Chapter 6 - The Man in the Pantry Was Luca's Cousin

I thought the room could not become quieter.

I was wrong.

Luca stared at Vanessa.

"Gabriel is Marco's son."

She nodded.

"Biologically."

"Then why is he your brother?"

"Because my parents raised him."

Richard looked at Luca.

"Marco brought him to us when he was six."

"Why?"

"His mother died."

"And Marco?"

"Already unstable."

Luca stared.

"You raised my cousin under another name."

Richard nodded.

"Yes."

"Did my father know?"

"Eventually."

"Did Gabriel?"

Vanessa answered:

"Since he was sixteen."

Luca's face changed.

"So he knew exactly who I was."

"Yes."

"And I thought he was your brother."

"Yes."

"And you never told me."

"I found out when I was nineteen."

Luca looked away.

Then back.

"How many people have a different identity in this house?"

No one answered.

The doctor arrived.

Checked my eye.

Concussion.

No fracture.

My vision should recover.

Luca heard the word concussion.

His expression changed.

He looked at Vanessa.

She cried.

"I'm sorry."

I said nothing.

Luca asked:

"Where is Carlo now?"

Richard answered:

"He wants the storage boxes."

"Why?"

"Because the witness statement proves he saw Marco poison Salvatore."

Luca frowned.

"If it hurts Marco, why hide it?"

Richard looked at Vanessa.

Then said:

"Because Carlo helped him."

Silence.

Vanessa whispered:

"No."

Richard continued:

"He distracted the staff."

Luca's face hardened.

"At twenty-one."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Marco told him Salvatore was destroying the family."

"Did he know it was poison?"

"Not until afterward."

Vanessa looked sick.

Richard continued:

"Salvatore demanded Carlo be separated from Marco."

"Protected."

"Yes."

"Again."

Luca picked up Salvatore's sealed letter.

Opened it.

Son,

If you are reading this, then either I failed to return or someone finally stopped protecting you from the truth.

Luca's hands tightened.

Salvatore continued:

Marco tried to kill me.

Carlo helped him without understanding what was in the glass.

I chose not to prosecute Carlo because he was young and because I blamed Marco.

That choice became another secret.

Luca looked at Vanessa.

She stared at the letter.

He continued.

Richard took Carlo into his home.

He gave him another name.

I agreed.

That was wrong.

Carlo deserved truth too.

The room stayed silent.

Salvatore wrote:

The Crane shares were moved to protect them from Marco.

Richard was supposed to return them to Luca when Marco could no longer reach him.

If he did not, ask why.

Luca looked at Richard.

The older man closed his eyes.

Luca continued.

Do not marry into any family because of what their money can stabilize.

If you love Vanessa, love her after every account is open.

Not before.

Vanessa began crying.

Luca lowered the letter.

"He knew about us."

Richard nodded.

"Three years ago?"

"Yes."

"You told him."

"Yes."

"Did he approve?"

Richard laughed sadly.

"Of you?"

"Yes."

"Of the engagement?"

"No."

Vanessa looked up.

Luca asked:

"Why?"

Richard answered:

"Because he knew about the shares."

Silence.

Luca looked at Vanessa.

She already knew what that meant.

Their engagement existed inside a financial conflict Salvatore had warned about.

Then Dominic entered.

"We found Carlo."

Everyone turned.

"Where?"

"In the house."

My stomach dropped.

Luca's expression hardened.

"Where?"

Dominic looked at me.

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Then answered:

"Pantry."