Chapter 3 - The Voice Luca Thought He Would Never Hear Again|
Luca stood beside the shattered champagne glass without moving.
Vanessa's face had gone white.
The name Victoria Bell seemed to hang between them.
I'd never heard it before.
But Sofia clearly had.
And judging by the expression on Vanessa's face, she hadn't expected anyone else to remember it.
“Victoria Bell,” Luca repeated.
Vanessa shook her head.
“It's an old professional name.”
Sofia laughed bitterly.
“Professional?”
Her voice trembled.
“You mean the name you used before Catherine discovered what you were doing?”
Vanessa turned toward her.
“You have no idea what you're talking about.”
Sofia stepped closer.
“I spent eight months trying to prove it.”
Luca raised one hand.
“Enough.”
Everyone stopped.
He looked toward Amelia.
“Play the recording.”
The doctor hesitated.
“Luca, perhaps you should sit down.”
“No.”
His voice was quiet.
“I want to hear my wife.”
Amelia nodded.
She placed the recorder on the dining table.
For a moment, she stared at it.
Then she pressed play.
A faint crackling sound filled the room.
Someone was moving near a microphone.
Then a woman's voice spoke.
“Is this working?”
I saw Luca's entire body change.
Catherine.
I knew the voice from an old home video Teresa had once shown me.
Warm.
Gentle.
A little breathless.
A voice that had been silent for three years.
The recording continued.
“My name is Catherine Moretti.”
Luca closed his eyes.
“I am recording this because I'm afraid the information I found will disappear.”
His hand closed around the back of a chair.
“I discovered unauthorized transfers from the Moretti Family Care Foundation. Several were approved under the name Victoria Bell.”
Vanessa stared at the floor.
Catherine continued.
“I confronted Victoria yesterday. She told me the payments were legitimate consulting fees.”
A pause.
“But the supporting documents are false.”
Luca's expression hardened.
Then Catherine's voice trembled.
“I've made copies. I'm taking them to Sofia tomorrow because I don't know whom I can trust inside the office.”
Sofia began crying quietly.
The recording continued.
“Roman, if you hear this—”
Catherine stopped.
Then corrected herself.
“Luca.”
His face crumpled.
“She was exhausted,” Amelia whispered. “She had been injured.”
The voice continued.
“I'm sorry. I'm having trouble concentrating.”
There was a long pause.
Then Catherine whispered:
“Please tell our little girl I love her.”
Luca covered his mouth.
I felt tears run down my cheeks.
The recording ended.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then Luca slowly sat down.
He held the recorder in both hands.
As though it were the last remaining piece of his wife.
“Why didn't anyone give me this?” he whispered.
Amelia looked ashamed.
“Because the hospital's legal department told me the recording had to remain confidential during an internal investigation.”
Luca looked up.
“What investigation?”
“A complaint about unauthorized changes to Catherine's medical and visitor records.”
Sofia stepped forward.
“I filed that complaint.”
Luca turned.
“You?”
She nodded.
“After the funeral.”
His expression changed.
“You told me you thought something was wrong.”
“I did.”
He looked toward the floor.
“And I told you grief was making you imagine things.”
Sofia began crying.
“Yes.”
Luca closed his eyes.
I had never seen him look so ashamed.
Then Amelia continued.
“I kept a legally obtained copy of the recording. When the hospital review stalled, I reported my concerns to the appropriate authorities.”
Luca looked at her.
“Why didn't you contact me?”
“I tried.”
Sofia lowered her head.
“So did I.”
The room became unbearably quiet.
Luca looked toward Vanessa.
“Did you interfere with Sofia's attempts to reach me?”
Vanessa swallowed.
“I was trying to prevent you from being manipulated.”
“By my own sister?”
“She was unstable after Catherine died.”
Sofia's face changed.
“Unstable?”
She stepped forward.
“You told everyone I was responsible for Catherine's missing foundation money.”
Vanessa didn't answer.
“You showed Luca forged account statements.”
Luca looked up sharply.
“Forged?”
Sofia nodded.
“Yes.”
Her voice broke.
“And when I tried to prove it, you told Mom I was trying to destroy the family.”
Teresa began crying.
I knelt beside her.
“Mrs. Moretti…”
She squeezed my hand.
“I believed her, Hannah.”
My throat tightened.
Across the room, Luca slowly stood.
He looked at Vanessa.
“Give me your engagement ring.”
Her expression collapsed.
“What?”
“The ring.”
“Luca, please.”
He held out his hand.
For several seconds, she didn't move.
Then she pulled the diamond ring from her finger.
Placed it in his palm.
And began crying.
Luca set it on the table.
“The engagement is over.”
Vanessa stared at him.
“You can't do this because of one recording.”
“No.”
He looked toward Sofia.
“I'm doing it because the woman I planned to marry lied to my family.”
Then he turned toward Amelia.
“What else did Catherine tell you?”
The doctor's expression became grave.
“She said she believed someone had been following her.”
Luca froze.
“Who?”
Amelia took a breath.
“She didn't know.”
Then she added something that made Sofia grip the table.
“But someone visited Catherine's hospital room before she died.”
Luca looked up.
“Who?”
May you like
Amelia stared directly at Vanessa.
“Victoria Bell.”
Related Stories
