Chapter 3
Grant’s first attorney letter arrived before noon.
It accused Massimo of interfering in a marriage.
It accused him of assault.
It demanded that Isabella return certain jewelry and documents belonging to Grant’s household.
Massimo almost laughed at the wording.
Then Isabella read the letter.
Her face lost color.
“What documents?”
She did not answer.
Massimo watched her.
“What did you bring?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why are you afraid?”
Isabella stood.
“I said nothing.”
Massimo let her walk away.
An hour later, Noah’s preschool called Isabella.
Grant had attempted to pick him up.
The school refused because Isabella had already instructed staff that Noah would remain absent for several days.
Then the director asked an unexpected question.
“Mrs. Hale, should we continue using the same emergency-contact list?”
Massimo heard it through the speakerphone.
Isabella went still.
“Can you send me the current one?”
The document arrived minutes later.
Primary contact:
Grant Hale.
Secondary contact:
Vanessa Hale.
Third:
Isabella Hale.
Massimo Lombardi did not appear anywhere.
Isabella stared at the screen.
“I never approved this.”
“Then who did?”
The school director explained that Grant had submitted an updated family-contact form months earlier.
It included Isabella’s electronic signature.
She looked at it.
“That isn’t mine.”
Massimo immediately wanted Grant brought to him.
Isabella caught his expression.
“No.”
“What?”
“No threats. No men showing up at his house. No one gets dragged anywhere.”
“He forged your name.”
“And if you react like you always do, he’ll use that too.”
Massimo stared at her.
“Use it for what?”
Isabella looked toward Noah.
Then lowered her voice.
“To prove I came from a family I should’ve escaped years ago.”
Massimo did not respond.
There was too much inside that sentence.
The preschool form was not the only altered document.
Over the next several hours, Isabella found medical records listing Vanessa as an authorized caregiver.
A private-club membership naming Noah as Noah Hale.
A children’s charity brochure identifying Grant, Isabella and Noah as “The Hale Family.”
Piece by piece, the Lombardi name had been removed.
Massimo expected Isabella to become angrier.
Instead she looked guilty.
“Why?”
he finally asked.
“Why are you acting like you helped him?”
May you like
Isabella whispered:
“Because at first, I did.”
