Chapter 3: The Name on the Screen
Marcello lifted the phone before Vanessa could reach it.
The second message filled the screen.
“Why haven’t you answered me?
Get his signature before midnight.—Julian.”
Marcello’s fingers tightened around the phone.
“My brother?”
Vanessa stepped back.
“I can explain.”
“Start with the false belly.”
“It was a joke.”
“For whom?”
“For the guests.
I planned to reveal it after dinner.”
Lily shook her head.
“She told the mirror the baby would make him sign.”
Sarah covered her daughter’s ears too late.
“Lily, come here.”
Vanessa pointed at the child.
“That proves nothing.
Three-year-olds repeat nonsense.”
“Then unlock the phone,” Marcello said.
“It isn’t mine.”
He held it toward her face.
The screen unlocked immediately.
Sarah drew Lily against her.
“We should leave.”
“No,” Marcello said.
“You and Lily found this.
Please stay.”
Footsteps sounded in the hall, and Julian appeared in the doorway with two glasses of champagne.
“There you are,” he said.
“Everyone is waiting for the announcement.”
Marcello turned the phone toward him.
“What happens at midnight?”
Julian’s smile held for one second too long.
“You’ve been reading private messages?”
“Why does my signature matter?”
“You asked me to prepare the family protection agreement.”
“I asked for a draft.”
“And I sent one.”
Vanessa folded her arms.
“This is humiliating.”
Marcello held up the false belly.
“You walked into my engagement party wearing this.”
“To make you happy!” she cried.
“You wanted a family so badly that I was afraid you’d leave me.”
“So you lied about carrying my child?”
Julian placed the glasses down.
“Lower your voice.
There are eighty people downstairs.”
“Good.
They can hear why my brother needed me to sign away voting control of Moretti House.”
Vanessa’s mouth opened.
Julian answered first.
“It wasn’t permanent.
The company needed stability while you became a father.”
“There is no baby.”
Julian’s gaze moved to Lily.
“There is only the word of a confused child.”
“I’m not confused,” Lily said.
Sarah lifted her.
“Don’t speak to my daughter that way.”
Julian reached for the phone.
Marcello pulled it away.
“You’re not touching this.”
“Then call the family lawyer,” Julian said.
“Ask him whether anything can happen without your approval.”
Marcello dialed Daniel Hale and put the call on speaker.
“Marcello?” Hale answered.
“Shouldn’t you be celebrating?”
“Did you file any transfer documents bearing my signature?”
Silence came through the speaker.
“Hale?”
“There was an authorization,” the lawyer said carefully.
“Julian brought it this afternoon.”
“I never signed an authorization.”
Julian lifted one shoulder.
“You signed a packet last week.”
“Those were insurance renewals.”
“They included a temporary voting proxy.”
Marcello looked at Vanessa.
“Was that the plan?
Pretend you were expecting a baby, keep me distracted, and take my company?”
Vanessa’s eyes filled, but no tears fell.
“I loved you.”
“Loved?”
Julian snatched for the phone.
Marcello stepped between him and Sarah.
A notification sounded on Marcello’s own mobile.
He looked down.
MORETTI HOUSE: CONTROLLING SHARES SCHEDULED FOR TRANSFER AT 12:00 A.M.
The ballroom clock below began striking eleven.
May you like
Julian picked up his champagne and smiled.
“You have one hour,” he said, “and after midnight, you won’t have the authority to stop anything.”
