But before leaving, she slipped the envelope into the lining of her handbag.
She knew one thing.
If the message was real, the people who had spent eleven years hiding the truth were now aware that she had seen it.
And that meant the past had finally found her.
***
At the hospital, Vincent was waiting beside the private elevator.
He watched Elena approach.
"You caused quite a scene tonight."
"He collapsed."
"You gave orders to my men."
"I gave instructions to people who were standing around doing nothing."
Vincent almost smiled.
Almost.
"You have a talent for making enemies."
"I learned from experience."
He looked at her more carefully.
"Where are you from?"
"Here."
"Your family?"
"Dead."
"Both parents?"
Elena said nothing.
Vincent noticed the change in her expression.
"Your surname."
"What about it?"
"Vale."
She looked directly at him.
"Yes."
Vincent's face changed.
He reached for the elevator controls but did not press the button.
"Who gave you that name?"
"My father."
"Marco?"
Elena felt her throat tighten.
"You knew him?"
Vincent stared at her.
For several seconds, he did not speak.
Then he opened the elevator.
"Get inside."
"I want answers."
"You'll get them."
"When?"
"When I know which answers won't get you killed."
The elevator doors closed.
***
The private floor was almost silent.
Two nurses moved through the corridor. A doctor spoke quietly with a security officer. Beyond the glass doors, Luca remained unconscious.
Vincent led Elena into a small consultation room.
There was a man sitting at the table.
Salvatore Moretti.
He wore a dark overcoat and held a cup of untouched coffee.
Elena stopped.
She recognized him from the ballroom.
He looked at her with mild curiosity.
"Ah. The waitress."
Vincent closed the door.
"Salvatore, this is Elena Vale."
Salvatore's fingers stopped moving around the cup.
For the first time that evening, his smile disappeared.
"Vale?"
Elena stood perfectly still.
"Did you know my father?"
Salvatore leaned back.
"Marco Vale was a difficult man."
"He was a good father."
"Those things are not mutually exclusive."
Vincent looked between them.
"How do you know each other?"
"We don't," Elena said.
Salvatore placed his coffee down.
"Your father worked for my brother."
Elena's eyes narrowed.
"Doing what?"
"Financial management."
"That's what the newspapers said."
"And what do you believe?"
She took the envelope from her handbag.
"I believe someone wants me to know he's alive."
Salvatore looked at the envelope.
His expression was almost perfect.
Almost.
"May I see it?"
"No."
"Miss Vale, I am trying to help."
"Then answer one question."
"Of course."
"Why did my father have a ring identical to Luca Moretti's?"
Salvatore's eyes moved toward Vincent.
It lasted less than a second.
But Elena saw it.
She had spent years learning that the most important part of a conversation was often what people tried not to show.
Salvatore stood.
"You're tired. This is not the time."
"Then when?"
He adjusted his cuffs.
"When your curiosity stops putting everyone in danger."
He moved toward the door.
Elena stepped aside.
Before leaving, he turned.
"One piece of advice, Miss Vale. Forget your father."
She stared at him.
"Why?"
Salvatore smiled again.
"Because dead men have a habit of taking their families with them."
The door closed.
Elena looked at Vincent.
"What was that?"
Vincent rubbed his forehead.
"Something I should have prevented eleven years ago."
***
At two seventeen in the morning, Luca Moretti opened his eyes.
His first sensation was pain.
His second was the steady rhythm of a monitor.
He stared at the ceiling.
Then he tried to move.
A hand immediately pressed against his shoulder.
"Easy."
Vincent leaned into view.
"You're in the hospital."
Luca swallowed.
"What happened?"
"You collapsed."
"Poison?"
"We don't know yet."
Luca looked toward the window.
"Who was there?"
"Your uncle. Several guests. Security."
"Who touched me?"
Vincent hesitated.
"A waitress."
Luca turned his head.
"Why?"
"She performed CPR. She stayed with you until the ambulance arrived."
"Name?"
"Elena Vale."
Luca's eyes narrowed.
"Vale?"
"Yes."
For a moment, he seemed to forget the pain.
"Where is she?"
"Outside."
"Bring her in."
Vincent stood.
"There's something you need to know first."
Luca waited.
"She is Marco Vale's daughter."
The silence that followed was different from the others.
It was heavier.
Luca stared at the ceiling.
Then he closed his eyes.
"Find out who brought her here."
"She was already working at the hotel."
"Not what I meant."
Vincent understood.
"Yes, boss."
"And Vincent?"
"Yes?"
"Don't tell my uncle."
***
Elena entered the room five minutes later.
Luca was sitting slightly upright, his face pale but his eyes alert.
He looked at her.
She looked back.
Neither spoke immediately.
Finally, Luca said, "You saved my life."
"I helped."
"You could have walked away."
"So could you, apparently."
A faint smile touched his mouth.
"You're not particularly impressed by me."
"I don't know you."
"Most people know enough."
"Most people are afraid of you."
He studied her.
"And you aren't?"
Elena considered the question.
"I'm afraid of plenty of things."
"Such as?"
"People who smile while lying."
Luca's expression became serious.
"Then you must be having a difficult evening."
She almost laughed.
Almost.
He glanced at the chair beside his bed.
"Sit."