Chapter 5 - DON'T LET MOMMY DISAPPEAR
Lorenzo stood in the doorway holding a travel bag.
He was forty years old, tall, broad-shouldered, and still wearing the charcoal suit he had traveled in.
His eyes moved from Victor to Valentina.
Then to Sophia on the floor.
He dropped the bag.
“Sophia?”
Valentina moved immediately.
“Lorenzo, thank God.”
She rushed toward him.
“The housekeeper attacked me.”
Sophia almost laughed from disbelief.
Lorenzo did not look at Valentina.
He walked directly toward Sophia.
“Who did this?”
Victor released her arm.
Valentina spoke quickly.
“She broke into private areas of the estate.”
Lorenzo looked at Sophia’s swollen cheek.
“Did you hit her?”
Valentina paused.
“She became violent.”
Sophia pushed herself upright.
Before she could speak, a small voice came from the hallway.
“Daddy.”
Everyone turned.
Lorenzo’s seven-year-old daughter, Isabella, stood near the doorway.
Her mother had died four years earlier.
Valentina had encouraged Isabella to call her Mommy for nearly a year.
The girl rarely did.
Now Isabella looked terrified.
Lorenzo crossed the room.
“What happened, sweetheart?”
Isabella looked at Valentina.
Then she whispered something that changed everything.
“Don’t let Mommy disappear.”
Lorenzo frowned.
“What?”
Isabella grabbed his hand.
“Miss Valentina said Sophia’s little girl would disappear like Mommy did.”
The room became completely silent.
Valentina’s face changed.
Only for a second.
But Lorenzo saw it.
“What did you say?”
Valentina shook her head.
“She misunderstood.”
Isabella began crying quietly.
“She said bad girls disappear.”
Lorenzo stood slowly.
He looked at Valentina.
“You told my daughter that?”
“No.”
Sophia reached inside the torn lining of her uniform.
She had hidden the bronze key there after Valentina took the duplicate from her.
The original remained safe.
She held it out to Lorenzo.
“I think you need to see something.”
Valentina stepped forward.
“No.”
Lorenzo took the key.
Victor moved toward the door.
Lorenzo noticed.
“Don’t move.”
Victor stopped.
Sophia looked directly at Lorenzo.
“There’s a room under the chapel.”
Valentina’s composure finally broke.
“Lorenzo, she’s lying.”
Sophia continued.
“There are shipping records.”
“Passports.”
“Cash.”
“Forged documents.”
“And files with your signature.”
Lorenzo’s expression hardened.
“Show me.”
Valentina reached for his arm.
“Please listen to me.”
He pulled away.
Sophia led him toward the chapel.
Two estate security guards followed.
Lorenzo used the bronze key.
The hidden staircase opened.
They descended.
When Lorenzo saw the room beneath the chapel, he stopped.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he opened one of the ledgers.
His face drained of color.
“This shipment left three months ago.”
Sophia nodded.
Lorenzo turned another page.
“These signatures aren’t mine.”
Behind them, a guard suddenly shouted.
“Sir.”
Everyone turned.
May you like
Victor was gone.
So was Valentina.
