Chapter 4 - The Company Hidden Inside Vanessa's Name

Luca did not raise his voice.

"Your name."

Vanessa nodded.

"Yes."

"The woman I am supposed to marry."

"Yes."

"And tomorrow I acquire a company you secretly own."

"Partly."

Luca laughed once.

"That word is doing a lot of work."

Richard stepped closer.

"The holding was created when Vanessa was a child."

Luca turned.

"By you."

"Yes."

"Why hide it?"

"Because the shares came from someone else."

"Who?"

Richard hesitated.

Vanessa whispered:

"Your father."

Silence.

Luca stared.

"My father owned Crane Maritime?"

Richard nodded.

"Indirectly."

Luca's father, Salvatore Moretti.

Dead twelve years.

Officially a heart attack.

Luca's face hardened.

"How did his shares end up in Vanessa's name?"

Richard answered:

"Collateral."

"For what?"

"A loan."

"To who?"

Richard said nothing.

Luca stepped closer.

"To who?"

"Your uncle."

Luca's expression changed.

"Marco."

Richard nodded.

Luca's uncle had run parts of the Moretti business after Salvatore died.

Then vanished five years ago.

Another missing man.

Luca asked:

"How much did he borrow?"

"Six million."

"And he used my father's shares."

"Yes."

"Without telling me."

"Yes."

Vanessa cried.

"I didn't know until last year."

Luca looked at her.

"And then?"

"I asked Dad to return them."

Richard looked away.

Luca noticed.

"He said no."

Vanessa nodded.

"Why?"

Richard answered:

"Because the shares had increased in value."

Luca smiled without humor.

"So this is theft with patience."

Richard's jaw tightened.

"It is complicated."

"No."

Luca shook his head.

"It is profitable."

He looked at Vanessa.

"Why was Gabriel trying to steal the acquisition contract?"

"To delay the deal."

"Why not tell me?"

Vanessa looked at him.

"Because then you would know about the shares."

"Correct."

"And you were afraid."

"Yes."

"Of losing me?"

She cried.

"Yes."

Luca looked toward the sitting room.

Then back.

"You were willing to let Olivia be threatened so I wouldn't learn your family had money in a company I planned to buy."

Vanessa shook her head.

"No."

"He wasn't supposed to hurt her."

"Stop saying that like it improves anything."

She went silent.

Dominic entered.

"Luca."

"What?"

"We found Gabriel's car."

"Where?"

"Three blocks away."

"Is he in it?"

"No."

"Anything inside?"

Dominic held up a folder.

"Copies of the Crane documents."

Richard went pale.

Luca saw.

"What else?"

"A storage key."

"Number?"

"418."

Richard's face changed again.

Luca stared.

"You know it."

Richard said nothing.

Vanessa looked at her father.

"Dad?"

Luca held out his hand.

Dominic gave him the key.

Luca read the tag.

LAKESHORE STORAGE - 418.

He looked at Richard.

"What is inside?"

Richard whispered:

"Nothing you need."

Luca almost smiled.

"That answer has never once worked tonight."

Richard stepped closer.

"Luca."

"Tell me."

Richard looked at Vanessa.

Then at the floor.

"Your father's files."

Silence.

Luca stared.

"My father's files."

"Yes."

"How did you get them?"

"Marco gave them to me."

"Before he disappeared."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"To keep them safe."

Luca's eyes narrowed.

"From whom?"

Richard looked toward the hallway.

Then whispered:

"From your father."

Luca froze.

"My father was dead."

Richard shook his head.

"No."

The room became silent.

Vanessa stared at him.

"Dad."

Richard continued:

"Salvatore Moretti did not die twelve years ago."

Luca looked at him.

No expression.

No movement.

Then:

"Where is he?"

Richard swallowed.

"I don't know now."

"Now."

"Where was he?"

"Prague."

"When did you last know he was alive?"

Richard looked ashamed.

"Three years ago."

Luca stepped backward.

Vanessa covered her mouth.

She had not known.

Luca could see that.

At least one secret was new to her.

He looked at Richard.

"You knew my father was alive for nine years after his funeral."

"Yes."

"And you kept his files."

"Yes."

"Why did he fake his death?"

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Richard closed his eyes.

"Because someone inside your family tried to poison him."