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CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Valentina
“As requested,”Alexandra drawls, tripping down the stairs. “Family dinner time with your daughter!”
My eyes snap to the stairs in search of Matilda’s dark curls. Every muscle in my body tenses, ready to run and scoop her into my arms.
I’ll fucking jump off this boat and swim us both to shore if I have to.
For a second, I think I’m hallucinating. Behind Alexandra stands a little girl, no older than Matilda, but her hair is long, straight, and blonde.
Her face is tear-streaked, and her nose drips down her chin, giving her a pitiful look. She’s clutching a little dirty teddy bear, picking at the loose threads with her fingers.
“Alessia, sit down,” Alexandra commands. When the girl makes no motion to move, Alexandra shoves her roughly in Enzo’s direction. “Sit with your daddy!”
I don’t even know this child, but my motherly instincts spring into defense mode. I push myself out of my chair, but one deadly look from Alexandra and I slowly lower myself back down.
“This… isn’t Matilda,” Enzo says carefully. I can see his brain moving a mile a minute, wondering where the hell Alexandra got this girl.
Kidnapped, probably. I’d put nothing past her.
“This is your daughter,” Alexandra explains, waving vaguely at the little girl. “Go sit with daddy, I said!”
The little girl scampers toward Enzo, pausing at the corner of the table, unsure of what to do. Enzo’s eyes fill with pity, and he gestures to the chair next to him.
“That looks like a good place to sit,” he whispers gently. The little girl eyes him suspiciously. “Best chair in the house, I heard.”
I watch her slip quietly into the chair and stare at the empty plate in front of her.She looks so hungry.
My heart breaks, and even though I’m still confused and terrified, I slowly rise out of my chair. Alexandra, once again perched on Enzo’s lap, watches with interest.
My movements are intentional, soft. I hold my hands up slightly in front of me, conveying that I’m not a threat as I make my way around the table to the girl.
Ever so slowly, I reach for the potatoes and scoop some onto her plate. Alexandra snorts with amusement, her eyes dancing.
“Maybe she can be our maid,” she goads, rubbing herself on Enzo’s chest like a cat marking its territory. Enzo grits his teeth but forces out a fake laugh, nodding along.
I ignore them, focused on feeding this starving child in front of me. Once her plate is full, I slowly back away, moving to my assigned seat again.
The door catches my eye—it’s so close, I could make it there in less than two seconds. It’s open, swinging slightly in the breeze.
I see nothing but pitch-black darkness outside.
Enzo meets my eyes, shaking his head slightly. I fall back into my seat with defeat.Where the hell is Matilda?
For a second, I think that Alexandra never got to Matilda, and this was all a setup. I stare at the tiny thing as she picks at her chicken, noting her bright green eyes and strawberry-blonde hair.
“Darling,” Enzo’s voice cuts into my thoughts. “I thought you were going to bring Matilda down here for family dinner. This isn’t Matilda.”
“I brought you your daughter like you asked,” Alexandra purrs from his arms. “Oops, I meanourdaughter. I’m so happy you can finally meet her!”
“Our… daughter?” Enzo pales. He looks like he’s about to be sick, but I feel nothing.
I figured it out the second that little girl smiled at me after I served her food—those dimples, that crooked little smile, that’s all Enzo.
“Alessia!” Alexandra snaps, her voice mean and cold. “Say hello to your father.”
“Hi, Father,” Alessia whispers, not raising her eyes from the table.