Chapter 8 - The Boarding School That Never Expected Her|
"Four hundred and eighty thousand dollars?"
Luca repeated the amount slowly.
Sarah nodded.
"That's the figure requested."
He stared at the papers.
"For one school placement?"
"Apparently."
I looked toward Patricia Reynolds, who had returned to the mansion at Sarah's request.
The admissions director looked horrified.
"Mr. Moretti, our tuition is nowhere near that amount."
Luca turned sharply.
"Then where was the money going?"
Patricia shook her head.
"I don't know."
Sarah studied the documents.
"The school named in this request isn't yours."
Patricia leaned closer.
Her expression changed.
"That's not our institution."
Luca frowned.
"What?"
She pointed toward the heading.
"Bellini Residential Educational Services."
The room became quiet.
Patricia continued.
"I've never heard of it."
Sarah searched through the attached business records.
Then looked up.
"It was incorporated less than four months ago."
Daniel approached.
"Registered owner?"
Sarah hesitated.
"A holding company."
"Whose?"
She turned the page.
"Antonio Moretti is listed as an authorized manager."
Luca went completely still.
Then he laughed once.
It was the coldest sound I'd ever heard.
"Of course."
I looked toward him.
His hands were clenched.
The tattoos across his fingers seemed darker beneath the study lights.
For a moment, I thought he might lose control.
Instead, he took a long breath.
Then another.
"Sarah."
"Yes?"
"Freeze any pending disbursement and notify the trustee."
She nodded.
"We've already requested an immediate hold on suspicious transactions."
Luca looked toward Daniel.
"Preserve everything."
"Yes, boss."
Then Luca turned toward Patricia.
"I owe you an apology for the position Vanessa put you in."
Patricia looked startled.
"Mr. Moretti—"
"My niece was never supposed to be transferred."
"I understand."
He nodded.
"And I appreciate you telling the truth."
Patricia's eyes softened.
"Please tell Lily I'm sorry she was frightened."
Luca looked toward the hallway.
"I will."
Later that afternoon, I found Lily sitting alone in the conservatory.
The room was warm.
Sunlight filtered through enormous windows.
She was drawing in a sketchbook.
I approached slowly, making sure she could see me.
"Hi, sweetheart."
She looked up.
Her expression brightened.
"Miss Rebecca!"
I sat beside her.
"What are you drawing?"
She turned the book toward me.
It showed a house.
A large house with a garden.
Three figures stood outside.
One was clearly Lily.
Another was Luca.
The third wore a black-and-white dress.
My throat tightened.
"Is that me?"
Lily nodded.
"Yes."
I smiled.
"You made my hair prettier than it really is."
She laughed.
Then her expression changed.
"Miss Rebecca?"
"Yes?"
"Do you think Uncle Luca will send me away someday?"
The question nearly broke my heart.
I gently put down the sketchbook.
"No, sweetheart."
She looked uncertain.
"Vanessa said adults change their minds."
I took a breath.
"Adults do sometimes change their minds. But your uncle has told you clearly that he wants you here."
Lily stared at me.
"Then why did she say I was too expensive?"
I swallowed.
"Because she was trying to make you feel responsible for things that weren't your fault."
She looked down.
I continued, signing carefully.
Your hearing needs are not a problem.
Lily raised her eyes.
Not even when people have to repeat things?
I shook my head.
Not even then.
Her lower lip trembled.
Then she signed something I hadn't expected.
Sometimes I pretend to understand so people won't get angry.
My heart tightened.
I looked at her.
"Do you do that with me?"
She shook her head.
"Because you don't get mad."
I smiled through tears.
"Good."
She leaned against me.
For several minutes, we sat quietly.
Then she whispered, "Can I tell you a secret?"
I nodded.
"Of course."
She looked toward the door.
Then signed carefully.
Vanessa took something from Mommy's room.
My heart stopped.
"What did she take?"
Lily hesitated.
A blue box.
I frowned.
"What blue box?"
She looked toward the conservatory doors.
Then whispered, "Mommy's memory box."
I stared at her.
I'd seen that box before.
It sat on a shelf in Lily's bedroom.
A pale-blue wooden chest decorated with tiny white stars.
Lily kept birthday cards, photographs, and small keepsakes inside it.
"Did Vanessa take it today?"
Lily shook her head.
"Yesterday."
My stomach tightened.
"Did she say why?"
Lily nodded.
"She said grown-up things didn't belong in my room."
I felt cold.
"Did she give it back?"
Lily shook her head.
"No."
I swallowed.
Then asked, "Was there anything important inside?"
Lily looked toward me.
Her eyes filled.
"Mommy's last letter."
My heart began pounding.
"Last letter?"
Lily nodded.
"She wrote it before she went to the hospital."
I tried to keep my voice calm.
"What did it say?"
Lily looked down.
"I never opened it."
"Why not?"
"Because Mommy wrote that I should read it when I was older."
I felt a chill.
Someone had removed the box.
Someone who already knew Isabella had recorded Antonio threatening her.
Someone who wanted to send Lily away before the wedding.
I gently took Lily's hand.
"Sweetheart, we need to tell Uncle Luca."
She nodded.
But before we could stand, Daniel appeared in the doorway.
His expression was grave.
"Rebecca."
I looked up.
"Yes?"
"Mr. Moretti needs you in the study."
My stomach tightened.
"What's happened?"
Daniel glanced toward Lily.
Then carefully signed the message he'd recently learned.
Luca needs to speak with Rebecca.
Lily nodded.
He looked back at me.
"Someone has entered the estate using Vanessa's old access code."
I stood.
"What?"
May you like
Daniel's expression hardened.
"And the security camera outside Lily's bedroom stopped recording ten minutes ago."
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