I pick up my phone and dial Alberti again.
"It's Romano. I want you to expand that background check."
"How far back?"
"All the way. Birth records, school enrollment, medical history, travel documents. Everything."
"That's going to take time. And it's going to cost. Especially for confidential things like medical records."
"I don't care about the cost. And I need it fast."
"I'll see what I can do."
I try to imagine what I'll do with whatever truth Alberti uncovers. Because one thing I'm certain of. The woman I married is not the woman I thought I was getting.
The only question now is whether that's something to celebrate or something to fear.
Chapter 20: Gabriella
I can't sit still or concentrate.
It's been six hours since Luca questioned me about last night, and I'm about to go out of my mind. Every time my phone buzzes, I expect it to be my father with another panicked message. Every time Luca looks at me, I feel like he's cataloging another inconsistency.
The walls are closing in from every direction, and I can't breathe.
"Mrs. Romano?" Rosa appears in the doorway. "Is everything all right? You seem... restless."
"I'm fine. Just thinking about visiting my father this afternoon. I realized I left some things at his house that I'd like to have here."
It's a weak excuse, but it's all I've got. I need to see him face to face today and make sure he doesn't do anything rash that will get us all killed.
"Would you like me to have Paolo drive you?"
"That would be perfect. Thank you."
An hour later, I'm sitting in the back of Luca's car while Paolo navigates the familiar streets to my childhood home. The villa where Sofia and I grew up looks exactly the same as I remember from my early childhood. Pristine gardens, expensive cars in the circular drive, the kind of old money elegance that whispers rather than shouts.
But when Maria, our longtime housekeeper, opens the door, her face is tight with worry.
"Miss Sofia," she says, "Your father is in his study. He's been agitated since dinner last night. I’m very worried."
“I’ll take care of it,” I tell her.
I find him behind his mahogany desk, but he's not working. He's staring out the window with the hollow expression of a man watching his world collapse.
"Papa."
He turns, and the relief on his face is quickly replaced by fury. "Finally. I've been calling you."
"I know. I came as soon as I could."
"As soon as you could?" He stands abruptly, knocking over his coffee cup. The dark liquid spreads across papers scattered on his desk. "Do you have any idea what you've put me through? What I've been trying to clean up since last night?"
"What have you done?"
"What have you done!" His voice rises to a shout. "I've spent twelve hours trying to figure out how to contact Sofia without getting her killed, how to fix this nightmare you've created!"
"Keep your voice down," I hiss, glancing toward the door. "The staff will hear."
