Chapter 3 - The Letter Rosalie Hid Fourteen Years Ago

Luca opened the dining-room door.

Everyone was still waiting.

Rosalie stood where he had left her.

James beside her.

George near the staircase.

I stood against the wall.

Luca held up the copied letter.

Rosalie went pale.

He looked at her.

"Fourteen years ago."

Her eyes filled immediately.

"Luca."

"Did my father write to me on my twenty-first birthday?"

She closed her eyes.

James whispered:

"Rosalie."

She ignored him.

"Yes."

Silence.

Luca stared.

"You intercepted it."

"Yes."

"How?"

"My father received it first."

Luca turned to James.

James looked older suddenly.

Luca asked:

"Why did you have my letter?"

James answered:

"Matteo sent it through my office."

"You told him you would deliver it."

"Yes."

"But you didn't."

"No."

Luca looked back at Rosalie.

"Then how did you get it?"

She wiped her tears.

"I found it in his desk."

"When?"

"Two weeks later."

"And you read it."

"Yes."

"What did it say?"

Rosalie looked at the copy in his hand.

"That your father was alive."

"Anything else?"

"That he believed Carlo was using your name."

"Anything else?"

She hesitated.

Luca's expression hardened.

"Rosalie."

"That my father had helped him."

Silence.

James looked down.

Luca stared.

"So you knew at twenty that your father was involved."

"I knew he had signed things."

"Did you confront him?"

"Yes."

Luca looked at James.

"What did you tell her?"

James answered:

"That Matteo was unstable."

George laughed bitterly.

James turned.

George continued:

"You told everyone that."

Luca looked at Rosalie.

"You believed him."

"For a while."

"How long?"

"Years."

Luca's face changed.

"Years."

Rosalie nodded.

"Then I started finding documents."

"When?"

"Six years ago."

"Six."

"Yes."

"What did you find?"

"Payments."

"Board minutes."

"One recording."

Luca stared.

"A recording of who?"

"My father and Carlo."

James closed his eyes.

Luca noticed.

"Where is it?"

Rosalie whispered:

"In my room."

"Get it."

She did not move.

Luca looked at her.

"Now."

Rosalie walked away.

James said:

"Luca, that recording is incomplete."

Luca turned.

"Good."

James frowned.

"Good?"

"Then you can explain the missing parts after I hear the ones that exist."

George almost smiled.

Matteo stepped out of the dining room.

The hallway froze.

Carlo Vescari stood near the ballroom entrance.

Sixty.

Silver hair.

Black suit.

Luca's uncle.

His face changed when he saw Matteo.

For the first time that evening, Carlo looked afraid.

"Brother."

Matteo stared.

"Carlo."

Luca looked between them.

No one moved.

Then Carlo said:

"You should have stayed dead."

Rosalie returned holding a small recorder.

That sentence stopped her.

Luca looked at his uncle.

"Interesting choice of words."

Carlo smiled faintly.

"I meant legally."

"No."

Luca stepped closer.

"You didn't."

Carlo's eyes moved to the folder in Matteo's hand.

Then to George.

Then James.

He understood too much.

Luca held out his hand.

Rosalie gave him the recorder.

He pressed play.

Static.

Then Carlo's voice.

"If Matteo returns, everything reopens."

James:

"I know."

Carlo:

"Then make sure he doesn't."

James:

"I'm not killing anyone."

Carlo laughed.

"I didn't say kill him."

A pause.

"I said keep Luca from seeing him."

The recording ended.

Luca looked at James.

The older man's face was gray.

"Six years ago?"

Rosalie nodded.

Luca stared at her.

"You had this for six years."

"Yes."

"And stayed with me."

"Yes."

"Got engaged to me."

"Yes."

"Knowing your father had been told to keep mine away."

She cried.

"Yes."

Luca closed his eyes.

Then opened them.

"Why?"

"Because my father told me Carlo would destroy you if Matteo returned."

Luca laughed softly.

"So you protected me."

Rosalie flinched.

"I know how it sounds."

"No."

Luca shook his head.

"You know how it is."

Silence.

Then George spoke.

"There is another recording."

Everyone turned.

James stared.

"George."

The old manager looked at him.

"The complete one."

Luca frowned.

"You have it."

George nodded.

"Where?"

"Not here."

"Why?"

"Because Carlo has searched this house before."

Carlo's expression hardened.

Luca looked at his uncle.

"You searched my house."

Carlo shrugged.

"Family property."

Luca almost smiled.

"No."

He looked at his security chief.

"Not anymore."

Carlo's smile disappeared.

Luca turned back to George.

"Where is the recording?"

George answered:

"With the person who made it."

James whispered:

"No."

Luca looked at him.

"Who?"

George said:

"Your mother."

The hallway became completely silent.

Luca stared.

"My mother died when I was nine."

George shook his head.

"No."

Matteo closed his eyes.

Luca slowly turned toward his father.

"You knew."

Matteo said nothing.

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Luca's voice broke.

"You knew she was alive."