Chapter 6 - THE MAN BIANCA NEVER MENTIONED
“Give me the phone.”
“No.”
Alessandro held out his hand.
“Bianca.”
“This is my phone.”
“My daughter is missing.”
Bianca backed away.
Rosalie blocked the door.
“Phone.”
Bianca looked around the room.
No one was on her side anymore.
Finally, she handed it over.
Alessandro answered.
“Daniel.”
Silence.
Then a man laughed.
“Well. That’s awkward.”
“Where is my daughter?”
Bianca lunged for the phone.
Alessandro turned away.
Daniel said, “So Bianca really didn’t tell you.”
“Tell me what?”
“That depends. How much time do you have before your guests realize the groom is hunting for his kid instead of getting married?”
“Where is Livia?”
“Not with me.”
Alessandro’s grip tightened.
“You expect me to believe that?”
“No. But you should.”
The line disconnected.
Alessandro immediately handed the number to security.
“Trace it.”
Bianca covered her face.
“God.”
“Who is he?”
She said nothing.
Vivienne answered.
“Her husband.”
Alessandro stared at her.
The room seemed to tilt.
“Her what?”
“Estranged husband.”
Bianca snapped, “We were separated!”
“You told me you’d never been married.”
“I was going to explain.”
“When?”
“After the honeymoon.”
Rosalie laughed in disbelief.
“After the illegal wedding?”
“It’s complicated.”
“No,” Alessandro said. “Losing a set of keys is complicated. Secret husbands are simple.”
Bianca’s face twisted.
“Daniel was abusive.”
Vivienne looked away.
Alessandro noticed.
“Is that true?”
Bianca shouted, “Yes!”
“Then why is your mother looking at the floor?”
Bianca turned on Vivienne.
“Don’t you dare.”
Vivienne’s voice shook.
“They hurt each other.”
Bianca stared at her.
“You always take his side.”
“I’m not taking sides.”
“You let him destroy my life!”
Alessandro cut in.
“My daughter.”
Everything stopped.
“I don’t care about your marriage. I care about finding Livia.”
Security called.
“We traced the number.”
“Where?”
“Disposable phone. Last signal pinged near the old greenhouse.”
The place from the text.
Alessandro headed for the stairs.
Rosalie followed.
He turned.
“Stay here.”
“No.”
“Rosalie.”
“You think I’m letting you walk into that place alone?”
“The message said—”
“The message also came from whoever knocked out your cameras and kidnapped an eight-year-old. I’m not following their rules.”
She had a point.
Alessandro looked toward his security chief.
“Stay fifty yards back. No visible weapons.”
Bianca grabbed his arm.
“Don’t go.”
He looked at her hand.
She released him.
“Why?”
“Daniel is dangerous.”
“You just said he doesn’t have Livia.”
“I don’t know what he has.”
Alessandro started walking.
Then Bianca called after him.
“Alessandro!”
He turned.
Tears ran down her face.
“There’s something else.”
“What?”
She hesitated.
“The person who took Livia may not be after you.”
A terrible feeling settled over him.
May you like
“Then who are they after?”
Bianca whispered, “Me.”
