Chapter 3 - The Trust Worth Forty-Two Million Dollars
Luca had spent his entire life learning how to recognize danger.
He knew the difference between a threat and a bluff.
He knew how fear sounded in someone's voice.
He knew how betrayal entered a room.
But what he didn't know was why his father had never told him about Thomas Carter.
"Take Gabriel to the west room," Luca ordered.
Daniel moved.
Gabriel didn't resist.
Before leaving, he looked at me.
"Ask about your father's ledger."
The door closed.
I turned to Luca.
"What does he mean?"
Luca remained silent.
"Mr. Moretti."
He finally looked at me.
"Your father worked with mine."
My chest tightened.
"You knew him?"
"My father mentioned him."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I didn't know enough."
I laughed once, but there was no humor in it.
"Tonight I learned more about my father from a stranger than I have in seven years."
Luca accepted the accusation without defending himself.
"That's fair."
"What happened to him?"
"I don't know."
"Then find out."
His eyes met mine.
"I will."
The next morning began with documents spread across Luca's study.
There were bank statements.
Trust agreements.
Old correspondence.
Photographs.
And one handwritten note from Luca's father, dated seven years earlier.
Thomas Carter has found the leak.
Do not trust anyone with access to the Bellini transfer records.
Luca read the sentence several times.
"That was written three days before your father's death," he said.
I stared at the note.
"Who had access?"
"Anthony Mercer."
My stomach turned.
"Anthony?"
"Yes."
"Then why is he still your lawyer?"
"Because my father trusted him."
"And Vanessa?"
"She wasn't mentioned."
I folded my arms.
"What about Gabriel?"
Luca looked toward the study window.
"Gabriel Bellini disappeared seven years ago."
"Because he was believed dead."
"Yes."
"Why would he fake his death?"
"He says he was trying to survive."
"From whom?"
Luca's eyes hardened.
"The same people who killed your father."
I stared at him.
"How do we know Gabriel is telling the truth?"
"We don't."
That answer surprised me.
Luca pushed a folder toward me.
"That's why we verify everything."
Inside were photographs from the warehouse fire.
I looked away.
"I can't."
"Then don't."
He closed the folder.
"You don't have to prove your courage to me."
I looked at him.
"You don't talk like Vanessa."
A small, almost invisible smile touched his mouth.
"That's probably why she hates me."
For the first time, I almost laughed.
Then the door opened.
Daniel entered.
"Sir, we've got a problem."
"What?"
"Anthony Mercer left the city."
Luca stood.
"When?"
"At 4:10 this morning."
"Where?"
"Private hangar."
"Destination?"
"Unknown."
Luca cursed under his breath.
"Bring me everything on his travel history."
Daniel nodded.
Then he paused.
"There's more."
"What?"
"We found the original engagement ring."
Luca's expression changed.
"Where?"
"In Vanessa's room."
"Which one?"
"The old one."
He placed a velvet box on the desk.
Luca opened it.
Inside sat a ring identical to the one Vanessa currently wore.
Except this ring carried a tiny scratch along the inner band.
A scratch Luca recognized.
"I gave this ring to her."
I looked at him.
"Then the ring she's wearing..."
"Wasn't mine."
The room fell silent.
Luca's phone rang.
He answered.
"Yes."
A long pause.
"Put her through."
He activated speakerphone.
Vanessa's voice filled the room.
"Luca."
He stared at the ring.
"Where are you?"
"At the Bellini estate."
"Why?"
"Because I'm frightened."
He said nothing.
She continued.
"Gabriel is alive."
Luca's gaze lifted.
"You knew."
"I suspected."
"You lied."
"So did he."
"Did you steal from me?"
Silence.
"Vanessa."
"I didn't steal anything."
"Forty-two million dollars disappeared from my family's foundation."
"I told you, I don't know."
"Anthony knows."
Another silence.
"He works for you."
"You worked with him."
Her voice sharpened.
"You're accusing your fiancée based on a photograph?"
"No."
He looked at me.
"Based on your brother."
Vanessa inhaled sharply.
Then she said something unexpected.
"Your father was involved."
Luca went still.
"What?"
"Thomas Carter wasn't just your employee's father."
She laughed softly.
"Ask your father what he did."
Luca ended the call.
I stared at him.
"What does she know?"
"Enough to be dangerous."
"What are you going to do?"
"Find my father."
I frowned.
"He's dead."
Luca looked at me.
"My mother isn't."
That afternoon, we went to see Isabella Moretti.
She lived in a private lakeside property outside the city.
She was elegant, silver-haired, and terrifyingly observant.
The moment she saw me, her expression changed.
"Thomas's daughter."
I stopped.
"You remember me?"
"I remember your father."
She looked at Luca.
"Why did you bring her here?"
"Because Anthony Mercer is involved."
Isabella's face hardened.
"I knew this day would come."
I sat across from her.
"What happened to my father?"
She looked at me for a long moment.
Then she said, "He discovered that someone was trying to change Luca's inheritance."
Luca frowned.
"Change my inheritance?"
"Your father created the Moretti Family Trust."
"I know."
"You don't know all of it."
She stood and walked to an old cabinet.
From the bottom drawer, she pulled out a sealed envelope.
"This was given to me by Thomas Carter."
I stared at it.
"My father gave you that?"
"Two days before the fire."
Luca took the envelope.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I was afraid."
"Of whom?"
"Anthony."
My heart stopped.
"Why?"
Isabella's eyes filled with pain.
"Because Anthony wasn't working for your father."
She looked at Luca.
"He was working against him."
Luca opened the envelope.
Inside was a ledger.
Handwritten names.
Dates.
Amounts.
Transfers.
Then one name appeared again and again.
Vanessa Bellini.
Luca's jaw tightened.
But beneath Vanessa's name was another.
Anthony Mercer.
And beneath both was a third.
Luca Moretti Sr.
I stared.
"Your father?"
Luca's face became pale.
Isabella sat down.
"Your father wasn't stealing."
"Then why is his name there?"
"Because he was paying someone."
"Who?"
"Gabriel."
Silence.
Isabella continued.
"Your father discovered Gabriel had been blackmailed by Anthony."
Luca frowned.
"About what?"
"About your father."
I didn't understand.
Isabella did not look at me.
"Seven years ago, Gabriel discovered Anthony was planning to take control of the trust. But Gabriel didn't have enough proof. Your father helped him gather it."
Luca slowly sat down.
"And Thomas?"
"Thomas kept the records."
I whispered, "That's why he died."
Isabella's eyes filled.
"Yes."
I closed my eyes.
Seven years of believing my father had died because he had been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Now I knew he had been murdered because he had tried to protect someone else.
My anger was overwhelming.
"Why didn't anyone tell me?"
Isabella reached for my hand.
"Because the people responsible were still watching."
A knock came at the door.
A guard entered.
"Mrs. Moretti."
"What?"
"There is a vehicle outside."
Luca stood.
"Whose?"
"We don't know."
Another guard rushed in.
"Sir, the rear cameras are offline."
Luca's face hardened.
"How long?"
"Three minutes."
He looked at me.
"Stay here."
Then he was gone.
The sound of tires screeching echoed outside.
A single gunshot followed.
I jumped.
Isabella stood.
The guard moved in front of us.
Another shot.
Then silence.
Minutes later, Luca returned.
His suit was dusted with dirt.
"Are you hurt?"
I shook my head.
He looked relieved.
Then he turned to his mother.
"Who knew about the ledger?"
"Only Thomas, me, and Anthony."
Luca stared at her.
"And now?"
She looked at me.
"Emily."
My chest tightened.
"But I didn't tell anyone."
"I know."
Luca's expression changed.
He looked toward the window.
"Then someone has been listening."
That night, back at the mansion, Luca ordered a complete security sweep.
I was given a different bedroom.
A guard remained outside.
At midnight, I couldn't sleep.
I walked downstairs for water.
The kitchen lights were off.
I turned them on.
And froze.
Someone had left an envelope on the counter.
My name was written across it.
Emily.
I opened it.
Inside was a single photograph.
My father stood beside Luca's father.
Behind them stood a younger Anthony Mercer.
But there was one more person.
Vanessa.
She couldn't have been more than twenty-two.
On the back of the photograph were six words.
SHE KNOWS WHAT REALLY HAPPENED.
A floorboard creaked behind me.
I turned.
Vanessa stood in the doorway.
She was still wearing the same engagement ring.
But her face had lost all color.
"Emily."
I couldn't move.
She whispered, "You shouldn't have found that."
May you like
Then someone grabbed me from behind.
I screamed.
