Chapter 10
Elena met Cassandro in a lawyer’s office in Santa Barbara.
No bodyguards inside.
No Damian.
No Vivienne.
No Audrey.
When Elena walked through the door, Cassandro forgot every sentence he had prepared.
She looked older.
So did he.
Neither moved toward the other.
Elena sat.
Cassandro remained standing for several seconds before joining her.
“I didn't send those messages.”
“I know that now.”
He looked at her.
“How?”
Elena placed her phone on the table.
She had preserved everything.
The first threat arrived from a private number associated with Cassandro’s security network.
The second came from an email address designed to resemble one of his personal accounts.
But the major twist was not the fake messages.
It was what happened six weeks after Elena left.
She had decided to come back.
Not to resume the marriage.
To get Audrey.
Elena drove to the estate.
She never reached the main house.
Vivienne met her at the lower gate.
Cassandro stared at her.
“Vivienne saw you?”
“Yes.”
“What did she say?”
Elena’s eyes filled.
“She told me you knew everything.”
Cassandro stopped breathing.
“She showed me messages.”
More threats.
She said Cassandro was furious.
She said he had already begun preparing to accuse Elena of abandoning Audrey.
She said if Elena came through the gate, Cassandro would use his influence to ensure she never left with the child.
Elena believed her.
Because Vivienne knew details only someone inside Cassandro’s home should know.
Then Vivienne said something else.
“Audrey is safe. Don't make this worse for her.”
Elena left.
She wrote Cassandro from Monterey three months later.
The letter never reached him.
Then she received a final message.
Stop contacting my house or I'll move Audrey somewhere you'll never find her.
Cassandro looked down.
He had never written it.
Elena whispered:
“I thought staying away was protecting her.”
Cassandro finally understood the betrayal.
Vivienne and Damian had not caused Elena to leave.
Cassandro’s own marriage had already reached that point.
They did something more calculated.
They made sure she stayed gone.
Damian controlled the communications.
Vivienne controlled the emotional story on both sides.
Each time Elena tried to come back, they used Cassandro’s reputation as the threat.
Then Vivienne moved closer to him.
Comforted him.
Helped raise Audrey.
And eventually became his wife.
Cassandro looked at Elena.
“You thought I would take Audrey from you.”
Elena shook her head.
“No.”
May you like
Tears filled her eyes.
“I thought you already had.”
