Chapter 3 - The Retirement Home Nobody Had Chosen|
Nobody moved.
Even Vanessa seemed to understand that the evening had passed the point where a clever explanation could save her.
Luca stood beside the dining table, holding his father's letter.
Rosa sat silently in her restored chair.
And I remained behind her, with one hand resting on the carved wooden frame.
“Explain,” Luca said.
Elizabeth swallowed.
“Antonio discovered irregularities in several property accounts. At the time, he believed Vanessa had been persuaded by someone older to obtain confidential documents.”
Vanessa folded her arms.
“This is ridiculous. I was a teenager.”
“Nineteen,” Elizabeth corrected quietly. “And you knew exactly what you were doing.”
Vanessa's eyes flashed.
“Don't you dare.”
Luca turned toward his fiancée.
“Enough.”
Then he addressed Elizabeth again.
“Who was helping her?”
Elizabeth lowered her eyes.
“A man named Daniel Mercer.”
Luca went completely still.
Daniel Mercer.
I knew that name.
He was Luca's financial director.
He came to the mansion twice a week, always carrying a leather briefcase and wearing expensive cologne.
He'd been at dinner that evening.
In fact, he'd been sitting near the far end of the table.
I looked toward his place.
His chair was empty.
So was his dinner plate.
Luca noticed my expression.
“Hannah?”
“Mr. Mercer was here earlier, sir.”
Luca looked toward the doorway.
“Marco.”
His security chief appeared immediately.
“Boss?”
“Find Daniel Mercer. I want him here.”
Marco nodded.
Then vanished into the hallway.
Luca turned back toward Elizabeth.
“Why would Daniel help Vanessa?”
Elizabeth hesitated.
“Because your father discovered Daniel had been stealing money from company accounts.”
A ripple of whispers moved through the guests.
Luca's expression hardened.
“How much?”
“I don't know the final amount. Antonio was investigating when he became ill.”
Vanessa suddenly laughed.
“How convenient. A dead man who can't defend himself and an old woman who can't remember where she was sitting.”
Rosa flinched.
I felt anger rise inside me.
Before I could stop myself, I spoke.
“Mrs. Moretti remembers exactly where she was supposed to sit.”
Vanessa turned.
“You little—”
Luca raised one hand.
“Don't finish that sentence.”
Vanessa stared at him.
He stepped closer.
“You've threatened Hannah enough tonight.”
Then he looked toward the remaining guests.
“This evening is over. Please excuse us.”
Nobody protested.
Chairs scraped against marble.
Guests whispered as they collected their belongings.
Within ten minutes, the enormous dining room stood nearly empty.
Only Luca, Rosa, Elizabeth, Vanessa, Marco, and I remained.
Luca approached his mother.
“Mom, would you like to go upstairs?”
Rosa shook her head.
“No, sweetheart.”
“Are you sure?”
She gripped her cane.
“I've spent too long being sent away whenever someone has something important to say.”
Luca's face softened.
“Then you can stay.”
Tears filled her eyes.
“Thank you.”
I brought her a fresh glass of water.
She squeezed my hand.
Then Luca turned toward Vanessa.
“Where is the retirement residence you arranged for my mother?”
Vanessa sighed.
“Luca, we've discussed this.”
“No. You discussed it with my mother. You told her I'd made a decision I knew nothing about.”
She looked away.
“It's a beautiful place.”
“Where?”
“Outside Milwaukee.”
Rosa suddenly lifted her head.
“Wisconsin?”
Vanessa nodded.
“Yes.”
Rosa's eyes filled.
“But you told me it was only twenty minutes away.”
Luca went still.
Vanessa hesitated.
“I may have confused the travel time.”
I couldn't remain silent.
“Mrs. Moretti, you told me it was near your church.”
Rosa nodded.
“That's what Vanessa said.”
Luca stared at his fiancée.
“You were planning to move my seventy-eight-year-old mother to another state without telling me?”
Vanessa lifted her chin.
“She needs professional care.”
“She has professional care here.”
“She needs more than this mansion can provide.”
Rosa lowered her eyes.
“I don't want to leave my home.”
Luca immediately turned toward her.
“Then you won't.”
Vanessa laughed sharply.
“Of course. Let's ignore everything I've done to organize her future.”
Luca looked back at her.
“You're not organizing her future.”
His voice became very quiet.
“You're trying to control it.”
Vanessa's face hardened.
“You're going to regret embarrassing me.”
He studied her.
Then slowly removed his engagement ring from his pocket.
The matching band he'd planned to wear on Saturday.
He placed it on the table.
“There will be no wedding this Saturday.”
Vanessa stopped breathing.
“What?”
“The wedding is postponed indefinitely.”
“You can't do that!”
“I just did.”
She looked toward Elizabeth.
“Look what you've done!”
Elizabeth began crying.
But Luca didn't move.
“Marco will escort you to the east guest suite. Tomorrow we'll arrange for your belongings to be collected.”
Vanessa stared at him with open hatred.
Then she turned toward me.
“This is all because of that maid.”
I felt my stomach tighten.
Luca stepped between us.
“No.”
He looked toward Rosa.
“This is because you made my mother afraid to sit beside me.”
Vanessa's expression crumpled.
For one moment, I thought she might apologize.
Instead, she grabbed her handbag.
“You have no idea who you're dealing with.”
She stormed out.
Marco followed.
I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.
Rosa began crying quietly.
Luca knelt beside her.
“Mom, I'm sorry.”
She touched his face.
“You didn't know.”
“I should have.”
She shook her head.
“Sweetheart, you trusted someone you loved.”
Luca closed his eyes.
Then Elizabeth spoke.
“Luca?”
He turned.
She held up the brass key.
“Your father wanted you to use this if Vanessa ever tried to take control of the house.”
Luca frowned.
“What does it open?”
Elizabeth looked toward the hallway.
“His private records cabinet.”
Luca stared.
“My father's study has been locked for seven years.”
May you like
Elizabeth nodded.
“Then perhaps it's time you opened it.”
