Chapter 5: The Letter Elena Never Sent

The words stayed between them.

She was planning to leave you.

Alejandro looked at Elena.

She did not deny it.

His face hardened, but not with anger.

With pain.

“Elena?”

She wrapped his jacket tighter around herself.

“Not here.”

He nodded.

No accusation.

No demand.

“Take the prisoners to the east garage,” he told security. “Cut all communication devices. Search them for transmitters.”

Vivian watched Elena carefully.

“She won’t tell you the whole truth.”

Alejandro did not look at her.

“Take Vivian to the blue drawing room. Remove the door handles if necessary.”

Vivian smiled.

“You’re becoming more like Isabella every minute.”

Alejandro finally met her gaze.

“Isabella would have killed you already.”

That wiped the smile from her face.

The courtyard guest room was searched from ceiling to floor.

Three hidden cameras were found.

One behind a framed painting.

One inside the smoke detector.

One beneath the bedside lamp.

The third contained recordings dating back two years.

Alejandro destroyed the camera with his bare hands.

Elena stood near the open window, watching the rain.

Rosa brought her tea but left it untouched on the table.

When they were alone, Alejandro remained near the door.

Far enough not to crowd her.

“Did you want to leave me?” he asked.

Elena did not turn around.

“Yes.”

The honesty hurt more than any lie could have.

Alejandro lowered his gaze.

“I see.”

“No, you don’t.”

Her voice was quiet.

“You think it was because I stopped loving you.”

“Was it?”

She turned.

For the first time, he saw anger rise through the fear.

“I was pregnant and terrified.”

“Of me?”

“Of what your family was doing.”

He said nothing.

Elena crossed the room and opened the small red box.

Beneath the baby bracelet was a folded piece of paper.

She handed it to him.

The paper was yellowed and creased.

His name was written across the front.

Alejandro.

He opened it.

The first line blurred before his eyes.

My love, if you are reading this, it means I was too afraid to tell you in person.

He continued.

I found evidence that your mother is alive.

I found records proving your birth was arranged through the Lucerne clinic.

I found six women who died after giving birth to children placed in wealthy families.

And I found a seventh name.

Sofia Moretti.

Your biological mother.

Alejandro stopped.

His hand tightened around the letter.

Elena’s voice came softly.

“I wrote it the night before you left for Dubai.”

“Why didn’t you give it to me?”

“Because Vivian found me in the study.”

He looked up.

“She knew?”

“She said if I told you, you would be killed.”

Alejandro frowned.

“I didn’t believe her.”

“But you still planned to leave.”

“I planned to get out of the house, take the ledger, and meet you somewhere safe.”

“Why not call me?”

“Because your phone was monitored.”

“How did you know?”

“She played recordings of our private conversations.”

Alejandro remembered business deals that had fallen apart without explanation.

Competitors who always seemed one step ahead.

He had blamed leaks inside the company.

He never considered his own mother.

Elena moved back toward the window.

“I went to the clinic because I needed proof.”

“While you were pregnant.”

“Yes.”

“Alone?”

“No.”

Alejandro waited.

Elena hesitated.

“With your brother.”

Alejandro stared.

“I don’t have a brother.”

Elena looked at him.

“You do.”

The room seemed to narrow.

“Who?”

“Sebastian.”

Alejandro’s face changed.

Sebastian Vale had been his closest friend since university.

Best man at his wedding.

His legal adviser.

The godfather Elena had chosen for their unborn child.

Sebastian had also led the search after Elena vanished.

He had stood beside Alejandro at every press conference.

He had begged him to move on.

“No,” Alejandro said.

“He knew about the clinic.”

“How?”

“Because Isabella raised him too.”

Alejandro shook his head.

“Sebastian grew up in London.”

“That is what you were told.”

“He had parents.”

“Paid guardians.”

Alejandro looked away.

Memories rearranged themselves.

Sebastian’s unexplained access to family documents.

His resemblance to old portraits in the Castillo archive.

His absolute loyalty to Isabella when she was alive.

Or supposedly dead.

“Where is he now?” Elena asked.

Alejandro reached for his phone.

Sebastian had called six times since Alejandro arrived at the mansion.

He had sent three messages.

Call me immediately.

Do not trust anyone in the house.

Especially Elena.

Alejandro showed her the screen.

Elena read the messages.

Her face drained.

“He knows.”

“Knows what?”

“That I remember.”

The phone rang again.

Sebastian.

Alejandro answered on speaker.

“Alejandro,” Sebastian said urgently. “Thank God. I heard there was a security breach.”

“How?”

A pause.

“Your team contacted me.”

“No one contacted you.”

Silence.

Alejandro’s expression turned cold.

“Where are you?”

“At the Madrid office.”

“Stay there.”

“Alejandro, listen to me. Elena is not well.”

Elena closed her eyes.

Sebastian continued.

“She became paranoid before she disappeared. She accused your mother, Vivian, Romero, everyone.”

“You told me she was dead.”

“I believed she was.”

“You told me to stop searching.”

“Because it was destroying you.”

Alejandro looked at Elena.

She shook her head.

Sebastian lowered his voice.

“Has she mentioned a child?”

Alejandro said nothing.

“That baby was not yours.”

Elena recoiled as if struck.

Alejandro’s face went still.

“Explain.”

“Alejandro, this conversation cannot happen over the phone.”

“It is happening now.”

Sebastian exhaled.

“Elena had an affair.”

“No,” Elena whispered.

Sebastian heard her.

“So she’s there.”

“Say it again,” Alejandro said.

“She was involved with someone at the clinic.”

Elena shook her head harder.

“That’s a lie.”

Sebastian’s voice sharpened.

“Ask her who Gabriel truly worked for.”

Alejandro looked toward the hallway where the captured security officer was being held.

“What does Gabriel have to do with this?”

“He was Elena’s contact.”

“No.”

“Alejandro, the child may have been part of an attempt to gain control of the Castillo estate.”

Elena stepped toward the phone.

“You left me there.”

Silence.

Her breathing shook.

“You said you would come back.”

Sebastian did not answer.

“You gave me the address,” Elena continued. “You told me the clinic records were safe.”

“Elena—”

“You were the only person who knew where I was going.”

Alejandro’s eyes darkened.

Sebastian spoke carefully.

“I tried to save you.”

“You watched them take me.”

Alejandro gripped the phone.

“Is that true?”

Another pause.

Then Sebastian said, “Your wife is remembering events that never happened.”

Elena’s expression changed.

She walked to the red box and removed the silver medallion.

Then she pressed the center.

A tiny compartment opened.

Inside was a memory card.

Sebastian stopped speaking.

Elena looked at the phone.

“You forgot you gave me this.”

Alejandro inserted the card into his laptop.

One video file appeared.

Dated the night Elena disappeared.

He opened it.

The footage shook violently.

A dark road.

Rain.

Elena’s terrified breathing.

Then Sebastian’s face appeared beside the open car door.

You have to trust me, he said in the recording.

Elena’s voice answered.

Where is Alejandro?

Sebastian looked over his shoulder.

Then said the words that destroyed twenty years of friendship.

Alejandro was never supposed to know you were pregnant.

A second figure entered the frame.

Isabella Castillo.

Alive.

She smiled into the camera.

Then Sebastian reached forward.

The video ended.

Alejandro stared at the black screen.

His phone was still connected.

Sebastian whispered, “You don’t understand what she was carrying.”

Alejandro lifted the phone.

“My daughter.”

“No,” Sebastian said.

“Then what?”

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Sebastian’s voice dropped.

“The last legitimate Castillo heir.”