Chapter 4 - The Letter Michael Left for Rebecca

Vincent did not open Rebecca's letter.

Not immediately.

He held it.

Then asked:

"Did she know this existed?"

Anna shook her head.

"No."

"Did Thomas?"

"No."

"Why would my father write to her?"

"Because he believed she would inherit the debt."

Vincent frowned.

"Debt that wasn't hers."

"No."

"But attached to her trust."

"Yes."

Henry sat near the lighthouse wall.

Vincent looked at him.

"Why didn't you bring all this to me?"

Henry answered:

"Michael asked me not to."

Vincent laughed quietly.

"I am developing a problem with dead men's instructions."

Henry nodded.

"Fair."

Vincent opened the envelope.

REBECCA.

IF YOU ARE READING THIS, THEN VINCENT KNOWS.

He continued.

YOU WERE A CHILD WHEN YOUR FAMILY USED YOUR TRUST TO BUY MY DEBT.

YOU DID NOT CHOOSE THAT.

BUT ONE DAY YOU MAY LEARN WHAT YOUR FATHER DID.

IF YOU DO, TELL VINCENT BEFORE YOU ASK HIM TO SHARE A LIFE WITH YOU.

Vincent stopped.

Anna looked away.

Henry closed his eyes.

Vincent read the final line.

LOVE BUILT ON A SECRET IS STILL REAL.

BUT IT IS NOT FREE.

He folded the letter.

No anger.

Not yet.

He asked:

"When was this written?"

"Five years ago."

Vincent stared.

"Rebecca told me she learned five months ago."

Anna nodded.

"Maybe she did."

He looked at her.

"You don't believe her."

"I don't know."

Vincent put the letter inside his coat.

Then looked at the remaining bank papers.

One showed a trust transfer.

Rebecca Morel Trust.

Value:

Eight million dollars.

Date:

Six years ago.

Vincent frowned.

"What happened six years ago?"

Anna answered:

"Michael got sick."

His face changed.

"What illness?"

"Heart failure."

"I was told cancer."

"No."

Vincent looked at her.

"Who told me?"

"Thomas."

Silence.

Vincent took out his phone.

No signal.

He looked at Henry.

"We go back."

The captain nodded.

On the boat, Vincent sat alone.

Anna did not force conversation.

That helped.

When signal returned, Vincent called Rebecca.

She answered immediately.

"Vincent."

"Did you know my father wrote you a letter?"

Silence.

He looked at Anna.

Rebecca whispered:

"No."

"Did you know your trust bought my father's company debt?"

Another silence.

"Yes."

Vincent's expression hardened.

"How long?"

"Five months."

"Anything earlier?"

"No."

"Be careful."

Rebecca started crying.

"Two years ago, I found one transfer."

Vincent closed his eyes.

There it was.

"Two years."

"I didn't know what it meant."

"But you knew it involved my father."

"Yes."

"And you said nothing."

"I asked my father."

"What did he tell you?"

"That Michael owed money."

"Did you believe him?"

"At first."

"And later?"

Rebecca took a breath.

"Last year, I found the trust amendment."

Vincent stared at the water.

"Last year."

"Yes."

"What amendment?"

Rebecca answered:

"The debt was converted into ownership."

Vincent frowned.

"Ownership of what?"

"Bellini Marine Holdings."

His face went still.

That was one of his companies.

His oldest.

The company Michael had founded.

Vincent asked:

"How much does your trust own?"

Rebecca whispered:

"Thirty-one percent."

Silence.

Henry looked at him.

Anna went pale.

Vincent asked:

"And after we marry?"

Rebecca cried harder.

"The shares merge into our marital holding structure."

Vincent laughed once.

No humor.

"So your father wasn't protecting me."

"No."

"He was preparing a merger."

"Yes."

"Did you know before I proposed?"

"No."

"After?"

"Yes."

"How long after?"

"Three weeks."

Vincent stared.

Their engagement had lasted eight months.

"You had seven months to tell me."

"I know."

He looked at the letter in his hand.

Michael's warning.

Tell Vincent before you ask him to share a life with you.

Rebecca whispered:

"Vincent."

He said:

"I'm coming back."

She exhaled.

"Will you see me?"

"Yes."

Her voice softened.

"Thank you."

He looked at Anna.

Then answered:

"Don't thank me yet."

When they returned to the mainland, Thomas Morel was waiting at the pier.

Alone.

Vincent stepped off the boat.

Thomas looked at the steel box.

His face changed.

"You found it."

Vincent held up Rebecca's letter.

"My father knew exactly what your trust was going to do."

Thomas said nothing.

Vincent stepped closer.

"Thirty-one percent."

"Yes."

"You bought my father's debt with your daughter's money."

"To keep Enzo from taking the company."

"Then converted it to shares."

"Years later."

"Without telling me."

"Yes."

Vincent looked at him.

"Why?"

Thomas whispered:

"Because Michael asked me to."

Anna froze.

Vincent turned toward her.

She looked shocked too.

Thomas continued:

"Your father wanted Rebecca's trust to hold the shares."

Vincent stared.

"Why?"

Thomas said:

"Because he wanted them returned to you after Enzo died."

"Then why weren't they?"

Thomas looked down.

"Michael changed his mind."

Vincent's face hardened.

"When?"

"Six years ago."

The same year Michael got sick.

Vincent whispered:

"What did he discover?"

Thomas looked at Anna.

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Then back at Vincent.

"That Enzo Bellini wasn't the only person who had forged your signature."