Chapter 5 - The Car Came From Inside the Family

Marco pulled the vehicle records before sunrise.

The black SUV had been purchased by a logistics subsidiary.

Moretti-owned.

Registered through a shell company.

Authorized by Paolo’s employee credentials.

Emma stared at the screen.

“So Paolo caused the crash?”

Luca shook his head.

“No.”

Marco agreed.

“His credentials were used.”

Belini said nothing.

Luca noticed.

“What do you know?”

She looked exhausted now.

For the first time, the red dress looked less like armor.

“I knew the vehicle was connected to the family.”

“How long?”

“Four months.”

Luca’s hand closed around the wheelchair rim.

“You knew for four months.”

“Yes.”

“And said nothing.”

“I didn’t know who authorized it.”

“That was enough to tell me.”

“You were recovering.”

“No.”

His voice sharpened.

“You decided I was recovering.”

Belini flinched.

Emma looked away.

Control dressed as care.

Again.

Bellori sat against the wall.

“You want the truth?”

Luca looked at him.

“Finally.”

Bellori explained.

The crash had not been designed to kill Luca.

It had been designed to injure him.

A staged collision.

Low enough speed to avoid death.

High enough to produce months of recovery.

But the SUV driver lost control.

Luca’s driver died.

The plan became something no one had expected.

Emma felt sick.

“Who planned it?”

Bellori looked toward Belini.

She snapped:

“Not me.”

He shook his head.

“No.”

Luca waited.

“Carlo Moretti.”

Silence.

Luca’s uncle.

The man who had handled family accounts for twenty years.

Bellori continued.

“Carlo believed Luca was blocking a merger that would save three failing family companies.”

Luca’s expression hardened.

“I rejected it because the companies were laundering money.”

Bellori nodded.

“Exactly.”

Emma understood.

Carlo needed Luca unable to interfere.

Belini needed Luca dependent.

Bellori needed the trust changed.

Different motives.

Same injury.

Luca looked at Belini.

“You knew Carlo was involved.”

She shook her head.

“I suspected.”

“Why protect him?”

“Because he had proof against me.”

“What proof?”

She hesitated.

Then:

“That I paid Bellori to draft the incapacity petition.”

Luca almost smiled.

“Blackmail.”

“Yes.”

Marco’s phone rang.

He answered.

His face changed.

“Boss.”

“What?”

“We found Paolo.”

Everyone turned.

“Alive?”

“Yes.”

“Where?”

Marco swallowed.

“Your old rehabilitation residence.”

Emma’s face went still.

She had worked there before coming to Moretti House.

Luca looked at her.

“You knew him?”

May you like

[COMPLETED] “GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY DRESS! YOU’RE NOTHING BUT AN OLD SEAM...

[COMPLETED] At the Mafia Boss's Engagement Party, I Served His Hungry So...

[COMPLETED] The Mafia Boss’s Fiancée Tried to Dismiss His Father’s Loyal...

“No.”

But something in her expression said she knew that place better than she wanted to.