Chapter 5 - THE BLUE NOTEBOOK|
Luca searched Caroline's sitting room until dawn.
He checked the piano bench, the drawers beneath the window, and the boxes of sheet music stacked in the closet. He found old recital programs, family photographs, and a collection of letters Caroline had written during their first year together.
There was no blue notebook.
At six in the morning, he called Marco.
“I need you to review every security recording from the house for the last month.”
Marco sounded immediately alert.
“Is there a threat?”
“I don't know. Look for anyone entering Caroline's old sitting room, the study, or Sophie's bedroom without authorization.”
“Understood.”
Luca hung up and returned to the letter.
If Vanessa ever tries to take Sophie away from you, find the blue notebook.
Caroline had known Vanessa for years. They had attended the same charity events and occasionally worked together on community projects. Luca had assumed their relationship was friendly but superficial.
He had never asked whether Caroline trusted her.
At eight, Sophie woke and asked for breakfast.
Luca brought it upstairs himself.
She stared at the tray.
“Did you make that?”
“I arranged it.”
“That's not the same thing.”
He smiled despite himself.
“Your grandmother taught you to be suspicious of everything.”
Sophie giggled for the first time since the engagement dinner.
Then she looked at him carefully.
“Daddy, are you still angry?”
“Not with you.”
“Are you angry with Vanessa?”
Luca considered the question.
“I'm disappointed. But I'm going to find out what happened before I make any final decisions.”
Sophie nodded.
Then she reached toward the bedside drawer.
“Is this what you're looking for?”
She pulled out a small blue notebook.
Luca stared at it.
“Where did you find that?”
“Mommy gave it to me before she died. She told me to keep it somewhere safe.”
His heart began to pound.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
Sophie looked frightened.
“Vanessa said it was just Mommy's old homework book. She said Daddy would be upset if I kept things that made him sad.”
Luca took a slow breath.
“You can keep anything your mother gave you.”
Sophie placed the notebook in his hand.
“Mommy said I should only show it to you if someone tried to make me leave.”
He opened the cover.
The first pages contained Caroline's handwriting: grocery lists, dance schedules, and reminders about Sophie's school events.
Then the entries changed.
One was dated six weeks before Caroline died.
Vanessa asked about the family trust again. She says she wants to help Luca protect the business, but I don't understand why she needs copies of Sophie's medical records.
Luca's stomach tightened.
He turned the page.
I found an unsigned application for a residential dance academy in Pennsylvania. Sophie has never asked to attend one. Vanessa says it's only a backup plan.
Another entry was dated three days later.
If anything happens to me, Luca must never let Vanessa make decisions about Sophie without independent advice.
Luca stopped breathing for a moment.
He continued reading.
The final written entry contained a name he recognized.
Evelyn Shaw.
The consultant who had attended the engagement dinner.
Beside her name, Caroline had written:
She knows what happened to the original trust documents.
Luca closed the notebook.
For years, he had believed Caroline's death was a tragedy unrelated to his business.
Now he had reason to question whether the people he trusted had been hiding something long before the wedding.
He called Marco.
“Find Evelyn Shaw. I want to know every connection she has to my family.”
Marco paused.
“Sir, we already have a file on her.”
“Why?”
“Because your father hired her years ago to investigate a dispute involving the company.”
Luca looked down at the blue notebook.
“What dispute?”
May you like
Marco's answer was quiet.
“The one that started before you were born.”
