Chapter 7 - THE WOMAN WHO HELD THE SECRET
The woman in the photograph was named Dr. Miriam Vale.
She had been a forensic accountant.
Brilliant.
Private.
And officially dead for seventeen years.
Mateo stared at the photograph.
“She died the same year Luca did.”
Dominic nodded.
“Car accident.”
Sophia looked between them.
“Another accident?”
Mateo's jaw tightened.
“Yes.”
They traced Miriam's old records.
She had worked with shipping companies.
Audited charitable foundations.
Investigated financial irregularities.
Then disappeared from public life.
But one detail stood out.
Her daughter had been placed in foster care after her death.
The daughter's name was Elena.
Sophia froze.
“Elena Marsh?”
Mateo looked at her.
“You know her?”
Sophia nodded slowly.
“She was the woman they said died in my car.”
Silence.
Dominic stared.
“So Victor used Miriam's daughter to fake Sophia's death.”
Mateo looked down.
“Or someone wanted us to believe that.”
Sophia began crying.
“I knew Elena.”
Mateo looked up.
“She worked at the foundation.”
Sophia nodded.
“She was kind. Quiet. She used to bring homemade cookies.”
Her voice broke.
“I thought she was just another employee.”
Mateo sat beside her.
Sophia covered her face.
“She died because of me.”
Mateo shook his head.
“No.”
She looked at him.
“If my father hadn't needed to erase me—”
“Your father made his own choices.”
Sophia began sobbing.
Mateo hesitated.
Then opened his arms.
She leaned into him.
May you like
For the first time, he held her without fear of frightening her.
And for the first time, she let herself cry for the woman whose life had been stolen to protect hers.
