Chapter 6 - NORA HAD FIRED THE NURSE TO PROTECT THE TWINS
Marta Bianchi lived in Oak Park.
Police interviewed her before Victor did.
That was deliberate.
He did not want fear contaminating evidence.
Marta admitted taking money.
Not for harming the twins.
For information.
Delivery dates.
Medication names.
Which courier services came to the penthouse.
Daniel told her he was auditing fraud.
She believed him initially.
Then payments increased.
He asked whether Nora opened packages herself.
Whether Victor was home.
Whether the twins had specialty refrigerated drugs.
Marta became uncomfortable.
Then Nora caught her photographing a delivery label.
That was why Nora fired her.
Victor remembered the argument.
Nora stood in the kitchen at three in the morning.
Hair unwashed.
Mia crying against her shoulder.
She said:
“Marta is not coming back.”
Victor replied:
“We finally found someone willing to work nights.”
Nora:
“I don’t trust her.”
Victor:
“You don’t trust anyone lately.”
Then he left.
Went to Sylvia.
Victor sat with that memory until shame became almost physical.
Nora had been protecting their children while he treated her judgment like postpartum anxiety.
Marta told police she gave Nora one warning before leaving.
“Check the tracking numbers.”
Nora did.
That led to the duplicate shipments.
Then Marta admitted Daniel asked one final question.
“Does Nora keep copies outside the penthouse?”
She lied.
Said no.
Why?
“I realized he wasn’t auditing anything.”
Small act.
Late.
Still mattered.
Then internal audit found the stolen drug network’s scale.
$12 million over three years.
Hospitals.
Private clinics.
Export brokers.
Daniel was involved.
But not alone.
The network began before he became finance director.
Original architect:
Anthony Rinaldi.
Victor’s uncle.
His father’s younger brother.
Retired.
Living in Arizona.
Victor stared at the file.
Anthony taught him to shoot.
Taught Matteo cards.
Held Leo in the NICU.
Complained that premature babies looked “too breakable.”
Now his name appeared on stolen cancer medication.
Matteo looked sick.
“Uncle Anthony?”
Payments traced through a holding company he controlled.
Daniel had expanded the old operation using legitimate medical logistics.
The twins’ deliveries gave them a convenient internal test route—high-priority shipments rarely delayed.
Nora noticed because neonatal parents notice everything.
Seals.
Temperatures.
Labels.
Victor’s organization had overlooked what an exhausted mother saw immediately.
Then Marisol Vega called.
First direct contact from Nora’s attorney.
Victor answered.
“Is she safe?”
“Yes.”
“Babies?”
“Yes.”
Then:
“Nora has conditions before any meeting.”
“I’ll hear them.”
“No tracking.”
“Yes.”
“No armed men inside or outside.”
“Yes.”
“Public medical building.”
“Yes.”
“Your brother may attend.”
Matteo looked surprised.
Victor said:
“Fine.”
Then Marisol added:
“Nora wants Sylvia there.”
Victor stopped.
“Why?”
“She didn’t say.”
The meeting was scheduled for the next afternoon.
Before hanging up, Marisol said:
“One more thing.”
“What?”
“Nora knew Sylvia’s name before the twins were born because Daniel Mercer sent her an anonymous email.”
Victor’s body went cold.
Daniel did not merely exploit the affair after it began.
May you like
He made sure Nora discovered it.
He had wanted Victor’s marriage to collapse.
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