Chapter 6
Sophia stared at me.
“My phone shows his number.”
“Numbers can be copied.”
“You think someone else sent it?”
“I think whoever sent it wanted me to believe Luca is here for Elena.”
Sophia went still.
“Why?”
“To make me distrust him before we ever speak.”
Her eyes moved toward the crib.
I felt the same thought arrive for both of us.
Mateo had spent months showing me photographs.
Building a story.
Giving me just enough evidence to reach the conclusion he wanted.
Sophia left you.
Sophia betrayed you.
Sophia has another man.
Now someone was doing the same thing again.
Luca wants your daughter.
I picked up my phone.
“Don’t call Mateo,” Sophia said.
“I’m not.”
I dialed another number.
Viktor answered on the second ring.
“Boss?”
“Where is Mateo?”
A pause.
“He was in the sedan downstairs.”
“Was?”
Another pause.
“He stepped out about ten minutes ago.”
“Where did he go?”
“Said he needed coffee.”
I looked at Sophia.
“Find him. Quietly. Don’t approach him. Don’t tell anyone.”
“You think there’s a problem?”
“I think I don’t know who the problem is.”
Viktor understood.
“I’ll call you.”
I ended the call.
Sophia looked surprised.
“What?”
“Four months ago, you would have told him to bring Mateo upstairs.”
She wasn’t wrong.
Four months ago, I would have demanded answers before understanding the question.
“I’ve had a bad anniversary,” I said.
A small sound escaped her.
Almost a laugh.
It vanished quickly, but hearing it hurt.
I had missed that sound.
I had missed everything.
Another knock came at the door.
Sophia immediately moved between the crib and the entrance.
I stepped forward.
“Who is it?”
“The nurse.”
I opened the door only slightly.
She stood outside with a hospital security officer.
“The cameras came back online,” she said. “We didn’t find anyone unauthorized on the maternity floor.”
“Then what caused the alarm?”
“We’re checking.”
The security officer glanced at me.
“Sir, we need to confirm your visitor authorization.”
Sophia answered before I could.
“He can stay.”
I looked at her.
She avoided my eyes.
The nurse stepped inside.
“There’s one more thing. Someone asked for Sophia at the emergency entrance about twenty minutes ago.”
“Who?”
“A woman.”
Sophia’s face changed.
“What woman?”
“She wouldn’t give her name. She asked whether a patient named Sofia Marin was still here.”
That was the false name Sophia had used.
“Description?” I asked.