Chapter 13 - The Truth Elena Carried
Elena told the story in pieces. Vanessa had been her friend before she became Vincent's fiancée. Victor Shaw had offered to help Vincent expand the port business, then used the partnership to gain access to private accounts, shipping schedules, and family records.
When Elena discovered that Victor was moving money through a company tied to the Moretti trust, she copied the records. Vanessa found the copies and threatened her unborn child.
Elena had tried to tell Vincent, but every message was intercepted. One night, she returned home and found her passport, medical records, and phone missing. Victor's men waited outside.
Daniel had been assigned to drive her to a safe location. He was the only person who believed her without asking for proof first.
"I thought Vincent had chosen them," Elena said. "I thought he knew and wanted me gone."
Vincent looked down. "I should have checked. I should have asked one more question."
"You were angry," Elena said. "And they used that anger."
She showed him a copy of the trust transfer. The document had been signed using Vincent's digital authorization while he was overseas. The transfer was not valid, but it had been used to move millions into Shaw-controlled accounts.
Clara recognized the name of the clinic that had altered her prenatal report. It was owned by another Shaw company.
The same network had touched both women.
Elena reached into her bag and placed a second phone on the table.
May you like
Elena had kept every letter she wrote to Vincent, even the ones she never sent. In one, she described Sofia's first word. In another, she wrote about the day the child learned to walk. Vincent read them alone that night and understood that missing a life was not the same as losing a person.
"Daniel sent me this the night he died," she said. "I never opened the last file."
