Chapter 6 - BIANCA’S FIRST LIE
Bianca Thorne had always believed money could repair anything.
A stained dress.
A broken friendship.
A bad headline.
A husband who still looked at his former wife with guilt.
By sunset, she discovered there were some problems money only made louder.
She entered her father’s study and slammed the door.
Charles did not look up from his desk.
“You followed her to the cemetery.”
Bianca folded her arms.
“She was hiding a pregnancy.”
“That wasn’t your concern.”
“She works in my house.”
“No longer.”
Bianca stared.
“You’re letting her leave?”
Charles finally looked up.
“Luca Moretti walked her out.”
“So?”
Charles stood.
Bianca had rarely seen her father angry with her.
She had never seen him afraid.
“You have absolutely no idea what you did.”
“He’s a criminal pretending to be a businessman.”
Charles moved around the desk.
“And I have spent twenty years making sure he never had a reason to become personally interested in me.”
Bianca laughed.
“You sound scared.”
“I am careful.”
“Same thing.”
Charles grabbed her wrist.
Not hard.
But hard enough to surprise her.
“Do you know what happens to people who confuse Moretti’s restraint with weakness?”
Bianca pulled free.
“He isn’t going to start a war over a maid.”
Charles stared at her.
“She’s carrying his child.”
Bianca’s confidence flickered.
“You don’t know that.”
“I saw his face.”
“So?”
“So I have seen Luca Moretti lose seventy million dollars without changing expression.”
Charles stepped closer.
“Today, he changed expression.”
Bianca looked away.
Charles continued.
“And now his attorneys are examining Mara’s debt.”
Bianca shrugged.
“Let them.”
“They’ll find the divorce transfers.”
Preston’s voice came from the doorway.
Bianca turned.
Her husband stood there.
Charles’ face hardened.
“How long have you been listening?”
“Long enough.”
Bianca scoffed.
“Go upstairs, Preston.”
“No.”
The word surprised everyone.
Preston entered the study.
“You told me those transfers were legal.”
Charles stared at him.
“They were.”
“You told Mara there were no assets.”
“You told Mara.”
Preston flinched.
Charles smiled coldly.
“Do not suddenly develop a conscience because your former wife found a more powerful man.”
Bianca’s face twisted.
“She isn’t his wife.”
“No.”
Preston looked at her.
“But she was mine.”
Bianca slapped him.
The sound cracked through the study.
Charles sighed.
“For God’s sake.”
Preston slowly touched his cheek.
Bianca pointed toward the door.
“Get out.”
Instead, Preston looked at Charles.
“What happened to Eleanor?”
The senator’s expression did not change.
Bianca’s did.
Preston saw it.
His voice dropped.
“You know.”
Bianca turned away.
“Know what?”
“You knew something happened to her.”
“I knew she was sick.”
“You hated her.”
“She was a servant.”
“She was Mara’s mother.”
Bianca laughed.
“And there it is.”
She looked at Preston with tears shining in her eyes.
“You still love her.”
Preston said nothing.
That was answer enough.
Bianca’s face hardened.
“You think Mara is innocent?”
Preston watched her.
“She always was.”
Bianca took a breath.
Then she smiled.
“I found the pregnancy test because I searched her room.”
Charles’ head turned.
“You what?”
“I wanted proof.”
“Proof of what?”
“That Preston was sleeping with her.”
Preston looked disgusted.
“I wasn’t.”
“I know that now.”
Bianca walked toward the liquor cabinet.
“But I found something else.”
Charles went still.
“What?”
Bianca poured herself a drink.
“A note.”
She removed a folded piece of paper from her pocket.
Charles snatched it.
Three words were written in Eleanor Whitfield’s handwriting.
THE ANGEL KEEPS IT.
Charles looked at Bianca.
“Where did you find this?”
“In Mara’s jewelry box.”
Preston frowned.
“What does it mean?”
Charles already knew.
Bianca saw it.
“Daddy?”
The senator folded the note.
“Nothing.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
“It is an old accounting reference.”
Bianca narrowed her eyes.
Charles walked toward the fireplace.
“Forget it.”
He dropped the note into the flames.
Preston watched it burn.
Then he looked toward Bianca.
She was watching her father.
And Preston realized something important.
Bianca had lied.
She had not found only one note.
When Charles turned away, Preston saw the corner of another folded page tucked beneath Bianca’s watchband.
Later that night, he waited until she went to shower.
Then he searched her purse.
He found the second note inside a lipstick case.
Again, Eleanor’s handwriting.
IF THEY FIND THE BRACELET, GO TO THE ANGEL BEFORE THEY DO.
Preston photographed it.
His hands began shaking.
May you like
Because he knew exactly where the angel was.
And if Charles remembered too, Mara was already in danger.
