Chapter 8 - THE FOUNDATION'S REAL PURPOSE
“Evelyn Brooks was with Vanessa?”
Hannah stared at her brother.
Daniel nodded.
Luca moved closer.
“Ask him what he saw.”
Hannah signed.
Were you at the foundation office?
Daniel nodded.
Their mother had needed assistance with a medical bill, and Daniel had accompanied her to an appointment.
He explained that an older woman with short silver hair had been sitting beside Vanessa in a conference room.
He remembered her because she'd looked frightened when Vanessa began speaking sharply.
Hannah translated.
“Daniel says Vanessa called her Mrs. Brooks.”
Luca felt his jaw tighten.
“Then Vanessa knows where Rose is.”
Clara covered her mouth.
“No.”
Hannah turned toward her mother.
“What?”
Clara shook her head.
“Evelyn promised she'd never bring Rose into the Moretti family.”
Luca looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because she believed the family would take her daughter away.”
“And Richard?”
Clara whispered, “He knew where Evelyn lived.”
Luca stared at the photograph.
For years, his family had employed Richard Hale to solve problems.
Business disputes.
Property disagreements.
Threats from rival organizations.
But perhaps Richard's most important talent had been deciding which truths powerful people were allowed to know.
Hannah picked up her coat.
“We need to speak to Vanessa.”
Luca shook his head.
“Not with Richard present.”
“Then ask her to meet somewhere neutral.”
Luca studied her.
“You think she'll come?”
“She cares about her foundation. And despite what she did to Lily, I don't think she's comfortable with everything Richard has made her do.”
Luca considered that.
Then nodded.
“There's a conference room at my shipping office. Marcus can arrange for independent security.”
Hannah glanced toward Clara.
“Mom, you don't have to come.”
Clara stood slowly.
“I should have spoken years ago.”
“You were threatened.”
“Yes,” Clara said. “But somebody's daughter grew up without knowing her parents. And somebody's son grew up with a story that wasn't true.”
She looked at Luca.
“I can't change what I did. But I can stop hiding.”
Luca nodded.
“Thank you.”
At eleven-thirty the following morning, Vanessa arrived at Moretti Maritime's Boston headquarters.
She wore a dark green coat and no engagement ring.
Luca noticed immediately.
Hannah was seated beside Clara.
Marcus stood near the door.
Vanessa stopped when she saw the older woman.
“Mrs. Bennett?”
Clara looked at her.
“You know who I am.”
Vanessa nodded.
“Yes.”
Hannah's expression hardened.
“You knew my mother worked at St. Catherine's.”
Vanessa looked toward Luca.
“Richard told me.”
“When?” Luca asked.
“Three months ago.”
“And you didn't tell me?”
“He said your grandmother was confused and that Clara had been making accusations for years.”
Clara shook her head.
“I never accused anyone. I was frightened into silence.”
Vanessa sat.
“I know that now.”
Luca placed the photograph of Evelyn Brooks on the table.
“Where is she?”
Vanessa stared at it.
For several seconds, she didn't answer.
Then she whispered:
“She was at my office last month.”
Daniel had been right.
Luca leaned forward.
“Why?”
“Because Richard had been making payments to her for years through the foundation.”
Hannah frowned.
“Payments for what?”
Vanessa looked uncomfortable.
“He called them support grants.”
“Support for whom?”
“Rose.”
Luca felt his pulse quicken.
“Where is Rose?”
Vanessa looked at Clara.
“She doesn't want to be found.”
Clara's face crumpled.
“Is she alive?”
Vanessa nodded.
“Yes.”
Luca exhaled.
For the first time since the engagement dinner, he felt something like relief.
The little girl hadn't vanished completely.
She'd grown into a woman.
She had a life.
A name.
Perhaps a family.
“Does she know?” Hannah asked.
Vanessa shook her head.
“Evelyn never told her about the adoption.”
Clara closed her eyes.
Luca looked at Vanessa.
“Why did Richard want the hospital records?”
“Because your grandmother was preparing to challenge his control over the old family trust.”
“What trust?”
“The Moretti Children's Trust.”
Luca frowned.
He knew the name.
It had been created by his father in the late 1980s.
Richard had always described it as a fund intended to provide for members of the extended family.
Most of the money had eventually been rolled into the estate.
“What does it have to do with Rose?” Luca asked.
Vanessa opened a small notebook.
“Your father placed substantial assets into the trust in 1988. It was supposed to benefit all children legally recognized as his.”
Luca stared at her.
“All children?”
“Yes.”
“And Richard controlled the records identifying those children.”
Vanessa nodded.
“Exactly.”
Hannah leaned forward.
“So if another child existed, she might have been entitled to something.”
“More than something,” Vanessa answered. “The trust held shares in the original shipping company, several waterfront properties, and a substantial investment portfolio.”
Luca looked stunned.
Richard had spent decades telling him the trust had been almost exhausted.
Vanessa continued.
“Richard's office handled distributions. My grandfather's company received consulting fees for years.”
“And the foundation?” Luca asked.
Vanessa looked ashamed.
“Some of the payments were routed through it.”
Hannah stared at her.
“That's why he threatened my mother's assistance.”
Vanessa nodded.
“I believed the foundation was dependent on those payments. I was afraid that if the arrangement collapsed, hundreds of people would lose support.”
Luca looked at her.
“So you chose to frighten my child.”
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
“And threaten Hannah.”
“Yes.”
“Those were your decisions.”
Vanessa nodded again.
“I know.”
For the first time, she didn't try to justify them.
Luca looked at the empty place on her left hand.
“Are you ending the engagement?”
Vanessa swallowed.
“I think you already did.”
Luca didn't answer immediately.
He remembered the woman he'd fallen in love with.
Her intelligence.
Her confidence.
Her dedication to public service.
He also remembered Lily's frightened hands.
Finally, he said:
“I can't marry someone my daughter is afraid to speak around.”
Vanessa began crying.
“I understand.”
Hannah watched her carefully.
She didn't suddenly forgive Vanessa.
But she could see something beneath the woman's pride.
Fear of losing the foundation.
Fear of disappointing the family who had raised her.
And perhaps fear of discovering she had been used by Richard just as thoroughly as everyone else.
Luca returned to the subject.
“Will Evelyn speak with us?”
Vanessa hesitated.
“She said she'd speak to me again if Richard stopped contacting her.”
“Can you arrange it?”
Vanessa nodded.
“I can ask. But Rose must be allowed to decide whether she wants any relationship with the Morettis.”
Hannah nodded approvingly.
“Agreed.”
Vanessa looked toward Clara.
“There's something else.”
Clara tensed.
“What?”
“Evelyn told me she believed Rose had a brother.”
Luca leaned forward.
“She knows?”
“Evelyn knows there were three babies in the hospital that morning.”
Luca stared at her.
“And Rose?”
Vanessa lowered her eyes.
“I don't think Rose knows the truth.”
Clara reached for Hannah's hand.
Then Vanessa opened her notebook to the final page.
“There was one thing Evelyn insisted I understand.”
“What?” Luca asked.
“She said Richard hadn't simply hidden the girl.”
Vanessa looked directly at him.
“He'd exchanged the two boys.”
Luca went cold.
“You're saying I was Margaret's son.”
Vanessa swallowed.
“That's what Evelyn believes.”
Hannah stared at her.
“Then where did Elizabeth's son go?”
Vanessa looked toward the photograph.
“I asked her that.”
“And?”
“She told me he was raised by the Whitmore family.”
Luca looked at Vanessa.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then he asked:
“Which Whitmore?”
May you like
Vanessa's voice broke.
“My father.”
