The Mafia Boss Locked the Door After Midnight — Then His Secretary Whispered Why She Was Leaving
Chapter 7
Isabella remembered the hospital corridor.
She remembered rain.
She remembered Marco holding her hand.
She remembered blood on his shirt.
But there was something else.
A woman.
Standing near the elevator.
Watching them.
She had been wearing a dark blue coat.
Isabella closed her eyes.
“She was there.”
Vincent looked at her.
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
“What did she look like?”
“Blonde hair.”
“Anything else?”
“A scar.”
“Where?”
“Her left cheek.”
Gabriel and Evelyn exchanged a look.
Vincent noticed.
“You know her.”
Evelyn nodded.
“Her name is Celia.”
“Who is she?”
“Your father’s daughter.”
Vincent froze.
“My sister?”
“No.”
Evelyn shook her head.
“Your father’s illegitimate daughter.”
Isabella stared.
“How old?”
“Thirty-two.”
“Where is she?”
Evelyn looked at Vincent.
“Inside the organization.”
Vincent immediately reached for his phone.
“Call everyone.”
Gabriel stopped him.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because if Celia is involved, she’ll know before we finish.”
Vincent looked at him.
“What do you suggest?”
“Let her come to us.”
They returned to the city.
The next morning, Vincent held a meeting.
Every senior member of the organization was summoned.
Isabella watched from a private room.
Celia arrived last.
She looked elegant.
Calm.
Professional.
She hugged Vincent.
“Brother.”
He barely returned the gesture.
Celia looked toward the room.
“Why am I here?”
Vincent placed the notebook on the table.
“Because someone betrayed this family.”
Celia smiled.
“Then find them.”
“I already have.”
He pushed a photograph across the table.
The photograph showed Celia meeting a Raven Group representative.
Her smile disappeared.
“I can explain.”
“Please do.”
“They approached me.”
“Why?”
“To recruit me.”
“Did they?”
“No.”
Vincent looked at her.
“Then why did you meet them three times?”
Celia said nothing.
Isabella watched.
Then Celia looked directly at her.
“You’re pregnant.”
Isabella’s blood ran cold.
“How do you know?”
“Everyone knows.”
“No.”
Celia smiled.
“I know more than everyone.”
Vincent stood.
“Where is Marco?”
Celia laughed.
“You still believe he’s alive?”
“He is.”
“Then perhaps you should ask your secretary.”
Isabella frowned.
“Why me?”
“Because Marco never trusted Vincent.”
Vincent moved toward Celia.
She didn’t flinch.
“You’re lying.”
“Am I?”
Celia opened her handbag.
She removed a photograph.
Marco and Isabella.
Six years ago.
At the hospital.
But this photograph showed something Isabella had never seen.
Marco was handing something to her.
The pendant.
The same pendant she had worn ever since.
Celia smiled.
“You don’t remember.”
Isabella stared at the photograph.
Then memory returned.
Marco had pressed the pendant into her hand.
He had whispered:
“Forget tonight.”
She had asked why.
He kissed her forehead.
Then he disappeared.
Isabella suddenly understood.
He hadn’t simply given her jewelry.
He had hidden the evidence on her.
Celia leaned forward.
“The ledger isn’t inside the pendant.”
“Then where?”
Celia looked at Isabella’s stomach.
“Marco hid it where nobody would search.”
Vincent’s face hardened.
“What does that mean?”
Celia smiled.
“It means the child is not the key.”
She paused.
“The child’s heartbeat is.”
