Chapter 5: The Woman Who Knew My Wife’s Secret
The door opened slowly.
Too slowly.
Every instinct inside me told me not to let Bianca enter.
But I didn’t stop her.
Maybe because I wanted answers.
Maybe because after everything I had discovered, I didn’t know who was telling the truth anymore.
Bianca stepped inside and closed the door behind her.
Her wedding dress brushed against the floor.
The same dress she had chosen weeks ago.
The same dress I had watched her try on while she smiled and asked if I thought she looked beautiful.
Back then, I had answered without hesitation.
Now I couldn’t even look at her.
“You watched the video,” she said.
It wasn’t a question.
I stood up.
“You knew about it.””
Bianca looked at the laptop.
Then at me.
“Yes.””
My jaw tightened.
“You knew Isabella recorded that?””
“Yes.””
“And you still came here?””
She took a breath.
“Because I knew this day would come.””
Matteo stepped forward.
“What exactly does that mean?””
Bianca ignored him.
Her eyes stayed on me.
“Alessandro, you need to understand something.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
“You think I’m the villain because Isabella left a video.””
“She warned me about you.””
“She warned you because she was afraid.””
“Of you.””
Bianca shook her head.
“No.””
Her voice became softer.
“Of what would happen if you learned the truth.””
The room went silent.
I stared at her.
“What truth?””
She looked away.
For the first time, she seemed unsure.
Then she whispered:
“The truth about Livia’s mother.””
My chest tightened.
“Don’t.””
“I’m not trying to hurt you.””
“You already did.””
Her expression changed.
Pain flashed across her face.
But I didn’t know if it was real.
Not anymore.
“You think I wanted to hurt Livia?””
I looked at her.
“You held clippers against her hair.””
“I made a mistake.””
“A mistake?””
Her eyes lowered.
“Yes.””
The answer surprised me.
She didn’t argue.
She didn’t defend herself.
She simply admitted it.
And somehow, that made me more uncomfortable.
Because monsters didn’t always look like monsters.
Sometimes they apologized.
Sometimes they cried.
Sometimes they said exactly what people wanted to hear.
“You need to leave,” I said.
Bianca looked at me.
“Alessandro—”
“Leave.””
She swallowed.
“Before you decide anything, I need you to know one thing.””
“I don’t want another excuse.””
“It’s not an excuse.””
She reached into her purse.
Matteo immediately moved between us.
“What are you doing?””
Bianca stopped.
“I’m taking something out.””
Slowly, she pulled out a small envelope.
My heart sank.
Another envelope.
Another secret.
She placed it on the desk.
“This was written by Isabella.””
I stared at it.
“Another letter?””
“Yes.””
“Why do you have it?””
Her eyes met mine.
“Because she gave it to me.””
The room froze.
I felt like I had been punched.
“What?””
Bianca’s voice became quiet.
“She came to me three weeks before she died.””
“No.””
“She knew she was running out of time.””
“No.””
“She asked me for help.””
I shook my head.
“That doesn’t make sense.””
“I know.””
“Why would my wife come to you?””
Bianca looked at the envelope.
“Because she knew I was the only person who could stop what was happening.””
“What was happening?””
She didn’t answer immediately.
And that hesitation scared me.
“Bianca.””
She looked at me.
“She was investigating Daniel.””
The name again.
Every path led back to that name.
“Who is Daniel?””
Bianca looked at Matteo.
Then at me.
“Someone Isabella should never have trusted.””
My hands curled into fists.
“Start explaining.””
She nodded slowly.
“Daniel was not just someone Isabella knew.””
A pause.
“He was her brother.””
The room went silent.
I blinked.
“What?””
“Isabella had a brother.””
I shook my head.
“No. She didn’t.””
“That’s what she wanted everyone to believe.””
“Why?””
“Because he was dangerous.””
Matteo frowned.
“This is impossible.””
Bianca looked at him.
“You knew Isabella for years. Did you know everything about her?””
He didn’t answer.
Because he couldn’t.
None of us ever truly knew everything about another person.
Even the person we loved most.
Bianca continued.
“Daniel disappeared from Isabella’s life when they were young. But years later, he came back.””
“And what does he have to do with you?””
Her face changed.
“He found me first.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“Why?””
“Because he wanted information.””
“About Isabella?””
“Yes.””
“What kind of information?””
Bianca looked at the wedding ring on my finger.
Then she said:
“About you.””
I felt my stomach drop.
“Why would he care about me?””
“Because of your company.””
The answer landed heavily.
My family’s company.
The one my grandfather built.
The one I had taken over after years of fighting to keep it alive.
“You’re saying Daniel wanted my company?””
“Yes.””
“And Isabella knew?””
“She discovered it.””
Bianca walked toward the desk.
“She found messages between Daniel and people inside your company.””
My mind raced.
“There were employees involved?””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
“I don’t know.””
“You expect me to believe that?””
“I expect you to look.””
She pointed at the laptop.
“At everything Isabella left behind.””
I stared at her.
“You’re saying she made that video to protect me.””
“Yes.””
“Then why did she tell me not to trust you?””
Bianca became quiet.
That was the question she had been avoiding.
Finally, she whispered:
“Because Isabella didn’t know if she could trust me either.””
The honesty caught me off guard.
“She was scared of you?””
“No.””
Bianca looked down.
“She was scared of everyone.””
I didn’t know what to say.
For the first time, Bianca didn’t seem like someone controlling the situation.
She looked like someone carrying a secret too heavy to hold.
But then I remembered Livia.
The clippers.
The tears.
The fear in my daughter’s eyes.
Whatever Bianca had been through, she had still hurt my child.
“Why did you cut her hair?””
Bianca froze.
A long silence followed.
Then she answered.
“Because I was angry.””
The admission shocked me.
“Angry at a six-year-old?””
“No.””
She closed her eyes.
“Angry at Isabella.””
My heart tightened.
“What does Livia have to do with Isabella?””
“Everything.””
Bianca looked toward the door.
Then back at me.
“Livia was the reason Isabella made the choice she made.””
“What choice?””
“She didn’t tell you?””
“Tell me what?””
Bianca’s eyes filled with tears.
“She didn’t die because of an accident.””
The room became painfully quiet.
I felt the air leave my lungs.
“What are you saying?””
Bianca stepped closer.
“Isabella was trying to escape.””
“From what?””
She looked directly at me.
“From the same person who just called you today.””
My blood ran cold.
“Daniel?””
Bianca nodded.
But before I could ask another question, the office door suddenly slammed open.
Rosalie stood there.
Her face was terrified.
“Alessandro.””
I turned.
“What happened?””
She looked at Bianca.
Then at me.
“I found something in Livia’s bag.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
Rosalie held up a small folded piece of paper.
“She had this hidden inside her doll.””
I walked toward her.
“Why?””
Rosalie’s hands shook.
“Because she said Bianca told her never to show you.””
I took the paper.
Slowly, I unfolded it.
The handwriting was small.
Childlike.
But the words were clear.
My daughter had written them herself.
*“Daddy, I saw Bianca talking to the man who hurt Mommy.””*
I looked up.
“Who?””
Livia’s voice came from behind Rosalie.
She had followed her.
Her face was pale.
And then she whispered the name.
May you like
A name that made Bianca take a step back.
“Daniel.””
