Chapter 4 - THE ENGAGEMENT THAT NEVER FINISHED
“DID UNCLE VINCENT KNOW?”
Olivia's question hung in the sitting room.
Lorenzo looked at his daughter.
He could have lied.
He could have told her everything was fine.
Instead, he took her hand.
“I don't know yet, sweetheart. But I'm going to find out.”
Olivia studied him.
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
He kissed her forehead.
Then he turned to Mrs. Bennett.
“Please stay with Olivia. Nobody takes her out of this room without my permission.”
As we walked downstairs, I heard him tell Mateo something I'd never expected from a man like Lorenzo DeLuca.
“Find the truth before you find someone to blame.”
The ballroom was still full.
Ninety guests ate dessert beneath the chandeliers while the orchestra played.
Camille Prescott stood beside the towering engagement cake.
Her ivory gown shimmered.
She smiled when Lorenzo approached.
“Darling! Where have you been? Everyone's asking when we're cutting the cake.”
Lorenzo stopped in front of her.
“We're not.”
Camille blinked.
“Excuse me?”
“The engagement is over.”
The nearby conversations stopped.
Camille laughed nervously.
“Lorenzo, this isn't funny.”
“Neither is putting listening devices in my home.”
Her smile disappeared.
Guests began turning toward us.
“Lower your voice,” she whispered.
“Why?”
“People are watching.”
“They were watching when you called Sarah a thief.”
Her cheeks reddened.
“That was different.”
“Was it?”
Lorenzo held up the diamond brooch.
“Did you ever intend to wear this?”
Camille looked at the small black device attached to its clasp.
Her mouth tightened.
“Someone told you lies.”
“Then tell me the truth.”
She glanced around the ballroom.
For one second, her polished expression fell away.
I saw something I hadn't noticed before.
Fear.
Not embarrassment.
Genuine fear.
“If you do this publicly,” she whispered, “you'll make things worse.”
“For whom?”
Camille didn't answer.
Lorenzo turned toward the guests.
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming. The celebration is finished. My staff will arrange transportation for anyone who needs it.”
A few guests stood immediately.
Others lingered, whispering.
Anton Varga was among the first to leave.
I watched him place his phone inside his jacket.
He didn't look surprised.
That bothered me.
Camille followed Lorenzo toward the private hallway.
I remained near the doorway.
“Do you have any idea what you're destroying?” she demanded.
“A wedding?”
“My brother's future.”
Lorenzo stopped.
“Your brother?”
Camille's eyes filled with tears.
“My younger brother, Peter, borrowed money to keep his business open. He made a terrible mistake.”
“What does that have to do with microphones?”
“Someone bought his debt.”
“Who?”
Camille pressed her lips together.
Lorenzo stepped closer.
“Camille, you've known Olivia for almost two years. She trusted you.”
“I never wanted to hurt her.”
“You helped someone listen to conversations about her mother's estate.”
“I didn't know that was what they wanted!”
I felt my stomach tighten.
Camille looked toward me.
“You think you're so innocent, Sarah? You don't understand what happens when powerful men decide your family belongs to them.”
“Then why did you try to have me arrested?” I asked.
She looked away.
“Because you found the first microphone.”
“And you knew I couldn't afford to lose my job.”
Camille had no answer.
Lorenzo spoke quietly.
“Who gave you the devices?”
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then she whispered, “Anton Varga arranged everything.”
I wasn't surprised.
But Lorenzo was.
“Anton has been with my family for twenty-seven years.”
Camille nodded.
“He said the microphones were to protect you from Vincent. He said your brother was stealing from Olivia's trust.”
“Why would you believe him?”
“Because he showed me the transfers.”
She reached into her handbag and produced a folded bank statement.
Lorenzo studied it.
The payments were real.
Vincent had authorized withdrawals from Isabella's trust account.
But the recipients weren't individuals.
They were companies connected to terminal maintenance.
One had paid for surveillance equipment.
Another had paid a former shipping inspector.
Raymond Pike.
Lorenzo's face darkened.
“Where did you get this?”
“Anton gave it to me.”
“Why?”
“He said if Vincent was exposed, the family would fall apart. He said the recordings would show who was betraying you.”
“And you agreed to spy on me?”
Camille wiped her eyes.
“I thought if I helped him, he'd release Peter's debt. And if I told you, you'd think I'd only wanted to marry you for your money.”
Lorenzo looked exhausted.
“You could have told me.”
“You would have believed me?”
He didn't answer.
That silence said enough.
Then Mateo hurried into the hallway.
“Boss, Raymond Pike has been located.”
“Where?”
“At the old Bayport inspection building.”
“Bring him in.”
Mateo hesitated.
“He's refusing to come.”
“Why?”
“Because someone already warned him that the DeLucas are looking for him.”
Lorenzo looked at Camille.
She shook her head.
“I didn't tell anyone.”
Mateo continued.
“Pike said he'll speak to one person. Not you. Not Vincent.”
“Who?”
Mateo looked directly at me.
“Sarah Mitchell.”
I stared at him.
“I've never met that man.”
Mateo held up his phone.
“Apparently, he knows that.”
May you like
Then he showed us a message Pike had written.
SEND THE MAID WHO FOUND THE ROSE. SHE'S THE ONLY PERSON IN THAT HOUSE WHO HASN'T BEEN PAID TO LOOK AWAY.
