Chapter Nine: The Man Who Knew Everything

"Don't leave your apartment tonight."

Alessandro's warning remained in Isabella's ears long after the phone call ended. She stood beside Leonardo's bed, holding the silver pendant and staring at its engraved family crest.

Someone had approached her son.

Someone knew about Alessandro.

And worst of all, someone had known about their secret before Alessandro himself had confirmed it.

"Mommy, why are you looking at that?"

Isabella quickly closed her fingers around the pendant.

"Nothing, sweetheart. It's just something I need to keep safe."

Leonardo sat up, examining her face.

"Are you angry?"

"No, baby."

"Then why do you look scared?"

Isabella forced a smile and kissed his forehead. "I'm just thinking about something. You need to sleep now."

But even after Leonardo closed his eyes, she remained beside him.

She had returned to Italy hoping to build a normal life. Now, the past was following her into every room.

At the Romano estate, Alessandro stood in his private study while Marco paced beside the desk.

"Who contacted you?" Marco asked.

Alessandro showed him the message on his phone.

It had come from an unknown number.

If you want to know why Isabella disappeared, meet me tomorrow. Come alone. I have the truth about the night you were drugged.

Marco shook his head.

"This is obviously a trap."

"I know."

"Then don't go."

Alessandro looked at him.

"Someone has been watching Isabella's apartment, approaching Leonardo, and sending photographs to my estate. I need to know who is behind it."

"Then let me handle the meeting."

"No."

Marco stopped pacing.

"Alessandro, whoever this person is, they know things about your family that shouldn't be public."

Alessandro picked up the silver pendant's photograph.

"That's exactly why I'm going."

Before Marco could respond, Alessandro's phone rang.

His mother's name appeared on the screen.

"Mother?"

"Alessandro, I need you to come home."

He frowned.

"I'm already home."

"Not your apartment. The main estate. There's someone here asking about you."

"Who?"

His mother hesitated.

"A woman. She says she knows Isabella."

Alessandro immediately straightened.

"What's her name?"

"Valentina De Luca."

His expression hardened.

Valentina was seated in the drawing room when Alessandro entered.

She wore an elegant cream dress, her dark hair arranged perfectly over her shoulders. She stood immediately, offering him a welcoming smile.

"Alessandro."

He didn't return it.

"What are you doing here?"

Valentina's smile weakened.

"Is that how you greet someone who hasn't seen you in months?"

"You're avoiding my question."

She sighed and sat down again.

"I heard you've been searching for a woman."

Alessandro's expression remained unchanged.

"Who told you?"

"People talk."

"Then people should learn to mind their business."

Valentina ignored his remark.

"Isabella Moretti. Interesting choice."

Alessandro studied her.

"How do you know her?"

Valentina crossed her legs.

"I don't know her personally, but I remember her from that gathering three years ago."

For the first time, Alessandro's attention sharpened.

"What do you remember?"

"She was there with a man who left shortly before midnight."

"Who?"

Valentina smiled faintly.

"Someone you trusted."

Alessandro stepped closer.

"Give me a name."

"Not so quickly. I came because I wanted to warn you. Isabella isn't as innocent as you think."

His expression darkened.

"Be careful."

Valentina stood.

"You're becoming involved with a woman whose past you haven't investigated properly. And now there's a child."

Alessandro stared at her.

"How do you know about Leonardo?"

Her smile disappeared for a fraction of a second.

It was enough.

"Valentina."

She picked up her handbag.

"Ask Marco what happened to the original security footage from that night. Perhaps you'll discover that some people close to you have been lying."

Then she walked out.

Alessandro immediately called Marco.

"Find out who gave Valentina information about Isabella."

Meanwhile, Isabella received another call from an unfamiliar number.

She hesitated before answering.

"Hello?"

A man's voice greeted her.

"Good evening, Isabella."

Her stomach tightened.

"Who is this?"

"Someone who remembers the night you met Alessandro Romano."

She immediately looked toward Leonardo's bedroom.

"What do you want?"

"To help you."

"I don't need your help."

The man chuckled quietly.

"You might change your mind when you discover what Alessandro's family has been hiding from you."

Isabella gripped her phone.

"What are you talking about?"

"The night you became pregnant wasn't supposed to happen the way it did."

Her breathing became uneven.

"What does that mean?"

Before he could answer, another voice interrupted.

"Isabella?"

She turned sharply.

Alessandro was standing at her apartment entrance.

She hadn't heard him arrive.

He looked at the phone in her hand.

"Who are you speaking to?"

The caller suddenly spoke again.

"Ah, Alessandro Romano. You're there already."

Alessandro approached.

"Who is this?"

The man laughed.

"You really don't recognize my voice?"

Alessandro's expression changed.

The phone went silent.

The call had ended.

For several seconds, nobody spoke.

Then Isabella looked at Alessandro.

"He said the night we met wasn't supposed to happen that way."

Alessandro took the phone from her hand and examined the unknown number.

"Did he mention anything else?"

"He said your family has been hiding something."

Alessandro's jaw tightened.

Before he could respond, his own phone vibrated.

A message had arrived from Marco.

He opened it.

The first line made his expression turn frighteningly cold.

THE PERSON WHO AUTHORIZED THE SECURITY FOOTAGE TO BE DELETED THREE YEARS AGO WAS VICTORIA ROMANO.

Alessandro read the message again.

His mother.

The woman who had raised him.

The woman who had always insisted that the incident was nothing more than an unfortunate misunderstanding.

He slowly lowered his phone.

Isabella noticed his expression.

"What happened?"

Alessandro looked at her, then toward Leonardo's bedroom.

For the first time, he seemed genuinely uncertain about what he was about to uncover.

"My mother knows something about that nig

ht."

And before Isabella could ask another question, someone knocked three times on the apartment door.

Alessandro reached for the handle.

A familiar female voice came from outside.

"Open the door, Alessandro. We need to talk about your son."

It was Victoria Romano.

And she wasn't alone.