mumbled miserably, wrapping my arms around myself. “I tried to talk to him and he’s made it clear he doesn't want children.”
“You told him you were pregnant?” he asked in surprise.
I shook my head. “No, but I said enough to make him suspicious.”
“I'm going to need a couple of days to make a plan,” Broderick informed. “But I should have it sorted out by next Friday.”
I swallowed, remembering the date that haunted me every year since Alessandro imprisoned me. “Next Friday is my little sister's birthday,” I revealed quietly.
Broderick shrugged. “Makes it all the more convenient. When you obtain your freedom, you can start looking for your sister. Don’t you think it's time for you to reclaim the life he made you leave behind, Olivia?”
The thought of reuniting with May suddenly strengthened my resolve and I knew there was no going back. I had to be strong. I had to fight back—even if it meant doing the unthinkable. “You're right,” I muttered. “It's time.”
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
The Past (4 months prior)
The night preceding Alessandro’s accident was filled with violent storms, lightning and thunder. I hadn’t slept at all. In all honesty, I hadn’t slept ever since Broderick devised a plan that would set me free and cost Alessandro his life in the process. The guilt ate me alive, but Broderick always reminded me there was no other way out. It came down to choosing between Alessandro and my baby. I wasn’t a bad person—Broderick assured me—I was merely a protective mother. And there was nothing a mother wouldn’t do for her child.
I hadn’t seen Alessandro since that devastating conversation we’d had in his office and I’d made sure to stay out of his way. I kept a low profile, and hardly left my room, just like in those days when I anticipated our upcoming wedding with dread. In a sense, I’d convinced myself Alessandro was already gone and I’d never see him again. The feeling was bittersweet, but there was no point in dwelling on it. My attention was focused elsewhere.
Broderick described every single detail of the plan over and over again. He’d follow Alessandro as soon as he left the house and make sure the electronics controlling the brakes failed at the right moment. Police would come to notify me of my husband’s accident, and I’d have to put on the performance of my life. By the looks of it, that confrontation was going to be a problem. I’d spent hours in front of the mirror, visualizing the news being broken to me by some scrutinizing strangers, but I could never keep my emotions in check. The very thought of it made me so nervous I was at the verge of throwing up every time I tried to imagine what I’d say and how I’d react.
Then, the morning of that fatal day finally arrived and a strange sense of alleviating peace washed over my system. The violent crescendo of thunder vibrated through the walls as raindrops splattered against the windows. Ignoring the merciless weather, I sat at the desk in my room and wrote a long, heartfelt birthday card for May. Regardless of the fact she wouldn’t receive my best wishes, I wrote them down every single year on my little sister’s birthday. Mostly, I’d scribble down a few words and put the card away, hoping I’d get a chance to give it to her someday. This year, I took my time with it. Since I believed I’d see her soon, I found myself explaining the vague basics of why I’d been gone for so long. In the end, I even dedicated a couple of sentences to Alessandro and told May the bad man who took me away would be gone soon, and then we’d be together again. The experience was cathartic, and it made me feel liberated. Once finished, I placed the card in an envelope and left it lying on the desk.
Then, I peeked up at the silver clock on the wall and the restlessness reappeared out of nowhere. I was mere hours away from taking a huge leap into the unknown. Rising to my feet, I traipsed to the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror. Time for another rehearsal. Taking in a deep breath, I repeated the lines Broderick told me to say yet again. While I spoke, I tried to appear as distraught as possible. “An accident?” I gulped, parting my lips and letting out a strangled cry. “Is he…is he dead?”