Page 12 of Sworn to My Heart
I glance at Mariano, who immediately pulls out the laptop and presents all the information we’ve gathered as well as our plans to him.
“With such a dangerous plan, I understand why you brought Cora here. She’ll be safe with my wife and the other girls for now. I’ll send a few soldiers to locate Angelo under the radar.I’ll update you as soon as we have an exact location. It shouldn’t take long,” Flavio concludes and makes a few phone calls.
I don’t know how long it will take until we can return to New York, but if we find Angelo quickly, we can wrap up this situation here and try to renegotiate the arrangement with Vegas that was set after Cora and Mariano’s wedding. Two birds with one stone.
“What are your intentions regarding Angelo after we execute the plan and exact revenge on the French? After all, he betrayed us to save his daughter,” Mariano asks, halting abruptly when he catches my warning gaze. By now, he should comprehend that no justification absolves betrayal in my eyes. Since his marriage to Cora, he’s grown soft, it’s a weakness.
“When you already know the answers to your questions, don’t bother asking,” I respond sternly to Mariano, glancing at Flavio, who nods in agreement while coordinating with his soldiers on the phone.
Angelo’s daughter is in Vegas, and he’ll ensure her safety and make sure she knows nothing about us or her father.
Before I can take the laptop from Mariano to review the details we have on Angelo’s daughter, my phone buzzes. I pick it up and notice an email from Graham. Quickly concealing the screen from Mariano beside me, I see the subject line reads “Alin Gray.”
I don’t want him aware of my investigation into her. I want his focus maintained at the task at hand without lecturing me unnecessarily or questioning Cora.
I open the file Graham sent with keen interest, surprised to find significant gaps in her history. Raised by her parents until age 8, reported missing, and no trace of her life until six months ago. Her current details—phone number, age, and address—are listed prominently, but additional pertinent information is absent. Graham never overlooks details.
What’s the truth here? Could Alin Gray have infiltrated Cora’s life deliberately? Undercover agents typically fabricate thorough cover stories that elude Graham’s scrutiny.
Who are you, Alin Gray, and why does each new piece of information—whether present or absent—stir such intense emotions in me?
Despite my reservations, a compelling urge pushes me to delve deeper, to find something that disproves my suspicions about her. This internal conflict promises a drawn-out, agonizing ordeal. No one threatens my family with impunity.
I send a message to Graham to keep investigating and to maintain a low profile. I decide I need to have a good conversation with her, one-on-one. I will find out everything, no matter what!
“You have the ‘bad news’ kinda look,” Mariano pulls me out of my thoughts and I immediately lie,“No, still angry that we didn’t catch all this earlier.”
“It doesn’t matter, we’re moments away from taking them down. I’m not worried, and Angelo… like you said, he brought this on himself,” he replies, trying to calm me down, showing me the locations of the French. Our soldiers in New York have arranged everything exactly as we planned. Pedro didn’t disappoint this time. A small wave of pride washes over me.
Once Angelo is in our hands, all their product warehouses will be burned on the spot. Our soldiers are watching the guards like hawks, ready to take them all down at any given moment. We have the upper hand, and I like our odds.
“Now we just have to find and dispose of the traitorous rat and then lie low for a few days while we finalize things with Flavio. Then we can head back to New York. I have something I think is equally important that needs my attention.” I confirm the information and update Mariano on the plan.
“What needs your attention?” he asks, confused, and I dismiss him with a wave. It’s not the time to talk about my concerns about Alin.
“We’ve got a location! We found him!” Flavio announces suddenly, and I stand up immediately.
“Let’s get to work!” I smirk with a predatory gleam in my eyes. Angelo and the French are finished. Alin is next. There’s nowhere she can hide and nothing she could keep from me.
Alin
I spent the next few days alone, filling my time with books, movies, shopping, and a newfound interest in painting thanks to a small art shop. Opening YouTube, I search for tips on using the oil paints I’ve bought. Cora always said you can find anything on YouTube, and she was right. Thousands of videos appear instantly, guiding me through the process. My initial paintings show promise and I’m excited, but inevitably, my thoughts drift to Luca.
“Get a grip already!” I scold myself, shaking him from my mind. I head to the kitchen sink to clean my paintbrushes when a message notification on my phone interrupts me. Leaving the brushes in the sink, I hurry to check it, eager to share my new hobby with Cora.
To my surprise, the message is from an unknown number:
Cinderella, now I am curious. Almost twenty years without any record of your life. Cora’s friend back from the dead?
5:48 PM
A long minute passes before I realize the message is from Luca.
How did he get my number, and how the hell does he know about me?
There’s a reason Cora warned me about him, and if he’sMariano’s brother, she’s probably right. They don’t seem like normal people, and I decide to muster all my strength and avoid responding to the message. Instead, I call Cora.
She answers immediately after one ring as if she has been sitting by the phone waiting for my call.
