Chapter 2 - The Man Who Had Been Paying for the Little Boy|
Nobody moved after Margaret Ellis asked Luca Moretti to question his oldest friend.
At the far end of the table, Daniel Reynolds slowly rose from his chair.
He was fifty-two, impeccably dressed, and one of the few men in Chicago who could enter Luca's mansion without being searched twice.
For twenty years, Daniel had handled some of the Moretti family's most complicated business arrangements.
Luca trusted him.
Or at least, he had until that moment.
"Daniel," Luca said quietly. "What does my fiancée's son have to do with you?"
Daniel looked toward Vanessa.
She was trembling.
"Don't say anything," she whispered.
Luca noticed.
His expression became colder.
"Daniel. Answer me."
Daniel took a breath.
"I've been paying the boy's tuition."
"For six years?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Daniel looked toward Margaret.
The elderly woman clutched the little paper crown against her chest.
"Because someone had to make sure he was taken care of."
Vanessa slammed her palm against the table.
"You're making this sound disgusting!"
Luca slowly turned.
"What exactly are you afraid he'll tell me?"
Vanessa's mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
I stood beside Margaret's chair, feeling as though the floor had shifted beneath my feet.
I'd worked for the Moretti family for almost four years.
I'd seen Luca furious.
I'd seen him disappointed.
I'd watched men twice my size become silent under his stare.
But I'd never seen him look betrayed.
Not like this.
Daniel lowered his head.
"Luca, the child's name is Oliver."
Margaret began crying.
Luca glanced at her.
"Mrs. Ellis, are you all right?"
She nodded weakly.
"Yes, sir."
Daniel continued.
"Oliver was born nine years ago. Vanessa told his father the child hadn't survived the delivery."
Luca looked toward Vanessa.
"Is that true?"
She covered her face.
"Please don't do this here."
Luca's voice hardened.
"You brought this woman here. You humiliated her. You lied about your own son. And now you want privacy?"
Vanessa lowered her hands.
"You don't understand!"
"Then help me understand."
She looked toward Daniel.
He stared back at her.
Finally, Vanessa whispered:
"Because Oliver's father was never supposed to find out."
Luca folded his arms.
"Who is he?"
Daniel took a step forward.
"I am."
The entire ballroom went silent.
I stared at him.
Margaret shut her eyes.
Vanessa's face twisted.
"No!"
Daniel looked at Luca.
"I am Oliver's father."
Luca didn't move.
For several seconds, his expression remained completely unreadable.
Then he asked:
"You and Vanessa?"
Daniel nodded.
"Nine years ago."
"But she was twenty-four."
"Yes."
"And you were married."
Daniel lowered his eyes.
"Yes."
The words hung over the table.
I glanced toward Vanessa.
She had spent months bragging about how important honesty was to her.
How she could never tolerate a dishonest husband.
How her future children would grow up knowing the value of family.
Now the truth was standing in front of everyone.
Luca looked at Daniel.
"Does your wife know?"
Daniel swallowed.
"No."
"Does Vanessa's son know you're his father?"
"No."
Margaret began crying harder.
"I begged them to tell him," she whispered. "I begged Vanessa every year."
Luca turned toward her.
"And what happened?"
"She told me Oliver was better off not knowing."
Vanessa snapped.
"Because he was!"
Margaret flinched.
I felt anger rise into my throat.
For weeks, I'd watched Vanessa criticize servants for the smallest mistakes.
A crooked napkin.
A late cup of coffee.
A stain on the marble floor.
Yet she had abandoned a little boy who still made her paper crowns.
Luca stepped away from the table.
"Everyone except Margaret, Natalie, Daniel, and Vanessa, please leave."
The guests began moving.
Nobody argued.
Within minutes, the enormous ballroom was nearly empty.
Luca stood beside the fireplace.
"Daniel, why are you paying tuition for a son you supposedly believed was dead?"
Daniel stared at the floor.
"Because I found out six years ago."
Vanessa's head snapped toward him.
"What?"
Daniel looked at her.
"I found the birth certificate."
She went pale.
Luca narrowed his eyes.
"Where?"
"Among some documents Vanessa left at my office."
"And you never confronted her?"
"I did."
Vanessa whispered, "Daniel..."
He ignored her.
"She begged me not to tell anyone. She said she'd lose everything."
Luca stared.
"And you agreed?"
Daniel swallowed.
"I told myself I was protecting my marriage."
Luca gave a humorless laugh.
"So you let your son believe his father didn't want him."
Daniel's eyes filled.
"Yes."
Margaret whispered:
"Oliver asks about him every Father's Day."
Daniel covered his mouth.
For the first time, he looked ashamed.
Then Luca asked something that made Vanessa go completely still.
"Why did Daniel come to your mother's house last month?"
Daniel looked up.
"Because I wanted to tell Oliver the truth."
Vanessa began shaking her head.
"No."
Luca continued.
"And why did you want Margaret to tell him his mother had died?"
Vanessa whispered:
"Because I needed everything to disappear."
Luca stared at her.
"What does that mean?"
Vanessa's voice broke.
"Because somebody found out."
The room became silent.
"Who?" Luca asked.
Vanessa looked toward the ballroom doors.
Then whispered:
"Your brother."
Luca went completely still.
May you like
His younger brother, Matteo Moretti, had been missing for seven years.
And for the first time that evening, Luca looked genuinely frightened.
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