Page 91 of Pretty Plaything

Chapter 46

“ALESSANDRO?” I CALLas I race through our house, looking for him everywhere.

I already tried his phone, but he’s not answering. Maybe he’s still with Mauro, and that thought scares me more than ever.

But Mauro has big plans for his son, so I guess he won’t hurt him, and Alessandro knows how to defend himself if Mauro tries something.

Everything’s going to be fine. I don’t think my father expects me to say anything to Alessandro, or that he’d alert Mauro about it.

I groan as I look into yet another room, but there’s only a guard there. Sometimes, having a huge house isn’t a good thing.

Maybe Alessandro is in his office. I hurry there. He usually doesn’t let anyone inside, including me.

But when I reach the door, it’s cracked open.

“Alessandro?” I ask as I push it wide.

There’s something on the floor. A small piece of something that got wedged between the door and the wall, so the door didn’t close properly.

He isn’t here.

As I’m about to leave, another idea comes to my mind. I haven’t seen the contract Mauro wants Alessandro to sign. Maybe there’s a copy lying somewhere around here, and I can take a look and compare it with the one Mauro signed with my father.

There’s a huge chance Mauro is trying to trick both Alessandro and my father to get what he wants. If he’s known about his son for so long, why did he just leave him with the Bellinis, knowing that he might be discovered?

I don’t think Mauro cares about Alessandro at all. He just wants power and money. I guess he didn’t want to raise his son, just wanted to wait for him to grow up so he could reap all the benefits.

I open a drawer, and as I shuffle through it, an envelope falls out. I take it and look inside. My brow furrows as I pull out a piece of paper.

It’s not a contract, but it’s something else.

A plan.

Alessandro’s plan.

I read through it, my pulse speeding up.

No.

No!

I want to wake up from this nightmare, but I can’t. I’m staring at Alessandro’s plan to use me to find out what happened to his family.

Everything from the beginning...

Everything’s been a lie.

He’s played me.

Fooled me.

Used me.

Tears cloud my eyes as I see the next step in his plan.

He wants to convince me to throw a party for my birthday at my family’s house so he can do who knows what, probably sneak around while I’m busy with preparations.