Chapter 157 The Mole Hunt
Alexander's POV:
"Mr. Sterling, are you sure it's okay to leave your wife alone in Italy?" Bill asked with concern as we settled into the seats of my private jet.
I glanced up from my tablet, keeping my expression neutral despite feeling a twinge of amusement at his worry. "She has some business to handle. She asked for space, and I'm giving it to her."
"But in her condition—not remembering anything, not recognizing anyone—what if something happens?" Bill persisted.
My lips curved into a slight smile. "Not remembering? Not recognizing anyone?"
Bill's brow furrowed in confusion. "Sir, what do you mean?"
"The truth is, she hasn't lost her memory at all," I said calmly, setting my tablet aside. "She's been giving us hints all along, but none of us picked up on them."
"What?" Even Megan looked up in disbelief, staring at me. "Emma doesn't have amnesia?"
"Her first hint was when she casually mentioned 'Phoenix.' She claimed she didn't know why that word came to mind, but that was already the first clue," I explained.
"The second hint was in our bedroom. Though she said she didn't remember me, she wasn't uncomfortable being alone with me in our room. And she called me 'Alex' without anyone telling her that's what I prefer."
"The third hint—if she truly had amnesia, she wouldn't know you're allergic to cilantro, Megan."
Megan's eyes widened. "The seafood dinner... she reminded the chef not to use cilantro. I didn't even think about that!"
"The fourth hint was when she used her phone to shop online. She didn't use facial recognition—she typed in her password directly." I continued.
Bill suddenly straightened. "That's right. I saw that but didn't think anything of it."
"The fifth hint was when we went shopping together. She unhesitatingly chose a specific brand of athletic gear—the only brand she's ever used."
Jasmine nodded slowly. "I remember that. She went straight for those surfboards without even looking at anything else."
"The sixth hint was when she knew exactly where to find the first aid kit in the villa."
Neil chimed in. "Yes, she walked right to it when I asked for some gauze."
"She's been showing us she remembers everything, but we completely missed it," Megan said, looking amazed.
"But Uncle Alex, why would Emma pretend? Why not just tell us the truth while giving us all these clues?" Megan asked, perplexed.
"She wasn't hiding it from us," I said, turning to gaze out the window at the clouds below. "She was worried we might accidentally reveal her act to someone else."
"That's why she finally decided to send us all back to America," I continued, understanding her intentions perfectly. "So she wouldn't have to worry about us and could focus on what she needs to do."
"What does Mrs. North need to do?" Bill asked, looking confused.
I considered his question carefully. Emma had wealth, status, and power. Her Phoenix family ranked high in Sicily, with loyal followers. What more could she want? But I knew my wife better than anyone.
"First, she needs to find the mole," I replied, my jaw tightening at the thought of betrayal within her ranks.
"Second, she wants to expand Phoenix's influence even further."
"I believe she's grown tired of her current position and wants to take advantage of the current chaos in the mafia world to aim for the very top." I couldn't help the hint of admiration that crept into my voice.
Everyone nodded, though I could tell they didn't fully grasp the implications.
"What mole?" Jasmine suddenly asked.
"If there wasn't a mole, how did the news of her coma spread so quickly?" I challenged, recalling my fury when I'd discovered the leak.
We had protected that information carefully, yet somehow every family in Sicily knew about Emma's condition just days after she fell into the coma. This pointed to a leak within Phoenix, and not just any leak—someone high in the organization.
Before Emma's surgery, only her core team and their trusted people knew the details. Regular members had been kept in the dark.
"When did Mrs. North become so shrewd?" Bill asked, eyes wide. "To plan all this in the few seconds after waking up, then start pretending to have amnesia."
"Indeed, given Emma's normal thought processes and reaction times, she shouldn't have been able to come up with this plan so quickly," I agreed, remembering the moment she first opened her eyes.
"There's only one explanation." I paused. "Emma could hear us during her coma. Her brain was processing information, even though she couldn't wake up."
"All of this was already planned during her coma," Megan realized. "She was just waiting for the day she could finally open her eyes!"
---
"Sir, Luca Vittori is here," Bill announced, stepping into my office in New York.
"Good," I replied, keeping my eyes fixed on the screen showing a detailed analysis of North Enterprises' stock fluctuations.
"Alexander, you wanted to see me?" Luca entered confidently, his presence filling the room.
Bill closed the door behind him and took his position outside, keeping eager executives at bay.
"Has Emma's identity been compromised in New York?" I asked directly, looking up at Luca.
"No, her identity is absolutely secure. Those who know don't have the courage to spread that information," Luca answered with certainty.
"Then someone is specifically targeting North Enterprises," I concluded, glancing again at the report before standing and walking to the floor-to-ceiling window. I gazed down at the city below, my mind working through multiple scenarios at once.
"Alexander, what can I do?" Luca asked.
"Spread the word that the North daughter has been in a coma for three months due to illness," I said calmly, the plan already fully formed in my mind. "Her family has been seeking medical help everywhere but with no success."
"As for my relationship with her, suggest it's on the rocks."
"What?" Luca was taken aback by my request.
"I'll explain to the North family. Your job is to spread this information as widely as possible," I instructed, knowing Luca's Omerta bar was the perfect channel for this. It was Emma's favorite establishment, and the staff could confirm she hadn't been seen for months.
Though Luca didn't understand my strategy, he agreed to follow through. The rumors of Emma and my strained relationship and possible divorce would soon spread throughout New York's upper society. Our wedding photos had already become a trending topic on American social media.