Chapter 1 – THE SILVER LOCKET ON THE FLOOR

Vanessa backed away from the dining table.

Her chair scraped loudly against the hardwood floor.

The crystal chandeliers above seemed to dim as Luca stood up. He didn’t yell. He didn’t reach for a weapon.

His utter stillness was far more terrifying.

“Where is she?” Luca asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Vanessa’s hands were shaking so violently she dropped her napkin. “Luca, you have to understand. I didn’t know about… about the first fiancée. I swear it!”

“You told the man on the phone she found out where she was buried.”

“I was just repeating what he told me!”

Luca stepped closer. “Who were you talking to, Vanessa?”

She looked around the room, desperate, her eyes darting toward the hallway.

I stood frozen near the sideboard, my hands clutching the serving tray. Sofia was still sitting at the table, tears streaming down her face, her small hands gripped tightly together.

“I can’t tell you,” Vanessa sobbed. “If I tell you, he’ll kill me.”

“If you don’t tell me,” Luca said, his tone turning to ice, “I won’t have to.”

Before Vanessa could answer, the heavy oak doors of the dining room swung open.

It was Daniel, the head of security. He was breathing heavily, a black duffel bag gripped in his right hand.

“Boss,” Daniel said, his voice tight. “A courier just dropped this at the front gate.”

Luca didn’t take his eyes off Vanessa. “What is it?”

“It’s Miss Elena’s luggage from the airport.”

Luca finally turned. He walked over to Daniel and took the bag. It was expensive, custom leather. Elena’s initials were stamped in gold on the side.

Luca set it on the dining table, right next to the uneaten chocolate cake.

He unzipped it.

Inside were folded clothes, a makeup bag, and a pair of shoes.

But as Luca moved the clothes aside, his hand stopped.

He reached in and pulled out a silver locket.

I recognized it immediately. Elena wore it every single day. It held a picture of Sofia as a baby.

But it wasn’t just the locket that made the room fall dead silent.

The silver chain was broken.

And the casing was smeared with fresh blood.

Vanessa screamed, covering her mouth.

Sofia let out a small, broken sound.

Luca stared at the blood on his sister’s necklace.

Then he looked at Daniel. “Lock down the estate. Nobody leaves. Not even Vanessa.”

Daniel nodded, pulling his radio.

Luca turned to me. “Anna. Take Sofia upstairs. Lock the door. Do not open it for anyone but me.”

“Yes, sir,” I whispered.

I rushed forward and gently took Sofia’s hand. She was trembling. I guided her away from the table, but as we reached the doorway, she stopped.

She turned back and pointed at the duffel bag.

Then she signed to Luca.

“Uncle Luca, look inside the locket.”

Luca frowned. He pried the bloodstained silver locket open.

The picture of baby Sofia was gone.

Instead, folded tightly inside the tiny silver frame, was a small, torn photograph.

Luca pulled it out and unfolded it.

The color completely drained from his face.

He didn’t look at Vanessa. He didn’t look at Daniel.

He looked directly at me.

“Anna,” Luca said, his voice cracking for the first time. “Why is a picture of your mother inside my sister’s locket?”

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