian turned to Anthony.
“Take him downstairs.”
Two guards escorted Anthony away.
Victoria waited.
Then she said, “There’s something you should know.”
“What?”
“Father changed his trust before he died.”
Adrian stared at her.
“What does that have to do with Leo?”
“Everything.”
She opened her purse.
Three guards moved.
Victoria sighed.
“It’s paper.”
She removed a document.
“Father left controlling interest in Moretti Holdings to Leo.”
Adrian took the document.
“That’s impossible.”
“Apparently not.”
I watched his expression.
“If Leo dies?”
Victoria looked at Adrian.
“The shares pass to you.”
Adrian’s eyes lifted.
Then Victoria added, “If both of you die, they pass to me.”
Silence.
I stared at her.
“Well, that certainly doesn’t look suspicious.”
Victoria glared at me.
“You should go back to pouring coffee.”
“Soon as people stop kidnapping children.”
Adrian stepped between us.
“Enough.”
He looked at Victoria.
“You stay here tonight.”
“You’re ordering me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because until I know who did this, everyone stays where I can see them.”
Victoria smiled coldly.
“Even her?”
She pointed at me.
Adrian’s answer came immediately.
“Especially her.”
That night, I couldn’t sleep.
Around four-thirty, I heard footsteps.
I opened my door.
Leo stood in the hallway.
“Hey.”
He looked terrified.
“Bad dream?”
He nodded.
I crouched.
“Want some warm milk?”
Another nod.
We went downstairs.
The kitchen was empty.
While I heated milk, Leo sat at the island.
“Willa?”
“Yeah?”
“Daddy likes you.”
I nearly dropped the mug.
“He definitely does not.”
“He does.”
“How do you know?”
“He says your name angry.”
I stared at him.
“That usually means the opposite.”
Leo considered this.
“No.”
I laughed.
Then his expression changed.
“The lady smelled like flowers.”
My smile disappeared.
“What kind?”
He shrugged.
“Like Aunt Victoria.”
I slowly turned.
“Leo, did you see Aunt Victoria at the party?”
He nodded.
“She gave me juice.”
My heart stopped.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
A sound came from behind me.
I spun around.
Victoria stood in the kitchen doorway.
Leo froze.
Victoria’s eyes met mine.
“You ask too many questions.”
I moved in front of Leo.
“Adrian!”
Victoria reached inside her coat.
I grabbed the nearest object.
A cast-iron skillet.
Her eyebrows lifted.
“Seriously?”
“I work night shifts in Garfield Park. This isn’t even my strangest Tuesday.”
She pulled out a phone.
Not a weapon.
“Relax.”
I didn’t.
“Call Adrian.”
Victoria stared at me.
Then she laughed.
“You actually think I hurt him.”
“Leo says you gave him the drink.”
“I did.”
“Why?”
“Because he asked me for juice.”
“Was it drugged?”
“No.”
“Then who drugged it?”
Victoria’s face changed.
She looked at Leo.
“Who handed you the glass?”
Leo whispered, “Uncle Daniel.”
Victoria went pale.
I heard footsteps behind us.
Adrian entered.
“Who is Daniel?”
Victoria slowly faced her brother.
“Our father’s attorney.”
Adrian’s expression hardened.
May you like
“And the trustee controlling Leo’s shares until his eighteenth birthday.”
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