Chapter 6 - The WatchVittorio had not worn that watch in eighteen months.
It had been recovered from Elena's bedroom after the funeral.
He kept it in a drawer.
A silver watch with a black face.
Elena had given it to him on their tenth anniversary.
Someone had used it.
Someone had wanted Lucy to believe Vittorio was present when Elena died.
Someone had been deliberately planting evidence.
He opened the drawer.
The watch was gone.
Emma looked shocked.
“When did you last see it?”
“After the funeral.”
Vittorio checked every drawer.
Nothing.
Then he saw Lucy's expression.
“What?”
She looked toward the hallway.
“Bianca had it.”
Vittorio turned.
“When?”
“After Mommy died.”
“Why?”
“She said Daddy needed to look guilty.”
The words were simple.
The meaning was monstrous.
Vittorio sat down.
He realized Bianca and Marcus had never merely wanted control of Lucy's trust.
They had wanted something bigger.
They wanted Vittorio discredited.
Perhaps imprisoned.
Perhaps removed permanently.
He called the police.
Then the doorbell rang.
A detective entered.
“Mr. Vittorio.”
“Yes.”
“I need to speak with you.”
They sat in the study.
The detective placed a folder on the table.
“We found something in the original accident investigation.”
“What?”
“A witness.”
Vittorio's heart stopped.
“Who?”
“A truck driver.”
“He saw the crash?”
“He saw another vehicle leave the scene.”
“What vehicle?”
“A black SUV.”
Vittorio looked at Emma.
“Marcus's?”
The detective nodded.
“The registration was concealed.”
“Then why didn't anyone find this before?”
“Because the original report was amended.”
“By whom?”
The detective looked uncomfortable.
“Ferraro's office requested corrections.”
Silence.
The detective continued.
“The truck driver disappeared two weeks later.”
“Disappeared?”
“Yes.”
“Dead?”
“We don't know.”
Vittorio stood.
“Then find him.”
The detective looked at him.
“We are trying.”
Lucy suddenly walked into the room.
She was holding something.
A little blue box.
“Daddy.”
Vittorio knelt.
“What is that?”
“I found it under my bed.”
He opened it.
Inside was the missing watch.
And a tiny memory card.
Vittorio stared.
“Where did you get this?”
Lucy looked frightened.
“It was there this morning.”
Emma shook her head.
“That wasn't there last night.”
Vittorio inserted the card.
A video appeared.
The camera angle was low.
It had been hidden beneath furniture.
The room was Elena's bedroom.
Elena entered.
Marcus followed.
They argued.
Then Bianca entered.
Vittorio watched in silence.
Bianca held the silver watch.
“You're making this harder than it needs to be.”
Elena answered.
“You won't get Lucy's trust.”
“You don't understand.”
“I understand perfectly.”
Marcus looked toward the camera.
For one terrifying second, it seemed like he could see it.
Then Elena said something that made Vittorio freeze.
“My husband knows everything.”
Bianca stared.
“No, he doesn't.”
“He will.”
“You think Vittorio will choose you over his company?”
“He'll choose his daughter.”
Bianca laughed.
“That is exactly what makes him easy to control.”
Vittorio's hand tightened.
The recording continued.
Elena stepped toward Marcus.
“What did you do to my husband?”
Marcus smiled.
“Nothing yet.”
The video ended.
Vittorio stared at the screen.
Emma whispered.
“What did he mean?”
Vittorio didn't answer.
Because another memory had surfaced.
Six months before Elena died, Vittorio had suffered from unexplained exhaustion.
Headaches.
Periods of confusion.
He had blamed stress.
Bianca had insisted he rest.
She had prepared his drinks.
She had managed his medication.
Vittorio looked at the little bottle from the basement.
Suddenly, the pieces shifted.
Maybe they hadn't only been controlling Lucy.
Maybe they had been drugging him too.
And if they had been doing that for months…
May you like
Then the question was no longer why Bianca wanted him away from Lucy.
The question was how long they had been planning to remove him entirely.
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