When Love Finds Its Way Back (Cassienne and Dreston) novel Chapter 381

The small black storage drive remained on the table between Joseph Tremont and Alessandro Virelli.

It looked ordinary and small. More like it's insignificant. Yet, for reasons Alessandro himself could not explain, he could not take his eyes off it.

Joseph finally broke the silence. "Justice Elena."

She looked at him.

"I believe we should continue in the viewing room."

She understood immediately.

Without another word, she nodded toward one of the investigators. "Prepare the equipment."

"Yes, ma'am."

The investigator left immediately.

A few minutes later, everyone entered the adjoining viewing room.

A large monitor had already been switched on.

The technician connected the storage drive carefully before stepping aside.

Joseph remained standing. Steve stood beside him. Justice Elena deliberately chose not to sit because her attention never left Alessandro.

Though he remained calm. At least...

That was what he wanted everyone to believe.

Joseph finally spoke. "Twenty-three years ago...Ethan Rhodes realized someone was manipulating the people around him. He didn't know how far the conspiracy would go. He didn't even know if he would survive it."

Joseph lowered his eyes briefly. "But he knew one thing. He had to leave something behind."

Now, everyone was silent.

Joseph nodded toward the technician. "Play it."

The screen came to life. The room is filled with old surveillance footage. The picture quality was far from perfect. Occasional static crossed the screen.

The audio faded in and out.

Justice Elena had seen most of it before.

Joseph had watched it more than once.

Steve had reviewed every available frame.

But this time...

Nobody was watching the recording. They were watching Alessandro.

At first...Nothing changed, he remained relaxed. His eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. His shoulders stiffened.

And Joseph noticed it.

Justice Elena noticed too.

The recording continued. Several familiar moments appeared.

The laboratory.

James.

Mike Richardson.

Fragments everyone in the room had already examined during the investigation.

But Joseph saw it. Steve saw it. So are the rest of them in that room.

Several more seconds passed before Joseph quietly spoke again. "When I first watched Ethan's recordings...I believed they only answered questions about the laboratory."

He looked directly at Alessandro. “But I was wrong. The man who truly understood what Ethan left behind...was always going to be you."

Alessandro slowly lowered his head. His eyes remained fixed on the floor.

The room became impossibly quiet. Justice Elena looked toward Joseph. Then back at Alessandro. She finally understood that the recording itself had not defeated him.

His own memory had. Whatever Ethan Rhodes had left behind, Alessandro knew its meaning long before anyone else in that room ever could.

Justice Elena spoke softly. "Mr. Virelli..." She waited until he looked up. "I've questioned people for more than thirty years. I've watched innocent men. I've watched guilty men. I've watched people lie. And I've watched people tell the truth."

She paused. "But I've learned one thing." She looked directly into his eyes. "A person's mouth can lie."

She took another slow step forward. "But their silence rarely does."

Alessandro stared at her. His expression remained controlled. Yet the certainty that had protected him throughout the interrogation had begun to disappear. And not because anyone had shouted, or because anyone had threatened him. But because, for the first time in more than two decades...Someone else knew the game he had been playing.

Justice Elena nodded once toward the technician. "That's enough."

The recording stopped, the monitor went black. But no one moved or spoke.

Joseph quietly picked up the storage drive and placed it back inside his briefcase.

Then he looked at Alessandro one last time. "I told you before that Ethan made one final move."

He closed the briefcase gently. "And you've just confirmed it."

The room remained silent.

Alessandro said nothing. Because for the first time in his life...Every answer he had carefully prepared had become completely useless.