Chapter 5 - Sofia’s Missing SisterVincent dropped beside Isabella.

The blood was real.

But the wound was shallow.

A cut along her shoulder.

“She'll live,” Dominic's voice suddenly came from the doorway.

Vincent spun.

“You followed me.”

Dominic lowered his weapon.

“You knew I'd disobey.”

Emily was crying.

Vincent pulled her into his arms.

“You okay?”

She nodded.

“I'm okay.”

“Did Charles hurt you?”

“No.”

Vincent glanced at Isabella.

“Then why did he shoot her?”

Isabella pressed a hand to her shoulder.

“He didn't.”

Vincent froze.

“What?”

“I cut myself.”

“Why?”

“To make you believe he had attacked me.”

“And why would you want that?”

“So you would stop following his orders.”

Vincent stared at her.

“You planned this?”

“Yes.”

Dominic looked toward the dark warehouse.

“She sounds like Sofia.”

Isabella looked at him.

“I learned from her.”

The sentence landed heavily.

Vincent sat beside her.

“Tell me everything.”

Isabella breathed through the pain.

“Sofia and I were separated when we were six.”

“Why?”

“Our father wanted only one heir.”

“Charles?”

“No. My father.”

She looked down.

“Sofia stayed with him.”

“I was sent away.”

Vincent's voice was cold.

“And Charles?”

“Charles stayed.”

“Then why protect Sofia?”

“Because Charles is not who he pretends to be.”

Vincent stared.

“He manipulated our father. He forged documents. He slowly took control of Bellamy Holdings.”

“And Sofia discovered it.”

“Yes.”

“She told me she'd found financial records.”

“She found something much worse.”

“What?”

Isabella hesitated.

“Your family trust wasn't designed to protect your fortune.”

Vincent's expression changed.

“What was it designed for?”

“To hide ownership.”

“Ownership of what?”

“Companies. Land. Offshore accounts.”

Dominic frowned.

“That's old news in families like ours.”

“No.”

Isabella shook her head.

“This was different.”

She looked at Vincent.

“The trust was created using money that wasn't originally Moretti money.”

“Whose?”

“Bellamy.”

Vincent stared.

“Why would my father accept that?”

“He didn't know.”

“Then who did?”

“Charles.”

A painful silence followed.

Vincent looked at the floor.

“How did Sofia disappear?”

Isabella's voice lowered.

“She tried to confront Charles.”

“And?”

“He drugged her.”

Vincent's jaw tightened.

“When she woke up, she was underground.”

“How long?”

“Almost a year.”

“And the rest?”

“She escaped.”

Vincent stared.

“She escaped?”

“Yes.”

“Then why didn't she come home?”

Isabella looked away.

“Because she was being hunted.”

“By Charles.”

“And by someone inside your organization.”

Vincent's eyes hardened.

“Who?”

Isabella shook her head.

“I don't know.”

Vincent stood.

“Then Sofia does.”

Isabella nodded.

“She left a trail.”

“Where?”

“Everywhere.”

Vincent looked at Emily.

The little girl was holding the blue phone.

Vincent frowned.

“I thought Charles took it.”

Emily shook her head.

“I hid it.”

“Where?”

She smiled faintly.

“In my sock.”

Dominic stared.

Vincent actually almost smiled.

“Smart.”

Emily looked at the screen.

“There's another message.”

Vincent took the phone.

The display showed:

IF ISABELLA IS WITH YOU, SHE CAN SHOW YOU WHERE SOFIA WENT.

Underneath:

BUT DO NOT TELL DOMINIC.

Vincent read it twice.

Then looked at Dominic.

Dominic's face hardened.

“That's convenient.”

Vincent didn't answer.

Another message appeared.

TRUST NO ONE WHO WAS THERE THE NIGHT SOFIA DISAPPEARED.

Vincent's blood ran cold.

Three names came to mind.

Charles.

Dominic.

And himself.

He looked at Isabella.

“When did Sofia send this?”

“Before she disappeared.”

Vincent frowned.

“The phone was hidden for three years.”

Isabella shook her head.

“No.”

“What?”

“Sofia wasn't hiding it.”

“Then who was?”

Isabella looked at Grace.

Everyone turned.

Grace stood frozen in the warehouse doorway.

Vincent approached.

“You knew.”

Grace started crying.

“I knew part of it.”

“Who hid the phone?”

Grace whispered:

“Sofia.”

“Why?”

“She told me if she died, I should hide it.”

Vincent's voice broke.

“She thought she would die.”

Grace nodded.

“She gave me one other thing.”

“What?”

“A key.”

Vincent stared.

“Where is it?”

Grace reached into her dress.

Pulled out a tiny brass key.

Stamped with a number.

17.

Vincent recognized the number.

He had a private vault at Moretti Bank.

Vault 17.

He looked at Isabella.

“What is inside?”

Isabella shook her head.

“I don't know.”

Grace whispered:

“Sofia said only you could open it.”

Vincent took the key.

The blue phone vibrated again.

A new message appeared.

GO TO VAULT 17 BEFORE CHARLES DOES.

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Then the final sentence appeared.

AND WHEN YOU SEE WHAT IS INSIDE, YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHY SOFIA NEVER CAME HOME.