Page 49

He locked you up, Stella.

I glance at the security camera in the corner of the bedroom. Its red light blinks steadily, a constant reminder of his watchful presence even when he’s physically absent. The bathroom is the only place without surveillance— a small concession to privacy.

I lock the bathroom door behind me, though it’s a meaningless gesture. Nothing in this house is truly locked to Aleksei. Still, it gives me the illusion of security as I perch awkwardly on the edge of the marble tub, phone clutched in trembling hands.

Hannah answers almost immediately, her voice sharp with surprise.

“Stella? Oh my God, is that you?”

“Yeah, it’s me,” I whisper, though there’s no one to overhear.

“Where have you been? I’ve been worried sick! It’s been weeks and—”

“Hannah.” I take a deep breath. “I… I lost my memory. I’m only now starting to piece things together.”

“What? How? Are you okay?”

“I don’t know.” My voice catches. “There was an incident.”

“Incident?” Her voice grows tight. I can almost see her eyes grow wary. “What kind of incident? Did he hurt you, Stella? Because if he did—”

“No,” I interrupt. “No, not him. Gianni.”

“Gianni?” She’s incredulous. “I thought that dickhead was out of your life for good.”

“He was,” I tell her. “But he…” I pinch my lips together, wondering how much to reveal, and then deciding to go all in. “He abducted me, Han. His men grabbed me and took me to a warehouse.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” she blurts. “What the actual fuck, Stella? Why am I only finding this out now?”

“I told you. I lost my memory. I’ve literally just figured it all out. Up till now, I’ve been in a complete fog.”

“Oh, honey… That’s unbelievable. You must have been living a nightmare these past weeks. Where are you? Still with him?”

“Yes. I’m at Aleksei’s manor. I’m about to have the baby.”

There’s a sharp intake of breath on the other end. “Stella… Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“I don’t know, dammit! Because right now, I’m confused. About him. About me. About all of it!”

She heaves out a deep breath. “Stels… Do you remember what I told you about him?” Her voice is low.

I close my eyes, fighting back tears. “That’s why I’m calling. Han. I need to know. What really happened? Did he have my father killed?”

The silence stretches between us, heavy with implication.

“Please, Han,” I urge. “I need to know. Because I’ve been having dreams— awful dreams— and last night was the worst of them. If this is all real, then I need to know. I have to know if it’s true, or if it’s just my mind playing tricks on me.”

When Hannah finally speaks, her words confirm my worst fears. “Yes, Stella, it’s true. All the evidence points to that.”

Though I’ve already come to this conclusion, hearing it spoken aloud sends a wave of physical pain through me. I press my free hand against my mouth, stifling a sob.

“But why?” I manage after a moment, my throat almost too constricted to speak. “Do you know why he did it?”

“I’m sorry, Stella. I couldn’t find out the details. The official report says it was an accident. Case closed.” Her voice hardens. “It’s likely that Aleksei paid for that cover-up.”

I bite my lip, tears flowing freely now. “So we still don’t know the whole truth?”

“No, we don’t.” Hannah’s voice turns urgent. “But Stella, you need to be careful. If you’re with him—”