Chapter 4 - Hannah's Secret Evidence
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The second-floor hallway was pitch black except for the amber sconces glowing along the walls.
My heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird as I ran down the carpeted corridor.
I had cleaned Teresa’s rooms every morning for eleven months, but tonight the shadows felt dangerous.
I knew what Michael Moretti was capable of; everyone in the city knew the Moretti brothers weren’t ordinary businessmen.
I pushed open the heavy mahogany door to Teresa’s sitting room.
The familiar scent of lavender and old paper enveloped me in the darkness.
I reached the fireplace mantel and stared at the tall blue porcelain vase resting beside a framed picture of Luca’s late father.
My hands trembled as I reached inside the narrow neck of the vase.
My fingers brushed against cold ceramic, then caught the crisp edge of folded heavy cardstock.
I pulled it out carefully.
It wasn’t just a simple medical evaluation form.
It was an irrevocable durable power of attorney, granting full control of Teresa’s assets to Michael Moretti.
Attached to it with a paperclip was a transfer deed for the family’s estate in Lake Geneva.
And beneath that was a folded handwritten envelope that made my breath catch in my throat.
On the front of the envelope, in faded ink from five years ago, was written: For Teresa, when Luca learns to see.
The handwriting didn’t belong to Luca or Michael.
It belonged to Dante.
Suddenly, a floorboard creaked in the hallway right outside the door.
I spun around, pressing the papers against my chest.
A tall silhouette blocked the doorway, casting a long shadow across the polished hardwood floor.
“You shouldn’t have stuck your nose into this, Hannah.”
It wasn’t Luca.
It was Michael, breathing heavily, his tie completely discarded.
He had slipped away from his brother while Luca was checking on Teresa.
“Give me the documents,” Michael said, taking a slow step toward me.
“Mr. Moretti asked me to bring them to him,” I said, trying to keep my voice from shaking.
“Luca doesn’t know what’s good for this family.”
Michael took another step, cornering me against the fireplace.
“Luca has gone soft since his wife died three years ago.”
“He spends half his time coddling Sophie and the other half running legitimate shipping companies.”
“The Bellinis were going to swallow us whole if we didn’t create an alliance.”
“And selling your mother out was your price?” I asked, defying him with every ounce of courage I had.
Michael’s sneer twisted his handsome face into something ugly.
“My mother owns thirty percent of the shipping conglomerate’s voting stock.”
“Her signature would have allowed Vanessa’s father to merge our ports with theirs.”
“And Dante?” I demanded, holding the envelope tighter.
“Why did you tell her she would never see Dante again?”
Michael let out a bitter, mocking laugh.
“Because Dante found out about the offshore accounts Vanessa set up.”
“He was going to tell Luca five years ago.”
“So I made sure Luca believed Dante was the one stealing from our father’s vault.”
A tear burned my eye as I realized the depths of his betrayal.
“You framed your own brother.”
“I did what I had to do to survive in this family!”
Michael lunged forward, reaching out to rip the papers from my hands.
I pulled back, but my heel caught on the edge of the hearth rug.
I stumbled backward, crying out as I lost my balance.
Before Michael’s fingers could touch the documents, a hand like an iron vice clamped down onto the back of his neck.
The force pulled Michael backward off his feet, slamming him onto the center of the hardwood floor.
May you like
Luca stood over him, his dark eyes burning with absolute, lethal rage.
“I told you,” Luca whispered, “not to touch her.”
