Chapter 4 - THE ROSARY
The silence in the room was absolute. Luca walked slowly toward Vanessa, his footsteps heavy on the thick carpet.
He didn't yell. He didn't have to. The quiet danger radiating from him made the air feel thin.
"Luca," Vanessa stammered, dropping the bracelet as if it burned her. "The boy is confused. He's making things up because he likes this... this maid."
Luca crouched down in front of his son. "Leo," he said gently. "Tell me exactly what you saw."
Leo didn't shrink away from his father. "She sneaked into the hall. She opened Nora's bag. She shoved the shiny thing inside and zipped it fast. Then she smiled."
Luca stood up. He looked at Silvio, who immediately took a step back, lowering his gaze. Then Luca looked at Vanessa.
"Pack your bags," Luca said.
Vanessa’s jaw dropped. "What? You can't be serious. We are getting married next month! My father’s cargo ships are the only reason your supply lines are open!"
"I would rather burn my supply lines to ash than let you poison my son's home," Luca said flatly. "You have one hour to leave this estate."
Vanessa’s face twisted into an ugly sneer. "You think you're so smart, Luca. But you don't even know what's happening under your own roof. You trust a maid you know nothing about?" She shot me a venomous look. "My father will break you for this."
She stormed out, her heels clicking aggressively down the hall. Silvio hesitated for a fraction of a second before following her.
Luca let out a long breath and ran a hand through his dark hair. He looked exhausted. He knelt beside Leo again. "You did a brave thing, buddy. Thank you."
Leo nodded, then reached over and grabbed my hand. He held on tight.
"Take him down to the kitchen, Nora," Luca said softly. "Get him some ice cream. I have to make some phone calls. The Bellinis will not take this quietly."
Later that evening, after Leo had finally fallen asleep, I sat by his bed, reading by the lamplight. The door creaked open, and Luca walked in. He had taken off his suit jacket, his tie loosened.
"He actually spoke," Luca whispered, staring at his sleeping son. "Three months of silence, and he spoke up to defend you."
"He has a strong sense of justice," I said quietly.
Luca pulled up a chair and sat beside me. He looked at me closely, really looked at me. "Ray told me you helped your father manage his illness. He said your father passed away a few years ago."
"He did," I said, looking down at my hands. "His heart gave out. The stress of his debts didn't help."
"Debts?" Luca asked.
"He owned a small trucking company. Got pushed out by bigger players. The bank foreclosed, then the loan sharks came. It broke him."
Luca’s brow furrowed. "What was your father's name?"
"Arthur Vance."
Luca froze. His entire body went rigid. He stared at me, the warmth draining from his eyes, replaced by a cold, calculating shock.
"Arthur Vance," Luca repeated. He stood up abruptly. "Stay here with Leo. Lock the door. Do not let anyone in unless it's me."
"Mr. Moretti? What's wrong?"
He didn't answer. He hurried out of the room. Ten minutes later, he returned carrying a small, heavy wooden box. He set it on the nightstand and unlocked it with a small key.
Inside sat a heavy, tarnished silver pocket watch.
May you like
I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth. "That's my father's watch. He sold it to pay our rent before he died. How do you have it?"
"I didn't buy it, Nora," Luca said grimly. "My father took it off a man who tried to kill him twelve years ago. A man who confessed he was hired to bankrupt a trucker named Arthur Vance."
