Chapter 9 - The Page Anna Kept for Twenty Years

Luca stared at the paper.

"You had it."

Anna nodded.

"For twenty years?"

"Yes."

Marco looked stunned.

"You never told me."

"No."

Luca laughed once.

Then rubbed his face.

"Of course."

Anna did not defend herself.

He picked up the page.

Old paper.

Typed names.

Trust structures.

Signatures.

At the bottom:

ULTIMATE BENEFICIARY:

VICTORIA HELEN DANE.

Victoria went pale.

"I was thirteen."

Anna nodded.

"Your father used you."

Below the name was another line.

CONTROLLING SETTLOR:

ADRIAN DANE.

Luca looked at James.

"That's enough."

James nodded.

"With the original ledger, yes."

Marco looked at Anna.

"How did you get it?"

She sat.

"The night Adrian forced me to leave, I took one page."

"Why that one?"

"Because Helen's name was on the previous page."

Victoria frowned.

"My mother?"

Anna nodded.

"Adrian had started using trusts in both your names."

Victoria looked sick.

Anna continued:

"I thought if I survived, I could prove he was building the network around his family."

Marco whispered:

"You carried that with you all these years."

"Yes."

"Why not send it to police?"

Anna looked at Luca.

"Because Adrian showed me what he would do to my son."

Luca's face softened.

Only slightly.

Anna continued:

"I was afraid."

Luca nodded.

For once, he did not challenge the word.

He understood it now.

Victoria asked:

"What about Victor?"

Anna looked at James.

"The missing page he stole was a copy."

Marco frowned.

"How?"

"Helen copied the ledger before she died."

James understood.

"The hard drive."

Anna nodded.

"Victor thought he had the only evidence."

Luca looked at the photograph.

"Is he alive?"

James answered:

"Yes."

Everyone turned.

"You know?"

"I saw him seven months ago."

Luca's expression hardened.

"And didn't mention that?"

James closed his eyes.

"I was getting there."

Luca stared.

James sighed.

"Spain."

"What happened?"

"Victor came looking for Marco."

Marco nodded.

"He offered a trade."

"For what?"

"Immunity money."

Luca frowned.

"He wanted to be paid to testify?"

"Essentially."

"Against Adrian?"

"Against everyone."

Marco looked at his son.

"Including me."

Luca said:

"Did you pay him?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because if I bought his testimony, it would look bought."

Anna added:

"And because he was still blackmailing people."

Luca nodded.

"Where is he now?"

James looked at Marco.

Marco answered:

"Federal custody."

Victoria stared.

"What?"

Luca did too.

Marco continued:

"Three months ago, he surrendered through a lawyer."

Luca laughed.

"You already had a witness."

"Yes."

"And still waited."

Marco looked ashamed.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because Victor's testimony was useless without originals."

Luca looked at page forty-seven.

"And now it isn't."

"No."

James's phone rang again.

This time, he smiled.

"The New York attorney just confirmed the ledger matches Victor's scans."

Marco exhaled.

Victoria sat.

All the pieces finally connected.

Anna's page.

Helen's hard drive.

James's ledger.

Nicholas's scans.

Victor's testimony.

The old recorder.

Adrian no longer controlled the story.

Luca looked at Marco.

"What happens to you?"

Marco answered honestly.

"I cooperate."

"And?"

"I may be charged."

Anna looked at him.

Marco continued:

"I laundered money."

Luca's jaw tightened.

"How long could you get?"

"I don't know."

"Years?"

"Possibly."

Luca looked angry again.

"After thirteen years gone, you come back so a court can take you."

Marco stepped closer.

"No."

Luca stared.

Marco continued:

"I came back because I was tired of making my fear your inheritance."

Luca looked away.

Marco said:

"If there is a sentence, I serve it."

Anna took his hand.

Luca noticed.

"You'll stay?"

Anna looked at him.

"Yes."

"Even if he goes to prison?"

"I spent twenty years running."

She looked at Marco.

"I'm finished."

Victoria stood near the window.

Luca walked to her.

She turned.

He took the engagement ring from his pocket.

Her breath caught.

But he did not put it on her finger.

He placed it in her hand.

"The engagement is over."

Victoria closed her eyes.

A tear fell.

"I know."

Luca continued:

"Not because of your father."

She opened her eyes.

"Because of me?"

"Because you lied to me."

She nodded.

"I did."

"And because if I marry you now, I'll spend every bad day wondering which parts were arranged."

Victoria looked at the ring.

"You're right."

Luca said:

"I don't want to punish you for him."

She looked up.

"But I can't reward us for surviving him either."

Victoria gave a broken smile.

"So what happens?"

Luca thought.

Then answered:

"You go home."

"To him?"

"No."

He shook his head.

"To yourself."

Her eyes filled.

"And you?"

"I meet my parents."

He looked at Anna and Marco.

"Apparently for the first time."

Victoria laughed through tears.

Luca continued:

"If there is anything left between us when none of this is controlling us, we'll find out then."

She closed her fingers around the ring.

"No promises?"

"No."

"No waiting?"

"No."

"No secret plan?"

Luca almost smiled.

"Absolutely not."

Victoria nodded.

Then surprised him.

She hugged him.

He stood still.

Then hugged her back.

Not as a fiancé.

Not as a promise.

As goodbye.

For now.

Later that morning, prosecutors formally took custody of the evidence.

Adrian Dane remained detained.

Victor Salvi agreed to testify.

Nicholas sent the original scans.

Marco signed a cooperation agreement.

Anna gave her statement.

James finally slept.

I sat in the villa kitchen with a cup of coffee.

Luca came in.

Still wearing the same tuxedo from the engagement ball.

Almost twenty-four hours later.

I looked at him.

"You should sleep."

He poured coffee.

"Everyone keeps telling me what I should do."

I smiled.

"Then don't."

He sat.

After a moment, he asked:

"Mia."

"Yes?"

"Why did James trust you at the ball?"

I thought about it.

"He didn't."

Luca frowned.

"He barely knew me."

"Then why stand beside him?"

"Because everyone else stepped away."

Luca looked at his coffee.

Then nodded.

"Good answer."

From the doorway, Anna called:

"Luca?"

He turned.

She held a small envelope.

"Your father and I have one more thing."

Luca laughed softly.

"Please tell me it isn't another recording."

Anna smiled.

"No."

"What is it?"

"A plane ticket."

He frowned.

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"For where?"

"Home."