Chapter 10 - THE CONFESSION SOPHIA NEVER MEANT TO MAKE
Sophia called me at 2:13 in the morning.
I almost ignored the number.
Then I remembered Clara.
The emergency cabinet.
The bracelet.
The words she'd whispered outside my apartment.
I answered.
"What do you want?"
Sophia was crying.
"Anna, I need help."
I sat upright.
"What's happened?"
"They know I talked to you."
"Who?"
"Salvatore's men."
My stomach tightened.
"Where are you?"
She hesitated.
Then whispered, "I can't tell you."
"Are you in danger?"
"Yes."
I reached for another phone to contact the authorities.
Sophia's breathing grew ragged.
"I didn't know you were going to be on the plane."
I went still.
"What?"
"I swear, Anna. I didn't know."
My pulse hammered.
"What did you do?"
She began sobbing.
"Salvatore told me Vincent was going to be frightened. He said there would be a controlled emergency landing, nothing more."
I stared into the darkness.
"He told you to interfere with the flight?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"He gave me access to a service compartment and told me to leave a device there."
My blood turned cold.
"What kind of device?"
"I didn't know. He said it was part of a security drill."
I almost laughed.
A security drill.
That was the lie she'd believed.
Or the lie she wanted me to believe now.
"Sophia, people nearly died."
"I know!"
"Clara was injured. My son was born prematurely. I almost died."
"I know!"
Her voice broke.
"I was supposed to be Vincent's wife. My father told me if I helped Salvatore, everything would go back to how it was before you came into his life."
I closed my eyes.
For years, Sophia had treated me like an obstacle.
Now I understood just how far she'd been willing to go.
"You knew something was wrong," I said.
She didn't answer.
"You knew."
"I thought they'd scare Vincent into giving up control of the family business."
"And when the plane caught fire?"
"I panicked."
I remembered her screaming Vincent's name.
Grabbing his arm.
Demanding he save her first.
"Did you tell him to leave me?"
"No."
"You knew I was trapped."
"Anna—"
"You knew!"
She began crying harder.
"I was scared."
"So was I."
Silence.
Then she whispered, "I saw the explosion."
I stared ahead.
"I know."
"I watched Vincent run back. I watched him fall."
Her voice trembled.
"And I was relieved."
My chest tightened.
"Relieved?"
"Because I thought he'd finally need me."
I closed my eyes.
The cruelty of it was almost unimaginable.
"You let him bury me."
Sophia sobbed.
"I didn't know you survived."
"But when he was grieving, you stayed beside him."
"Yes."
"You let him believe you were the only person who understood."
"Yes."
"And you kept lying."
"Yes."
For a long moment, neither of us spoke.
Then she whispered, "I'm sorry."
I stared at the wall.
Three years ago, I might have wanted that apology.
Now it felt small.
Insufficient.
Almost meaningless.
"Sophia, you need to tell investigators everything."
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because Salvatore will kill me."
I took a breath.
"Then let them protect you."
She hesitated.
"Will Vincent help?"
I looked toward Leo's bedroom.
"That isn't my decision."
Sophia began crying again.
Then she said something that froze me.
"Anna, Salvatore didn't just plan the crash."
My pulse accelerated.
"What else?"
"He ordered the medical team to keep you alive."
I stopped breathing.
"Why?"
"Because he knew you were pregnant."
My hands went cold.
"He needed the child."
I stared into the darkness.
"What do you mean?"
Sophia whispered.
"Your son was always part of the plan."
The call disconnected.
I sat motionless.
Then I contacted Natalie.
By sunrise, investigators had traced Sophia's last known location.
Her car was found abandoned near the river.
Inside, they discovered her phone.
And a handwritten note.
May you like
I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO ANNA.
But Sophia was gone.
