**“STOP WAVING YOUR HANDS! YOU'RE EMBARRASSING ME!” THE MAFIA BOSS'S FIANCÉE WHISPERED TO HIS DEAF NINE-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER DURING THEIR ENGAGEMENT DINNER

I stared at the nine-year-old girl.

What bad man, sweetheart? I signed back, my fingers feeling stiff.

Isabella took a step back, her eyes locked on the tarnished silver in my hand.

The man in the rain, she signed, her movements jerky with fear. When the car crashed. He took it from Mommy's neck.

My heart hammered against my ribs.

Elena Moretti’s death was a tragedy that the staff only whispered about. It was ruled a tragic accident. A slick road. A blown tire.

But Isabella was in the car that night.

She had survived.

And now, she was telling me someone else had been there.

I knelt down to her level, slipping the locket into my apron pocket so she wouldn't have to look at it.

Isabella, are you sure? I signed slowly. You were very little.

She nodded tears pooling in her eyes.

I remember the bird, she signed, tracing the shape of wings in the air. The bird was on his hand.

A tattoo.

The crest on the locket was a hawk. The man had a hawk tattoo on his hand.

And Vanessa had the locket hidden in her belongings.

Before I could ask another question, the heavy footsteps of Mrs. Carter, the senior housekeeper, echoed in the hall.

"Claire! Mr. Moretti is looking for you in the foyer. Now."

I gave Isabella a reassuring smile, pressing a finger to my lips, and hurried downstairs.

When I reached the foyer, the heavy oak doors were wide open.

Luca stood like a statue, his broad shoulders tense. Several of his armed guards were positioned around the room, hands resting near their holsters.

Standing in the center of the marble floor was Vanessa.

She wasn't crying anymore. The nervous, embarrassed woman from last night was gone. Instead, she stood with perfect posture, her eyes icy and calculating.

"You have five minutes to get off my property," Luca said, his voice dangerously low.

"I'm not leaving without my things, Luca," Vanessa said smoothly.

"Your bags will be sent to you."

Vanessa’s eyes shifted past him and landed on me. A cruel smile touched her lips.

"Claire," she said. "Did you finish packing my vanity?"

A cold sweat broke out on my neck. She knew I had the locket.

"She has nothing to say to you," Luca growled.

"Oh, I think she does," Vanessa countered. She took a step toward Luca. "You made a very impulsive decision last night, darling. Over a misunderstanding."

"You abused my daughter."

"I was preparing her," Vanessa said, dropping the sweet facade entirely. "Because you shelter her. You let her live in a fantasy world where she’s safe just because you’re a boss. But you know who is coming for her."

Luca’s jaw clenched. "Don't."

"They know she saw the crash, Luca," Vanessa whispered, her voice carrying through the silent foyer. "They know she’s starting to remember."

Luca lunged forward, grabbing Vanessa by the arm. His guards drew their weapons.

"If you ever speak of that night again," Luca hissed, "I will kill you myself."

Vanessa didn't flinch. She just smiled.

"If you kill me," she said softly, "they'll go after the housekeeper's brother."

My entire world stopped.

Vanessa turned her head, locking eyes with me.

"His name is Thomas, isn't it, Claire? Seven years old. Deaf, just like the brat. Goes to the Roosevelt School for the Deaf on 4th Avenue."

I felt the blood drain from my face.