Chapter 6 - THE MOTHER'S IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE
Luca stepped toward Dr. Bellini.
“Explain what you just said.”
The old doctor leaned heavily on his cane.
His complexion was gray.
A hospital bracelet circled one wrist.
Vanessa rushed to his side.
“Dad, you shouldn't be here.”
He brushed her hand away.
“I heard enough from the hallway.”
Luca looked toward Marco.
“Who allowed him inside?”
Marco answered quietly.
“He came through the staff entrance. I authorized it when I saw his medical escort.”
Luca's expression hardened.
“Then no more surprises.”
Dr. Bellini lowered himself into a chair.
“You want answers. I'll give you what I can.”
Luca remained standing.
“Start with Elena.”
The doctor closed his eyes.
“She learned the boy was alive. Ruth Whitaker had taken him to a safe place.”
“Why didn't Elena bring him home?”
“Because she was afraid.”
“Of whom?”
Bellini looked toward Marco.
“Of the people your father had angered.”
Marco shook his head.
“Don't blame the dead for your decisions.”
The doctor ignored him.
“Your father had agreed to finance several private medical ventures. Some were legitimate. Others weren't.”
Luca's face darkened.
“I know about the foundation.”
“Then you know it wasn't simply a hospital charity.”
“Yes.”
“Salvatore wanted out. Certain investors threatened him.”
“What does that have to do with my son?”
Bellini swallowed.
“They wanted leverage.”
Luca stared.
“You used my newborn child as leverage?”
The doctor lowered his eyes.
“Yes.”
The admission was so quiet that for a moment I wasn't sure I'd heard it.
Vanessa began crying.
“Dad.”
He looked at her.
“I've lied to you long enough.”
Luca gripped the chair opposite him.
“Who authorized the separation?”
Bellini hesitated.
“I did.”
Vanessa covered her mouth.
Luca's expression turned empty.
“Why?”
“I was told the baby would be taken into temporary protective custody until Salvatore settled his debts.”
“Protective custody?” Marco repeated bitterly.
“You falsified a death certificate.”
“I know.”
“Then you knew exactly what you were doing.”
Bellini looked away.
“I convinced myself the child would survive and eventually be returned.”
Luca leaned toward him.
“And when Elena found out?”
“She threatened to expose everything.”
“Good.”
Bellini looked startled.
Luca straightened.
“She should have.”
The room fell silent.
Bellini continued.
“Ruth helped Elena meet Ethan. By then, he was two.”
I remembered the photograph.
Elena standing on the porch.
The toddler in her arms.
“Why didn't she take him?” I asked.
The doctor turned toward me.
“Because she had received a warning that Sophie would disappear if she tried.”
I looked toward Luca.
His eyes were wet.
He hadn't known that his wife had been protecting both children.
Bellini continued.
“Elena made arrangements to gather evidence. She wanted enough to protect both twins permanently.”
“Did you threaten her?” Luca asked.
“Yes.”
The doctor didn't look away this time.
“And I regret it every day.”
Vanessa whispered:
“You told me Elena was unstable.”
Bellini closed his eyes.
“I told you many things to keep you from asking questions.”
She began shaking.
“You said she was trying to take Sophie's inheritance.”
“I lied.”
Vanessa stared at him.
Her entire understanding of Elena was collapsing.
Luca placed both hands on the table.
“What happened when Elena became ill?”
Bellini's breathing became uneven.
“She had a serious inflammatory condition. The diagnosis was delayed. I wasn't her primary physician, but I interfered with the transfer of her records.”
“Why?”
“Because she was gathering evidence against me. I was afraid she'd speak to another doctor about what had happened at the birth.”
I felt sick.
“You delayed information her doctors needed?”
Bellini nodded.
Luca looked as though he'd been struck.
“Did that kill her?”
“I can't tell you that. I don't know.”
“Did you know she might get worse?”
“Yes.”
Luca stepped away.
For several moments, he stared at the fireplace.
Then he said:
“You don't get to decide whether that's enough of an apology.”
Bellini lowered his head.
“I know.”
Luca turned toward Marco.
“Get the hospital records preserved. All of them. And contact an independent investigator and the authorities.”
Marco nodded.
Vanessa looked up.
“Luca, please. My father needs medical treatment.”
“He'll receive it.”
“You won't hurt him?”
Luca met her eyes.
“No. But he will answer for what he did.”
Bellini began coughing.
Vanessa supported him.
I noticed the tenderness in her hands.
She genuinely loved her father.
It was perhaps the first time that night I understood how thoroughly he'd controlled her life.
He had taught her loyalty by making her afraid of losing him.
And she had repeated that cruelty with everyone beneath her.
Luca looked toward me.
“Emily, are the children settled?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. They shouldn't hear any more of this.”
I nodded.
But as I turned, Bellini spoke.
“There's something else.”
Luca stopped.
“What?”
“Elena knew who was financing the operation.”
“We know about the foundation.”
“No.”
Bellini's voice weakened.
“The foundation was only the public face.”
Marco frowned.
“Then who controlled it?”
Bellini looked directly at Luca.
“Someone your family trusted.”
Antonio leaned forward.
“Who?”
The doctor shook his head.
“Elena wrote it down.”
“Where?”
“In a notebook.”
Luca stared.
“What notebook?”
“A small blue one. She used it to track every meeting, every payment, every threat.”
Antonio's expression changed.
“I remember that notebook.”
Luca turned.
“Where is it?”
“Elena kept it near Sophie's things. She said it belonged where no one would think to look.”
I remembered the children's sitting room.
Sophie had a small wooden music box that had belonged to her mother.
She kept it on a shelf beside her bed.
Every night, she opened it before sleeping.
Inside were a silver hair clip, a photograph, and several folded papers.
“Mr. Moretti,” I said, “Sophie has her mother's music box.”
Luca looked toward me.
“Show me.”
We went upstairs.
Sophie and Ethan were asleep on opposite ends of the sofa.
Mrs. Delgado had covered them with blankets.
For a moment, Luca simply watched them.
Then he knelt and gently brushed Sophie's hair from her forehead.
Ethan stirred.
“Daddy?”
Luca froze.
The boy opened his eyes.
He looked embarrassed.
“Sorry. I didn't mean—”
Luca took his hand.
“You don't have to apologize.”
Ethan swallowed.
“Can I call you that?”
Luca's voice caught.
“If you want to.”
The boy nodded.
Then he closed his eyes again.
I turned away before Luca saw my tears.
We found the music box on Sophie's bedroom shelf.
It played a soft lullaby when opened.
Inside was Elena's silver hair clip.
A photograph of Sophie at three.
And beneath the velvet lining, a small blue notebook.
Luca lifted it carefully.
The first pages contained dates and names.
Hospital appointments.
Meetings.
Payments.
Then several entries circled in red.
One name appeared repeatedly.
M. DeSantis.
Luca went completely still.
He looked toward Marco.
The security chief stared at the notebook.
“I can explain.”
Luca stepped backward.
“You told me you were helping Elena.”
“I was.”
“Then why did she write your name beside these payments?”
Marco looked at Antonio.
The chef's face was pale.
“Mr. Moretti,” Antonio whispered, “there are two people in this house who know what that name means.”
Luca looked from one to the other.
Then Sophie stirred in the doorway.
She had followed us.
In her hand was another folded paper from the music box.
“Daddy?”
Luca turned.
“What is it, sweetheart?”
Sophie held it out.
“Mommy said I should give you this if Antonio ever looked scared.”
Luca unfolded the paper.
It contained a child's drawing of a man wearing a gold watch.
May you like
Beneath it, Elena had written one sentence.
“IF MARCO DENIES EVERYTHING, ASK HIM WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SECOND BABY ON NOVEMBER TWELFTH.”
