Chapter 12
Roman’s Sicily trip was supposed to last five weeks.
It lasted seven because his return flight was repeatedly changed.
His staff blamed aircraft maintenance.
Then weather.
Then security.
Roman had not questioned it.
His Sicilian security chief reviewed the records.
The first maintenance alert was legitimate.
The second was not.
Someone from Roman’s New York office requested the delay.
Authorization came from Adrian’s code.
Adrian stared at the record.
“I didn't do this.”
Roman watched him.
“You're running out of useful sentences.”
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
Then he remembered.
Helena had asked for his phone one afternoon.
Her own device had supposedly failed.
Two minutes.
That was enough.
Roman looked toward his mother.
Helena closed her eyes.
“I delayed you.”
Roman’s voice became cold.
“Why?”
“Rachel had found the first codicil.”
“And?”
“I needed time.”
“To make Sophie believe I was dead?”
“No.”
Helena looked physically sick now.
“To destroy the archive.”
Roman stared.
She had used Adrian’s credentials to delay Roman’s return.
Used Rachel’s discovery to manipulate Veronica.
Used Roman’s absence to consolidate control.
But she had not expected Sophie to resist.
The child kept asking staff to call her father.
Maria tried.
Helena removed Maria from Sophie’s care.
Then told Sophie Roman was dead.
After that, the household quieted.
A child’s grief became operational convenience.
Roman’s hands closed.
He looked at them.
Then forced them open.
Helena noticed.
So did Adrian.
That restraint changed something.
Roman asked:
“Why the maid uniform?”
Helena looked away.
“Veronica.”
Roman turned.
Veronica was no longer in the room.
But Maria was.
She had entered quietly.
Her face hardened.
“Mrs. Hayes said Sophie needed to learn not to act entitled.”
Roman’s breathing stopped.
So Veronica had lied again.
She claimed Helena forced the maid role.
Maria had witnessed Veronica enforcing it too.
The betrayal kept shifting.
No one person owned all of it.
Then Maria added:
“She wasn't the worst one.”
Roman looked at her.
Maria’s hands tightened around her apron.
“Someone stopped me from feeding Sophie when she refused to work.”
“Who?”
May you like
Maria’s eyes moved toward Adrian.
Adrian went still.
