Page 24 of Kidnapped Wife

“So, before we celebrate and I get cooking our Christmas dinner, tell me, what has Isabella done, or why does she need organizing, or whatever it was you said?”

Massimo didn’t want to spoil their morning, but he wasn’t going to hide the truth from her.

He told her everything. The money missing from D’Angelo with no trace. Massimo finding the account and discovering it had been placed in her name.

“I didn’t steal anything.”

“I know. The date the account was set up was our honeymoon. You were nowhere available and in no position to set up an account.” He couldn’t keep his hands off her, and he was the only person with a cell phone, and Elsie didn’t know where he kept it. “She also got your birthday wrong. She used one of the days we celebrated your birthday, but not the actual day. It was how I knew she had done this.”

Elsie got up from the couch and growled. “How dare she do this! I can’t believe it. Why would she do this?”

“It’s a setup,” Massimo said. “I have a feeling she is going to try and pin the stolen money on you and if that doesn’t work, she’s making arrangements to have you killed.”

“Wow,” Elsie said. “And I thought you said it was only hinted that you and she would be a good couple.”

Massimo laughed. “Babe, I’m not going to let this happen. You’re safe.”

“So, what’s the plan?” she asked. “Clearly you have a plan.”

“I do, but you’re not going to like it.”

Chapter Ten

Arriving back home, Elsie looked up at the house and wasn’t surprised there was no staff waiting. Massimo was nowhere to be seen. This was part of his plan, and he’d also warned her that he’d removed the staff as well. It was going to appear that she had come back from running away. Elsie didn’t like this, but it needed to happen.

She took a deep breath, pulled out her key, and made her way inside. The moment she stepped through the doors, she knew she had finally come home.

“I’m going to kill her,” Massimo said.

“No, you can’t do that.” She couldn’t even believe she was arguing with him about this. “You warned me that killing people will cause a war like no other. I don’t want you to do that for me.”

“I would go to war for you, Elsie. I will not allow you to believe I don’t love you or that I don’t have feelings for you.”

“No, we’re going to have to do this another way. I love you, Massimo, and I know you love me, but I don’t need you to risk your life for me. Please don’t.”

She remembered the conversation. Massimo had been willing to go to war for her, and she was going to do this for him. This was home. Massimo was home. This felt right to her.

She didn’t go up to the bedroom but went straight to where Massimo told her to go, his office. She never went in his office, not unless he was there with her.

At the door of his office, she placed her hand on the doorknob and took a deep breath. She could do this. This was a piece of cake.

Turning the handle, she stepped inside, and then she walked up to Massimo’s desk. This is what he told her to do, and she began to rummage through his desk, trying to find nothing,but pretending to.

“Looking for this?” Isabella asked.

Elsie looked up to find Isabella in Massimo’s office, holding a key, but also with a gun pointed at her.

She tensed up. Massimo had said there was going to be a risk, and he didn’t know how far Isabella would go.

“Isabella, what are you doing here?” she asked.

“Oh, you know me, I’m attempting to tie up loose ends, and you see, I thought it was fun to torment you, but now I’m bored, and I think it is time for you to leave.”

“Leave?” Elsie asked. “That is exactly what I’m planning on doing. I just, I need to use the key to Massimo’s safe.” She had no idea if that was the key to his safe or not. The truth was, she didn’t even know if he kept a safe.

Isabella tutted. “Do you really think I am going to let you steal from Massimo, when I already have caught you stealing from my father?”

“Your father?” Elsie asked. “I’ve not stolen from your father.”

---