Chapter 4 - The Vote Belini Needed Maria to Miss

The Moretti Shipping vote was scheduled for ten the next morning.

Maria explained it in Luca’s private office while rain struck the restaurant windows.

Emma listened from the sofa beside her.

Belini stood across the room under guard.

“The merger requires seventy-five percent approval,” Maria said.

Luca nodded.

“I know.”

“My shares are the difference.”

“I know that too.”

“Then you know why I refused.”

Belini laughed bitterly.

“You refused because you are stubborn.”

Maria looked at her.

“No. I refused because Vescari Logistics is overvalued.”

Belini’s expression cooled.

Maria continued.

“And because the debt hidden behind your family’s holding company is worse than anyone admitted.”

Luca turned toward Belini.

“You told me their debt had been restructured.”

“It was.”

“Was?”

Belini said nothing.

Matteo placed a folder on the desk.

“Preliminary review says Mrs. Moretti is right.”

Luca opened it.

Emma watched his face become unreadable.

“How much?”

“Enough to make the merger dangerous.”

Belini crossed her arms.

“This has nothing to do with medication.”

Emma spoke before she could stop herself.

“It does if Maria couldn’t vote.”

Every face turned toward her.

Belini smiled without warmth.

“And now the waitress understands corporate governance.”

Emma ignored the insult.

“If Maria became dizzy or confused in public tonight, someone could say she wasn’t competent tomorrow.”

Luca looked at her.

“Continue.”

Emma regretted speaking.

Then Maria squeezed her hand.

Emma did.

“You would need more than one episode.”

“Correct,” Luca said.

“Unless somebody already prepared the rest.”

That changed the room.

Matteo looked toward Luca.

Luca understood immediately.

“Medical paperwork.”

Belini went still.

Maria whispered, “Oh.”

Luca turned to Matteo.

“Search everything connected to tomorrow’s vote.”

Belini stepped forward.

“You cannot search private legal files because a waitress invented a theory.”

Luca looked at her.

“She noticed my mother’s breathing before any of us.”

His voice lowered.

“She noticed the tablets were wrong.”

Another pause.

“And twice tonight you reacted to information before anyone explained it.”

Belini’s face hardened.

“Do not confuse coincidence with intelligence.”

Emma almost smiled.

Luca did not.

“I don’t.”

Twenty minutes later Matteo returned with a tablet.

“Found something.”

He placed it in front of Luca.

A draft petition.

Prepared that afternoon.

Emergency temporary incapacity request.

Subject: Maria Moretti.

Maria stared.

“My name.”

Luca read silently.

Emma watched his hand tighten.

The petition claimed Maria had suffered repeated confusion, medication mismanagement and recent balance problems.

All false.

Except tonight someone had tried to make them true.

“Who filed it?” Luca asked.

“Not filed yet.”

“Prepared by?”

Matteo hesitated.

“Vescari legal counsel.”

Belini’s face went white.

Maria stood.

Slowly.

Carefully.

Her hands still trembled.

Her voice did not.

“You planned to make me sick.”

Belini shook her head.

“No.”

“You planned to make me look incompetent.”

“No.”

Luca looked at the next page.

“If the petition succeeded, who received temporary voting authority?”

Matteo answered.

“Family trustee.”

“Name.”

Matteo looked uncomfortable.

“Carlo Moretti.”

Luca’s uncle.

His father’s younger brother.

The man who had supported the merger more aggressively than anyone.

Luca leaned back.

Suddenly the room felt smaller.

Belini whispered, “Luca, listen to me.”

He did not look at her.

Instead he picked up his phone.

“Find Carlo.”

Matteo nodded.

Belini’s composure finally cracked.

“You don’t understand what you’re doing.”

Luca raised his eyes.

“No.”

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...

His voice became very quiet.

“But I’m beginning to understand what you did.”