The Letter My Father Never Sent Me

Chapter 04 - The Letter My Father Never Sent Me

The letter was in Luca’s safe.

That fact made me furious before I read a single word.

He took me to the study.

No Vanessa.

No agents.

Daniel stayed outside.

Luca opened the wall safe behind an oil painting and removed a cream envelope.

My name was written on the front.

LILY CARTER.

My father’s handwriting.

I knew it immediately.

Rounded L.

Sharp T.

The same handwriting on birthday cards and grocery lists.

I did not take the envelope.

“How long?”

“Three years.”

“You had this for three years?”

“Yes.”

“And never gave it to me?”

“I was instructed not to.”

“By my dead father?”

“Yes.”

“That is ridiculous.”

“I agree.”

“But you obeyed.”

“Yes.”

I laughed once.

It sounded ugly.

“Of course you did.”

Luca set the envelope on the desk.

“Your father told me to give it to you if certain things happened.”

“What things?”

“If Michael disappeared.”

My anger stopped.

“What?”

“And if Adrian Cole became involved with the Bellinis.”

I looked at the letter.

My father had been dead four years.

Michael vanished six months ago.

“Why didn’t you give it to me then?”

Luca’s face tightened.

“Because I didn’t know Michael had disappeared for the reason your father feared.”

“He disappeared.”

“Yes.”

“What other reason did you need?”

“I believed he ran.”

“Because Vanessa told you.”

Silence.

I shook my head.

“You trusted the woman you wanted to marry more than a dead man who tried to warn you.”

“Yes.”

It was the correct answer.

I hated him for it.

I opened the letter.

Lily,

If you are reading this, I failed to keep you far enough away.

My father apologized for the mortgage.

For Emily’s school loans.

For leaving me with paperwork I never understood.

Then the letter changed.

I worked for Victor Moretti for twelve years.

I helped create trusts meant to separate the legitimate businesses from the criminal ones. I believed this protected families.

I was wrong.

Victor used legal walls the same way other men use guns.

I kept copies.

My hands began shaking.

Luca sat across from me.

He did not interrupt.

The Moretti trust has one weakness. The Bellini family knows it.

The original beneficiary clause recognizes blood heirs before spouses.

Michael discovered someone had altered draft documents.

If anything happens to him, trust no amended copy dated after my death.

Then came the line that stopped me.

Do not trust Adrian Cole.

I looked at Luca.

He looked sick.

The letter continued.

Luca Moretti may become dangerous. He may already be dangerous when you read this.

Do not mistake my respect for his father as a request that you trust the son.

Trust only what Luca does after he is told the truth.

I read that twice.

My father had left me no romantic instruction.

No “he is secretly good.”

No blessing.

Only a standard.

What does he do after the truth?

I folded the letter.

“Why did you hire me?”

Luca looked at his hands.

“Your father asked Victor to make sure you and Emily had work if you ever needed it.”

“That sounds like charity.”

“It was not.”

“What was it?”

“Debt.”

My father had stopped Victor from signing one amendment Adrian brought him.

It would have transferred controlling shares to Adrian on Victor’s death.

Arthur Carter had saved the Moretti legitimate businesses from their lawyer.

Victor owed him.

Luca inherited the obligation.

Mrs. Carter had been told only that my application should receive an interview.

“She chose you,” Luca said. “Not me.”

That mattered.

A little.

Not enough.

“I want the rest of his papers.”

“I don’t have them.”

“Who does?”

“Michael might.”

We both looked toward the USB drive.

The original video file included metadata.

Daniel’s forensic technician found an encrypted folder hidden on the device.

Password protected.

The hint was one word.

ASTER.

My mother’s favorite flower.

I typed the name.

The folder opened.

Inside were scanned trust documents.

My father’s notes.

And one audio file.

Michael’s voice.

“Luca, if you hear this, I’m sorry.”

Luca leaned closer.

Michael sounded tired.

“I thought I could fix it quietly.”

He named Adrian.

Vanessa.

Carlo Bellini.

Then another name.

Daniel Ruiz.

Luca’s head of security.

We both looked toward the study door.

Daniel had stood outside for twenty minutes.

Michael continued.

“Daniel helped me access the trust records. He is not part of it. But if Vanessa knows, she will make him look guilty.”

Luca exhaled.

Then the next sentence came.

“Do not let Daniel take Anna anywhere.”

Luca froze again.

Contradiction.

Michael said Daniel helped him.

Then warned Luca not to let Daniel transport Anna.

Why?

The audio continued.

“Because Daniel’s brother works for Adrian.”

At that moment, a knock came.

Daniel entered before Luca answered.

He looked from me to the USB.

“What did you hear?”

Luca’s voice became flat.

“Enough.”

Daniel closed the door behind him.

My heart started pounding.

His hand did not go toward his weapon.

That somehow made it worse.

“My brother is dead,” he said.

Luca stared.

“Since when?”

“Three months.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because Adrian had him killed.”

Daniel slowly removed an envelope from his jacket.

Not a gun.

A hospital birth certificate.

He placed it on the desk.

Anna Moretti’s baby.

Born two days earlier.

The father line was blank.

Not Michael.

Not anyone.

Daniel looked at Luca.

“Anna removed Michael’s name because someone told her he was still alive.”

The room went silent.

Luca’s face changed.

“Who told her?”

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Daniel swallowed.

“Michael did.”