Chapter 2 - The Secret Vanessa Was Trying to Bury
The stranger disappeared before security could reach him.
Not ran.
Disappeared.
One moment he was there.
The next, the rear doors were open and the alley was empty.
Luca didn't chase him.
He stared at the envelope.
“Everyone out.”
The guests hesitated.
“Now.”
The ballroom emptied in under three minutes.
Vanessa remained.
So did I.
So did Marco.
Luca picked up the envelope.
Inside was a photograph.
An old shipping container.
Chicago harbor.
A date.
Six years ago.
My stomach dropped.
I knew exactly what it was.
The night my father died.
Luca looked at me.
“You've seen this.”
I couldn't lie anymore.
“Yes.”
“How?”
“My father showed me.”
“When?”
“Three days before he died.”
Luca sat down slowly.
“Tell me everything.”
I wrapped my injured hand around my arm.
“My father worked at the docks.”
“I know.”
“You knew?”
“I investigated him after his death.”
I stared.
“Why?”
“Because he was involved with one of my companies.”
“I thought he was a mechanic.”
“He was.”
Luca leaned forward.
“He also kept records for a man named Dominic Rinaldi.”
That name meant nothing to me.
“Who was he?”
“An accountant.”
“For your organization?”
“No.”
Luca's eyes sharpened.
“For someone who wanted to destroy it.”
The stranger's message suddenly made sense.
Something had happened six years ago that involved Luca's family.
My father had witnessed it.
And I had seen the aftermath.
Luca asked:
“What did your father show you?”
“A ledger.”
His eyes narrowed.
“Where is it?”
“I don't know.”
“You don't?”
“He hid it.”
“From whom?”
“Everyone.”
I looked toward Vanessa.
“He told me if anyone ever asked about it, I should say I had never seen it.”
Vanessa stood very still.
Luca noticed.
“Vanessa.”
She turned.
“Did you know Grace's father?”
“No.”
“Don't lie to me.”
She swallowed.
“I met him once.”
“When?”
“Six years ago.”
“Where?”
“On the night he died.”
I stared.
“You knew him?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
She looked at me.
“Because your father was involved in something dangerous.”
“What?”
“He stole money.”
I shook my head.
“My father would never.”
Vanessa looked at Luca.
“He took money from your organization.”
Luca's face hardened.
“How much?”
“Ten million.”
Silence.
I almost laughed.
It was absurd.
“My father didn't even own a car.”
“He didn't need one.”
Luca walked toward Vanessa.
“Why was I never told?”
“Because Dominic told me to keep it quiet.”
Luca stopped.
“Dominic.”
She nodded.
“The man who sent the envelope?”
“I think so.”
“Think?”
“I haven't seen him in years.”
Luca looked at Marco.
“Find him.”
Marco nodded.
Then Luca turned toward me.
“Grace.”
“Yes?”
“Why did Vanessa want that recording?”
I hesitated.
“I don't know.”
“Yes, you do.”
I looked away.
She had threatened me.
Not once.
Repeatedly.
The first time was two months earlier.
I had found her in the office opening Luca's private financial files.
She told me if I spoke, my younger brother's apartment would be raided.
I had believed she was bluffing.
Then my brother called three days later.
Someone had broken into his place.
Nothing was stolen.
Just a photograph of me.
That had terrified me.
Luca listened carefully.
“Where is your brother?”
“Baltimore.”
“Is he safe?”
“I hope so.”
“Call him.”
I did.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Luca's expression turned cold.
“Marco.”
“Yes, boss.”
“Get someone to Baltimore.”
My eyes filled.
“Please don't let them hurt him.”
“They won't.”
“How can you promise that?”
“Because now they're dealing with me.”
Vanessa laughed.
“You think you're a hero now?”
Luca turned toward her.
“No.”
He looked almost bored.
“I'm simply tired of cleaning up your lies.”
Vanessa's face hardened.
“You don't understand.”
“Then explain.”
She looked at me.
“Your father wasn't the only person who knew about the ledger.”
“Who else?”
“My father.”
I stared.
Bellini.
Vanessa's father.
“He died in a car accident,” she said.
“No.”
Luca interrupted.
“Your father disappeared.”
Vanessa looked at him.
“You knew?”
“I knew about the disappearance.”
“Then you know what happened next.”
Luca said nothing.
Vanessa turned to me.
“He went to your father.”
My stomach turned.
“Why?”
“Because they were supposed to exchange something.”
“What?”
“The ledger.”
Everything clicked.
My father had not stolen money.
He had hidden evidence.
And the ledger could expose powerful people.
Including someone inside Luca's organization.
Vanessa's role became clearer too.
She wasn't merely trying to marry Luca.
She was trying to control who had access to the evidence.
Luca walked to the window.
“Why me?”
Vanessa's voice softened.
“Because my father said you were the only man powerful enough to protect the ledger.”
“Then why destroy me?”
“Because power wasn't enough.”
She looked down.
“My father wanted your name, your companies, your ports.”
“And you?”
“I wanted you.”
Luca looked at her.
“You forged my voice.”
“I needed a scandal.”
“For marriage?”
“For leverage.”
She started crying.
“If everyone believed you were threatening a woman in your house, the council would pressure you to marry me to protect the family name.”
Luca looked disgusted.
“You planned to blackmail me into marrying you.”
“Yes.”
“And Grace?”
Vanessa's eyes shifted toward me.
“She wasn't supposed to hear anything.”
Luca said quietly:
“That's why you hurt her.”
Vanessa said nothing.
Then I remembered something.
“There's more.”
Everyone looked at me.
I reached into my pocket.
“Before my father died, he gave me a key.”
Luca stared.
“What key?”
I had carried it for six years.
A tiny brass key taped beneath the lining of my old wallet.
I had never understood it.
Until now.
I placed it on the table.
Luca looked at the engraving.
A number.
He immediately recognized it.
“Warehouse seventeen.”
Marco stepped forward.
“Boss, that facility was demolished.”
“No.”
Luca looked at me.
“It's underground.”
My pulse raced.
“Then let's go.”
Vanessa spoke quickly.
“You can't.”
Luca looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because that's where they killed your brother.”
The room went silent.
Luca's expression changed.
“My brother?”
Vanessa nodded.
“Six years ago.”
I stared.
Luca had a brother?
He never mentioned him.
“His name was Adrian.”
“What happened?”
“He saw the wrong thing.”
I looked at Luca.
His face had become empty.
“Show me.”
Vanessa shook her head.
“You don't want to know.”
Luca's voice became almost frighteningly calm.
“I've spent six years believing my brother died in an accident.”
May you like
Vanessa whispered:
“He didn't.”
