Chapter 6: The Man Who Knew My Wife Before Me
The private airfield sat beyond the industrial district, hidden behind high fences and a gate marked with the logo of Bellini Family Holdings.
Rain had begun to fall by the time our cars arrived.
Marco parked beside the security booth, where two guards stood beneath a narrow awning. One recognized the Bellini name on our visitor credentials and immediately reached for his radio.
I stepped out before he could finish his call.
"I'm looking for a woman named Bianca Bellini.""
The guard hesitated.
"She's not on the passenger manifest.""
"Then why is her car parked beside your hangar?""
He glanced toward the building.
"I can't discuss private client movements.""
Marco moved beside me.
"We're cooperating with an investigation involving suspected financial fraud. You can answer our questions, or you can explain to the police why you refused to preserve evidence.""
The guard lowered his radio.
"She's inside.""
I started toward the hangar.
Marco followed, with two security officers behind us.
Inside, the air smelled of aviation fuel and wet concrete. A private jet stood near the open hangar doors, its engines silent, its stairs lowered.
Bianca was beside a black leather suitcase.
And standing opposite her was Adrian Bellini.
He looked older than the man in the photograph, but there was no mistaking him. His silver hair was neatly combed, his charcoal suit immaculate, and his expression calm in a way that immediately made me distrust him.
Bianca saw me first.
Her face went pale.
"Alessandro.""
I ignored her and looked at the man beside her.
"Adrian Bellini?""
He extended a hand.
"Mr. Moretti. I've heard a great deal about you.""
I didn't take it.
"Then you know why I'm here.""
He lowered his hand without showing irritation.
"I imagine this concerns Bianca's unfortunate disagreement with your family.""
"An attempted three-million-dollar transfer from my daughter's trust. A falsified guardianship document. And a woman who shaved my six-year-old daughter's hair because she refused to obey her.""
Adrian glanced at Bianca.
"Is that what happened?""
Bianca's eyes filled with tears.
"He was going to humiliate me in front of everyone. I panicked.""
"You had electric clippers against a child's head," I said.
"Don't pretend this was a misunderstanding.""
Adrian sighed.
"Bianca, perhaps you should let me handle this.""
She looked at him with a mixture of fear and desperation.
"Tell him.""
"Tell me what?""
"Tell him what Isabella did.""
The name changed Adrian's expression.
For the first time, the polished mask slipped.
He looked at me.
"So you've found the ring.""
I felt my heartbeat quicken.
"What did Isabella do?""
Adrian studied me for several seconds.
Then he turned toward the aircraft.
"Come inside. We should discuss this privately.""
"No.""
His eyebrows lifted.
"Excuse me?""
"You don't get to summon me into a private room after someone tried to steal my daughter's inheritance. You'll answer my questions here.""
Bianca stepped forward.
"Alessandro, please. You need to hear him out.""
I looked at her.
"Why? Because you brought my wife's ring to my daughter and told her to keep it secret?""
Her face drained of color.
Adrian's gaze snapped toward Bianca.
"You gave the child the ring?""
Bianca swallowed.
"I was trying to make things easier.""
"For whom?"" I demanded.
Neither answered.
I pulled out my phone and showed Adrian the photograph of Isabella and the woman named Elena.
"Who is this?""
He studied it.
"Elena Voss.""
"Who was she to my wife?""
"A friend.""
"Why was Isabella wearing the ring you have on your hand?""
Adrian slowly looked down at his own gold ring.
It was nearly identical to the one Livia had found.
"Because the rings were part of a private engagement agreement," he said.
"What agreement?""
Adrian folded his hands.
"Our families had planned a marriage when Isabella and I were young. It wasn't simply a romantic arrangement. There were financial interests involved.""
"Explain.""
"My family was investing in a development project. Isabella's father had promised certain assets as security. The engagement was intended to unite our families and stabilize the arrangement.""
I stared at him.
"My wife was collateral in a business deal?""
"That is a crude description.""
"It's the only description that makes sense.""
Adrian's jaw tightened.
"Isabella chose to leave. I respected her decision.""
"Then why did she spend the rest of her life hiding the ring?""
"Because she was afraid of what the agreement represented.""
"What did it represent?""
Adrian looked toward Bianca.
She shook her head almost imperceptibly.
I noticed.
So did he.
He sighed.
"The agreement was never fully dissolved. Certain financial obligations remained unresolved.""
"What obligations?""
"That is a matter for the lawyers.""
I stepped closer.
"You have until the police arrive to explain why your company was named as the recipient of a transfer from my daughter's trust.""
Adrian's expression hardened.
"I had no involvement in any transfer.""
"Your company was the destination.""
"I have hundreds of business accounts.""
"Then you'll have no difficulty proving you knew nothing about it.""
Bianca suddenly grabbed his sleeve.
"Adrian, tell him about the letter.""
He looked down at her hand.
"Be quiet.""
She recoiled.
I watched the exchange carefully.
Until that moment, I'd assumed Bianca was working with Adrian as an equal partner.
Now I saw something else.
She was afraid of him.
Not the ordinary fear of someone worried about being caught.
The fear of someone who had been promised a reward and was beginning to realize she might be disposable.
"What letter?"" I asked.
Adrian straightened his jacket.
"Isabella left a number of personal documents. Some were confidential.""
"Where are they?""
"I wouldn't know.""
Bianca laughed bitterly.
"You said we'd get everything once he signed the marriage documents.""
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"Stop talking.""
"No! You promised me the trust would be transferred. You promised me that after the wedding, Alessandro would have no choice but to let us manage the estate.""
My blood ran cold.
I turned toward Adrian.
"Us?""
Bianca's mouth snapped shut.
Adrian's voice became dangerously quiet.
"You should be careful about making accusations.""
"And you should be careful about assuming nobody can hear you.""
Marco stepped forward.
"Sir, the police are on their way.""
Adrian looked toward the hangar doors.
For the first time, he seemed genuinely concerned.
Then he did something I hadn't expected.
He smiled.
"Mr. Moretti, I believe you've misunderstood the situation. Bianca approached me because she was concerned about your daughter's future. She believed you were making impulsive financial decisions, and she wanted to ensure the family assets remained protected.""
"By stealing three million dollars?""
"By restructuring the trust.""
"Without my authorization?""
"That is what your lawyers will determine.""
I moved closer.
"Did you know Isabella?""
"Of course.""
"Did you love her?""
The question surprised him.
His smile disappeared.
For a moment, he looked less like a powerful businessman and more like a man remembering something he had spent years trying to forget.
"Yes," he said quietly.
"I loved her.""
"Then why are you helping the woman who hurt her daughter?""
Adrian's face hardened.
"Because Isabella's choices had consequences for more people than herself.""
I stared at him.
"What does that mean?""
He glanced at Bianca.
She looked away.
Then Adrian reached into his jacket and pulled out a small envelope.
It was old, yellowed at the edges, and sealed with dark red wax.
My name was written across the front in Isabella's handwriting.
I stopped breathing.
"Where did you get that?""
Adrian held it between two fingers.
"Isabella sent it to me shortly before she died.""
I reached for it.
He pulled it back.
"Not so fast.""
My hands clenched.
"What do you want?""
"An agreement. You withdraw your allegations against Bianca, and I give you the letter.""
I stared at him in disbelief.
"You're bargaining with my dead wife's final words?""
"I'm offering you a resolution.""
"You're holding evidence that may explain an attempt to defraud my daughter.""
"Then perhaps we should let the lawyers negotiate.""
I took a step forward.
"Give me the envelope.""
Adrian's expression remained calm.
"Not until you understand what Isabella asked me to do.""
"What?""
He looked directly into my eyes.
"She asked me to make sure you never discovered who Livia's biological father really was.""
For several seconds, the entire hangar seemed to go silent.
I heard the rain hitting the roof.
The distant hum of an engine.
My own heartbeat.
Then I laughed once, without humor.
"That's impossible.""
Adrian said nothing.
"Livia is my daughter. I was there when she was born. I held her in my arms.
I raised her. Isabella never had an affair.""
"I didn't say she did.""
"Then explain what you're talking about.""
Adrian glanced toward Bianca.
She was staring at the floor.
"Isabella made a choice before she met you," he said.
"A choice that involved my family. She believed she could leave the past behind, but she was wrong.""
I shook my head.
"You're lying.""
"Perhaps. But the letter will tell you everything.""
I reached for the envelope again.
This time, he didn't pull it away.
He placed it in my hand.
"Read it before you decide what to do next.""
I broke the wax seal.
Inside was a single sheet of paper.
The first line was written in Isabella's familiar handwriting.
My darling Alessandro, if Adrian has finally given you this letter, then Bianca has already begun the plan we were afraid of.
I read on.
There is something I should have told you before we married. I wanted to tell you many times, but every time I looked at you, I was afraid the truth would destroy the life we had built.
My vision blurred.
I forced myself to continue.
Livia is your daughter in every way that matters. You have loved her, protected her, and raised her. Nothing in this letter can change that.
My fingers began to shake.
But there is a biological truth you deserve to know.
The next sentence had been crossed out.
Below it, Isabella had written:
Adrian is not the person you should fear.
I looked up.
Adrian was watching me.
Bianca had begun backing toward the aircraft stairs.
I returned to the letter.
The person who arranged the original agreement was someone you have trusted for years. Someone who knew about our marriage, our finances, and the circumstances of Livia's birth.
The page ended abruptly.
There was no signature.
No explanation.
Only one final line, written in a different ink.
If you want the complete truth, find Elena Voss before Bianca does.
I lowered the letter.
"Where is Elena?""
Adrian shook his head.
"I don't know.""
"You're lying.""
"She disappeared years ago.""
"Why?""
"I told you. She knew too much.""
Behind him, Bianca suddenly ran toward the aircraft stairs.
Marco moved to intercept her.
"Stop!""
She stumbled, caught the railing, and turned back toward Adrian.
"You said he wouldn't find out!""
Adrian's expression turned cold.
"You were supposed to retrieve the documents, not expose yourself.""
"You told me the ring would make him cooperate!""
"And you failed.""
Bianca stared at him in horror.
For the first time, I understood that the wedding had never been the real objective.
Bianca hadn't wanted a husband.
She'd wanted access.
To my daughter.
To my wife's estate.
To a secret that someone had spent years trying to bury.
I took out my phone and called Samuel.
"Find Elena Voss. Search every record connected to Isabella, Adrian Bellini, and the original engagement agreement.""
"I'll begin immediately.""
"And Samuel?""
"Yes?""
"Find out whether Livia's birth records were ever amended.""
There was a long silence.
Then Samuel said, "Alessandro, there's something you should know.""
My stomach tightened.
"What?""
"Someone requested a certified copy of Livia's original birth certificate three weeks before your wedding.""
"Who?""
"The request was submitted under Isabella's maiden name. But the collection authorization was signed by someone using your power of attorney.""
I looked at Bianca.
She had stopped struggling against Marco.
Her face was white.
"Who collected it?"" I asked.
Samuel lowered his voice.
"Your father.""
I couldn't move.
My father had been dead for eight years.
And according to Samuel's records, the person who collected the document had used his identity.
Then Adrian spoke from behind me.
"Now you understand why Isabella was afraid.""
I turned.
He was holding another photograph.
It showed Isabella standing outside a hospital, holding a newborn baby.
Beside her was a man whose face had been deliberately scratched out.
On the back, in Isabella's handwriting, were four words.
*The night everything changed.*
Adrian placed the photograph in my hand.
"Your wife didn't just leave you a secret, Alessandro.""
He paused.
May you like
"She left you a warning.""
And before I could ask another question, the police arrived—and Bianca began screaming that I was the one who had stolen the baby.
