Chapter 7 - The Secret My Father Left Behind
Luca couldn't speak.
"My father hired her?"
Rafael nodded.
"He knew she would uncover the truth."
Sophia stared.
She had thought she chose the Moretti job.
She hadn't.
She had been recruited years earlier through a fake placement agency.
Luca's father had arranged it.
He had protected her.
Protected Luca.
Protected the evidence.
Everything had been planned long before any of them understood it.
Rafael explained the final piece.
The trust contained not money.
Names.
Every corrupt official.
Every account.
Every person involved.
But there was a catch.
Only Luca and Sophia together could unlock it.
Because Luca's father had known neither would trust the other at first.
He had built the system around partnership.
Rafael laughed.
"He knew you'd never trust another Moretti."
Luca looked at Sophia.
"He was right."
"And he knew you'd never trust another man," Rafael said to Sophia.
She stared.
"He was right."
The confrontation ended when federal agents arrested Rafael.
The network collapsed.
Banks froze accounts.
Politicians resigned.
Officials were investigated.
Names filled the news.
But the hardest part came after.
Luca had to decide what to do with the empire.
He sold the criminal assets.
Closed the illegal operations.
Turned over records.
Kept the legitimate companies.
Sophia quit.
Luca stared at her resignation letter.
"No."
She smiled.
"You said the fake girlfriend contract lasted one night."
"That was before."
"Before what?"
"Before I knew I couldn't lose you."
She looked at him.
"You don't get to make decisions for me."
"I know."
He slid the resignation letter back.
"That's why I'm asking."
She smiled.
"Then ask."
"Stay."
"Why?"
"Because the job isn't the reason I want you."
She folded the paper.
"Then what is?"
He walked toward her.
"You."
May you like
She kissed him.
This time, there was no pretending.
