Chapter 4 - The Account Opened in Adrian's Name

Adrian stared at the phone.

"You used my name."

Michael answered:

"Yes."

"For what?"

"An account."

"How old was I?"

"Two."

Adrian laughed quietly.

"Two."

Elena looked sick.

Michael continued:

"I thought an account in your name would be invisible."

"How much?"

"At its highest?"

A pause.

"Almost six million."

Alessandra covered her mouth.

Adrian's expression did not change.

"Where is it now?"

Victor said:

"Gone."

"All of it?"

"Most."

"Most?"

Victor took a breath.

"Some remained in a trust."

"Whose control?"

Victor looked at Alessandra.

Adrian followed his gaze.

She went pale.

"No."

Victor continued:

"The Morel family trust absorbed it years ago."

Adrian stared at his fiancée.

"You knew."

She shook her head.

"Not until last year."

"How much?"

Victor answered:

"One point eight million."

Silence.

Adrian looked at Alessandra.

"And you were going to marry me while your family controlled money stolen through my name."

She cried.

"I didn't want it."

"Did you return it?"

"No."

"Did you tell me?"

"No."

"Then what did you do?"

"I froze the trust."

Victor turned.

"You what?"

Alessandra looked at her father.

"Last year."

His face changed.

"You couldn't."

"I did."

Adrian stared.

"The funds cannot move without two signatures."

"Whose?"

"Mine."

"And?"

She looked at Elena.

Elena stared.

"Mine?"

Alessandra nodded.

Victor whispered:

"Helen changed it."

Adrian frowned.

"Helen?"

"My wife."

Alessandra's mother.

She died five years earlier.

Victor continued:

"Before she died, she changed the trust."

Elena looked at him.

"She gave me control?"

"Half."

"Why?"

"Because she knew whose money it was."

Father Thomas whispered:

"Helen tried to undo what all of you inherited."

Adrian asked:

"What else did she leave?"

Victor looked at Alessandra.

"Tell him."

She cried.

"My mother left me letters."

"How many?"

"Seven."

"About my family?"

"Mostly."

"Where?"

"In my room."

"Get them."

She hesitated.

Adrian looked at her.

"Now."

Alessandra left.

Victor said:

"You don't have to punish her for what I did."

Adrian turned.

"I'm not."

"You're looking at her like she betrayed you."

"She did."

Victor flinched.

Adrian continued:

"Maybe not as a child."

"But last year?"

"Three months ago?"

"Tonight?"

Victor said nothing.

Elena looked at Adrian.

"What are you going to do about us?"

He frowned.

"Us?"

"You and me."

His expression softened.

"I don't know."

Elena looked down.

Adrian stepped closer.

"But I know one thing."

She looked up.

"I am not letting anyone else decide whether you're my sister."

Her face broke.

He held out his hand.

She took it.

Then Alessandra returned.

Seven envelopes.

All in her mother's handwriting.

She placed them on the table.

Adrian opened the first.

ALESSANDRA.

IF YOU ARE READING THIS, I FAILED TO TELL YOU WHILE I WAS ALIVE.

He continued.

YOUR FATHER DID TERRIBLE THINGS FOR REASONS HE CALLED LOVE.

Victor closed his eyes.

Alessandra cried.

MICHAEL BELL DID TOO.

THE CHILDREN PAID FOR THE MEN'S FEAR.

Adrian read the final lines.

THE TRUST BELONGS TO NEITHER FAMILY.

IT BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE THE MONEY WAS TAKEN FROM.

IF THE ACCOUNT IS EVER UNFROZEN, GIVE IT BACK THROUGH THE CHURCH.

Victor stood sharply.

"No."

Everyone turned.

"No church."

Father Thomas stared.

Victor continued:

"Not until you know who controls Saint Gabriel now."

Adrian frowned.

"Gabriel is dead."

Victor nodded.

"But his successor isn't."

"Who?"

Victor looked at Father Thomas.

The priest's face changed.

Adrian saw.

"Father."

Thomas said nothing.

Adrian's eyes narrowed.

"Who replaced Gabriel?"

Father Thomas whispered:

"My son."

Silence.

Elena stared.

"A priest has a son?"

Thomas looked down.

"I was not always a priest."

Adrian asked:

"Name."

"Daniel Santoro."

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Victor whispered:

"And he knows about the ledger."