CHAPTER XX
“ W hat floor is Valarie on?” I asked.
Enzo, his eyes narrowing into slits, remained silent, his jaw clenching and unclenching as if he were grinding his teeth.
“I’ll find out either way. You might as well save me the trouble of killing anyone who stands in my way.”
“You’re a pain in my ass, Moretti.”
Lo chuckled.
“Fifth floor,” Enzo continued. “But mark my words, any misstep, any interference, and I’ll have you removed. Got it?”
I nodded, turning sharply to Miguel and Lo. “Stay here with my girl. Do not leave her side.”
My heart pounded with each step toward the elevator.
We entered the cramped space one after the other.
I watched the numbers light up, each floor passing painfully slow until the fifth dinged and the doors opened with a soft whoosh.
I was the first to step out, moving with purpose down the corridor until we reached her room.
Two agents stood guard outside, their expressions focused and alert.
“Gentlemen,” Enzo greeted them, his authority palpable.
“Sir,” they replied in unison.
Enzo turned to us, but his gaze was locked onto mine, a silent command flickering in his eyes. “Keep your tone gentle. She’s been through a lot.”
What the hell did he think I was going to do to the poor woman? Instead of throat punching him for telling me what to do, I nodded.
Enzo rapped his knuckles against the door before pushing it open.
“Valarie? It’s Enzo from the FBI,” he called out, stepping into the room.
Malik was clasping Valarie’s hand. Dante was on the opposite side of the bed, while Liam sat next to Malik.
My gaze returned to Valarie, and my heart tightened. She was so small, frail, and pale, her features eerily similar to Gigi’s, but the resemblance was overshadowed by the tubes snaking into her nose.
Something over my shoulder caught her attention. Tears spilled down her cheeks, and her lips quivered. Her expression reminded me of how Gigi looked at me when I accused her of betraying me.
“Oh, Alphonse...Gigi…your daughter…” she choked out between sobs.
“I know,” he said brokenly.
“Alphonse... Gigi was...”
“Was what?” I pushed myself off the wall. Her eyes flicked toward me for a fleeting moment before she looked back to Alphonse.
“Valarie?” Alphonse asked.
“What he did to her,” Valarie whispered.
Alphonse’s breathing became labored, his hands clenching into fists. “What happened to you both in there?”
“It doesn’t matter what happened to me. You have to make me a promise, Alphonse. Swear you’ll find her. Find her and bring her back.”
“We already found her,” Alphonse responded.
Hope ignited in Malik’s eyes as he straightened up.
“You did? Is she alive? Is she okay? Can I see her?” She rapidly fired off a flurry of questions.
“Val, calm down,” Malik urged, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. “Just breathe.”
“When she wakes up, we’ll take you to see her,” Enzo added.
“What do you mean when she wakes up?” Valarie asked, her voice trembling.
“She’s unconscious but stable,” Alphonse answered.
“Where did you find her?” Malik asked.
“I don’t think that—” Enzo started, but Malik’s hand shot up, cutting him off mid-sentence.
“Don’t you dare say it doesn’t matter,” he bit out. “Every single goddamn detail matters. Now, tell me. Where. Did. You. Find. Her?”
Enzo let out a long sigh and responded, “The Puppet Master led us to a cemetery...where we found Gigi was buried alive.”
Those last two words slammed into my chest with the force of a bomb, detonating inside my soul. The horrifying image of digging my angel from the cold earth, lifeless and exposed, burned into my mind. I couldn’t imagine what she must have felt in those final moments.
A strangled gasp escaped Valarie’s lips. Her hands flew to her mouth, trembling. “Oh, my god.”
Malik, Dante, and Liam froze, their faces pale as ghosts.
“But she’s alive and safe,” Enzo quickly reassured them. “She’s a fighter,” he added, as if that would erase the nightmare Gigi experienced.
He paused, giving them a moment to process the devastating truth before continuing.
Enzo approached the hospital bed. “Valarie,” he began, “I know you’ve been through an unimaginable ordeal. But I was hoping I could ask you a few questions about how you were found. It might help us understand what happened.”
Valarie nodded weakly. “Okay.”
Enzo pulled a chair to the end of the bed, his notepad and pen ready. “Thank you. Take your time with your answers. Can you tell me, approximately, how long you were underground?”
Valarie’s gaze drifted, unfocused, as she slowly fidgeted with the edge of her hospital blanket. A shiver ran through her. “I... I was there for over twenty years.”
Enzo’s expression remained neutral, though his pen paused briefly. “Were you alone during that time?”
She shook her head, a faint tremor in the movement. “No. My mother, Valentina, was with me.”
“We found human remains in the cell you were being held. Was that your mother?” he asked.
Valarie took a shaky, shallow breath, her eyes welling up.
“What happened to her, Valarie?” Enzo asked, his tone gentle but firm.
“He... beat her to death,” she whispered.
Enzo leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping to a near murmur. “Who is he ? Who killed her, Valarie?”
After a moment, Valarie composed herself, wiping a tear from her cheek with the back of her hand. “His name is Massimo. My...my father’s brother.”
Enzo’s brow furrowed. “Your uncle?” he pressed.
She managed a slow, shaky nod.
“Wait, uncle?” Alphonse asked. “Giuseppe didn’t have a brother.”
Valarie lifted her gaze to Alphonse. “We didn’t believe it… couldn’t believe it. Not at first.” She wrapped her arms around herself. “But he was there, right in front of us. And he had Father’s eyes, and that same creepy smile.”
Alphonse’s jaw tightened, a muscle jumping in his cheek. “Where the hell has he been this whole time?” Alphonse’s question earned him a sharp, warning glare from Enzo.
Valarie took a shuddering breath before speaking again. “My grandfather had him locked up in a psychiatric hospital. They kept him hidden all these years.”
Enzo made a note on his pad. He paused, then looked back up at her, his gaze steady. “How did you and your mother end up down there, Valarie?”
A distant, pained look entered her eyes.
“After Angelica left, my father... he lost it. He started beating me and my mother, blaming us for my sister disappearing and for protecting her. Massimo somehow managed to escape. He confronted my father and accused him of abandoning his own brother. The next thing I remembered was Massimo killing my father and waking up in a cell.”
“How can that be?” Alphonse interjected. “I was there. The house… it was gone. There was nothing left.”
Valarie’s gaze locked onto his. “I watched Massimo stab my father to death.”
“Did your uncle ever say why he kept you and your mother alive?” Enzo asked, his pen poised.
Valarie hugged herself. “He said something about... killing us being too easy. Too simple for his family’s betrayal.”
“Did he elaborate on that?”
“Yes,” she replied, rubbing her hands together. “He claimed that my father, being four years younger, had unjustly taken what was rightfully his. Massimo’s father—my grandfather—had him locked away for years, convinced he was… unfit to inherit the family’s legacy to lead.”
“What led him to that conclusion?” Enzo asked.
“He… he set one of his classmates on fire.”
Alphonse swore under his breath, running a hand down his face in disgust.
The fucker was unhinged. Crazy sick, bastard. And now my angel is with that goddamn psycho. I’m going to rip out his spine and beat him to death with it when I find him.
Enzo continued to scribble her responses on the notepad, his pen gliding across the paper. After a moment, he lifted his gaze from the page and turned to Malik. “What about you?” he asked. “How did you end up in the same place as Valarie?”
Malik shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
“A group of men I didn’t recognize, barged into my apartment and beat me.
When I regained consciousness, I woke up in the cell.
The Puppet Master said his original plan was to kill me, to tie up loose ends after Angelica was killed.
But he changed his mind. Decided it would be more effective to keep me alive.
Not for the pain they inflicted on my body, but for what he forced me to watch.
” He paused, dragging his hands down his face.
Enzo nodded and leaned back in his chair. “I’m sorry for what you experienced,” he stated, his voice a solemn, steady baritone.
Before Enzo could ask any more questions, the door creaked open and a nurse entered. She surveyed the room before settling her gaze on Valarie. “I think it’s time you got some rest, dear, don’t you?”
Valarie stifled a deep, shuddering yawn. “I could really use some sleep,” she admitted, her voice barely audible.
“It’s okay,” Enzo said, standing up smoothly.
He tucked his notepad and pen into his coat’s inner pocket.
“Thank you for your time, Valarie. You’ve been incredibly helpful.
” He reached into another pocket, producing a business card.
“If you think of anything else at all, anything that could help us find the people who did this, please call me.” He placed the card on her bedside table.
Valarie slowly reached for it, her fingers trembling slightly as she took the card. She managed a small, tired smile. “I will. Thank you.”
He gave her a curt, professional nod, and started toward the door.
The nurse turned her attention to Malik, her tone conveying a playful scolding. “And you, sir, need to get back to bed.”
Malik met Valarie’s eyes, concern etched across his face. “I needed to make sure she was okay,” he defended himself softly.
A small smile broke through Valarie’s worry as she cupped his cheek affectionately. “Go get some rest. We’ll talk later.”
With a reluctant nod, Malik allowed Liam to assist him to his feet.