Chapter 13 - The Last Time Vanessa Entered the Mansion|
Vanessa arrived wearing the same burgundy coat she had worn to several society events.
Her makeup was perfect.
Her hair was carefully styled.
And despite everything that had happened, she walked through the mansion as though she still owned it.
A lawyer accompanied her.
Two security employees stood nearby to supervise the collection of her belongings.
I watched from the far end of the entrance hall.
Luca stood near the staircase.
For a long moment, husband and wife simply stared at each other.
Then Vanessa smiled.
"Well, darling."
Luca said nothing.
"I assume you've enjoyed turning everyone against me."
His expression remained cold.
"You did that yourself."
She laughed.
"How dramatic."
Then she noticed me.
"Of course Claire is here."
I kept my eyes steady.
Vanessa looked at Luca.
"I suppose she'll be wearing my jewelry next."
I felt my face grow hot.
But Luca didn't move.
"Leave Claire out of this."
Vanessa's expression twisted.
"She's been trying to replace me since the day I married you."
"No."
His voice was quiet.
"Claire was trying to protect Sophia."
Vanessa rolled her eyes.
"That spoiled little girl has been manipulating you for months."
Luca's face hardened.
"Don't speak about my daughter that way."
"Your daughter?"
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
"Everything in this house revolves around that child."
I stared at her.
For the first time, she was no longer pretending.
There was no concern for Sophia.
No claim of misunderstood discipline.
Only resentment.
Luca looked at her for a long moment.
"She is nine years old, Vanessa."
Vanessa crossed her arms.
"And I'm your wife."
He answered quietly.
"Not for much longer."
Her smile disappeared.
"What?"
"I've instructed Nora to begin divorce proceedings."
Vanessa looked as though someone had struck her.
"You can't be serious."
"I am."
She stepped closer.
"After everything I've done for you?"
Luca stared at her.
"You tried to send my daughter away."
"Because she was ruining our marriage!"
The words rang through the hall.
I felt a chill.
Luca took a slow breath.
"Sophia didn't ruin anything."
He looked directly at Vanessa.
"You did."
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Vanessa laughed harshly.
"You think that maid will love you once she realizes what kind of man you really are?"
I lowered my eyes.
Luca did not.
"Claire knows who I am."
His voice became steady.
"And she's never used a frightened child to get what she wants."
Vanessa opened her mouth, but another voice interrupted.
"Aunt Vanessa?"
We all turned.
Madison stood near the dining-room doorway.
Rachel was beside her.
The little girl held Sophia's hand.
Vanessa's expression changed instantly.
"Madison, sweetheart."
She opened her arms.
"Come here."
Madison didn't move.
Vanessa forced a smile.
"Don't be silly."
The child swallowed.
"Why did you tell me Sophia was going away?"
Vanessa's smile faltered.
"That's not something you need to worry about."
"Why did you make everybody pretend it was my birthday?"
"Madison—"
"Why did you tell me Uncle Luca wanted a different daughter?"
The entire hallway became silent.
Vanessa looked toward Rachel.
"Take your child away from here."
Rachel stepped forward.
"My daughter asked you a question."
Vanessa's face hardened.
"You're all making me the villain."
Madison's eyes filled with tears.
"I didn't want Sophia's room."
Sophia squeezed her hand.
"I know."
Madison began crying.
"I didn't want her birthday."
I felt my heart breaking.
"I just wanted you to be proud of me."
For one moment, Vanessa looked startled.
Then she turned away.
"Oh, don't be ridiculous."
Madison flinched.
Rachel immediately knelt beside her daughter.
"You never had to earn anyone's love, sweetheart."
Luca crouched beside Sophia.
He placed a protective arm around her shoulders.
Then he looked at Vanessa.
"You had two little girls who trusted you."
His voice broke.
"And you hurt both of them."
Vanessa shook her head.
"You don't understand what it takes to survive in this family."
Luca slowly stood.
"Then perhaps I helped build the wrong kind of family."
Before Vanessa could respond, the front door opened.
Two detectives entered with Marco.
They approached Vanessa and identified themselves.
Her attorney immediately stepped forward.
"What is this about?"
One detective explained that warrants had been issued in connection with the fraudulent custody documents and the foundation investigation.
Vanessa stared at Luca.
"You called them?"
Luca shook his head.
"I gave the investigators the evidence."
Her expression twisted with hatred.
"You'll regret this."
Luca looked at her without anger.
"No."
He glanced toward Sophia.
"I regret not seeing what you were doing sooner."
The detectives informed Vanessa of the charges.
Her attorney advised her not to make further statements.
But Vanessa continued glaring at me.
"This is your fault!"
I stood very still.
For months, that woman's words had made me afraid.
She had threatened my job.
My reputation.
And finally, my safety.
But as I looked at her now, I realized something important.
She no longer had the power to make me silent.
"No, Mrs. Moretti," I said calmly.
"You made your choices."
Vanessa stared at me.
I continued.
"And Sophia deserved better than every one of them."
A few moments later, the detectives escorted her outside.
Nobody cheered.
Nobody celebrated.
The moment was too painful for that.
Sophia stood beside her father, watching quietly.
Then she whispered, "Is she coming back?"
Luca knelt.
"Not to hurt you."
Sophia's eyes filled with tears.
"Are you sure?"
He drew her into his arms.
"I'm going to keep doing everything I can to make sure you're safe."
She hugged him tightly.
Rachel led Madison toward the sitting room.
Mrs. Morales, who had returned to visit the family, quietly closed the front doors.
The mansion became still.
Then Sophia looked at her father.
"Daddy?"
"Yes, princess?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"Anything."
Her voice trembled.
"Can we take down Madison's birthday decorations?"
Luca stared at her.
"Of course."
Sophia swallowed.
"And can we put up something for me instead?"
Tears filled his eyes.
He smiled.
"Yes, sweetheart."
Then he turned toward Marco.
"Take down every gold banner."
Marco nodded.
Luca looked back at his daughter.
"And tomorrow, we're giving you the birthday you should have had."
Sophia smiled through her tears.
"With strawberry cake?"
"With strawberry cake."
"And Claire?"
Luca looked toward me.
I smiled.
"Of course."
Sophia reached for both our hands.
Then she said something that made my heart ache.
"Can we invite Madison too?"
Luca pulled her close.
"Especially Madison."
May you like
For the first time since her birthday, Sophia laughed without looking over her shoulder.
And the sound filled the mansion like sunlight.
