Chapter 5 - ELENA HAD PUT MY NAME INTO THE MARRIAGE CONTRACT
Luca stepped away from his sister.
“Elena.”
She looked like she wanted to run.
She didn’t.
Good.
“Yes.”
“You prepared the contract?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I needed Sophia here.”
The answer landed like a stone.
I stared.
“You manipulated me too.”
“Yes.”
No excuse.
At least not yet.
Elena had discovered Matteo was alive eight months earlier.
He contacted her secretly.
She did not tell Luca because Matteo believed Vittorio monitored him.
Together they investigated the Bennett land.
They found my mother’s clause.
If I married Luca, Matteo’s Bennett inheritance would activate.
That would move land out of Vittorio-controlled trust automatically.
Once outside, Matteo could use it as leverage to challenge the Moretti trust.
So Elena created the marriage push?
Partly.
She forged an early agreement to make it appear old.
Then later influenced my father through Alessandro.
But why five women before me?
Elena shook her head.
“Those were Father.”
So two separate schemes.
Vittorio kept presenting Luca with brides tied to alliances.
Some rejected.
Some were paid.
Some were scared away.
Then Elena hijacked the mechanism.
She made Sophia bride six because marriage served Matteo’s legal strategy.
I felt sick.
Everyone had a reason to marry me except me.
Luca’s voice became dangerous.
“You used me.”
Elena’s eyes filled.
“I was trying to bring Matteo home.”
“You could have told me he was alive.”
“I didn’t know if you were loyal to Father.”
That hurt him.
Deeply.
Matteo said:
“Elena.”
“No. He deserves to hear it.”
She continued.
“Father spent years making us distrust each other.”
True.
But she repeated it.
That was the tragedy.
Then I asked:
“Did my father know you forged the contract?”
Dad, who had come later? He wasn't at monastery initially? Let's say he followed with Alessandro and arrived. Fine. He answered:
“Not at first.”
“Then when?”
“Three months ago.”
“And you still sent me?”
“I thought marrying Luca would return the land to your brother.”
“My brother I didn’t know existed.”
“Yes.”
I laughed bitterly.
“My family really believes informed consent is decorative.”
Then Luca looked at me.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For all of this.”
“You didn’t do it.”
“No.”
He looked at Elena.
“But I benefited from everyone thinking I would.”
That was different.
He understood power.
Then Matteo revealed another problem.
The trust clause required a valid marriage.
Not forced.
Not coerced.
Not based on undisclosed material fraud.
If Sophia married under false pretenses, transfer could be challenged.
So Elena’s manipulation may have destroyed the very strategy she wanted.
Everyone had been too clever.
Then Luca said:
“No marriage.”
My chest tightened unexpectedly.
He continued:
“Not while any contract benefits someone we didn’t choose.”
Correct.
Then he looked at me.
“If there is ever a wedding, it will be because you ask for one after knowing everything.”
I blinked.
“You think I’m asking?”
His mouth twitched.
“No.”
“Good.”
“Very.”
I almost laughed.
Tension broke.
Then Matteo gave us the next piece.
Vittorio Moretti was sick.
Pancreatic cancer.
Maybe six months.
He had been restructuring assets.
Why rush?
Succession.
Upon death, Luca received operational control.
Matteo, if legally alive, could challenge half.
Elena received minority.
But Vittorio created a private codicil.
If Luca married before Vittorio died, Luca’s spouse gained a voting position.
That made me powerful.
Maybe whoever arranged marriage wanted me on board.
Elena admitted:
“I did.”
Why?
Because as Bennett heir and outsider, I could vote with Matteo against old Moretti loyalists.
So she wasn’t only activating land.
She was engineering a coalition:
Luca + Sophia + Matteo + Elena.
Enough to dismantle Vittorio’s control.
Except she did it without asking us.
Then Matteo said:
“There’s one more signature.”
On Elena’s authorization.
Counter-signatory:
M.M.
Matteo Moretti.
He had known.
Luca looked at him.
Matteo did not flinch.
“I approved it.”
Brother reunion lasted less than an hour before betrayal number two.
“Why?”
“Because I thought you’d never believe me unless Sophia was already inside the estate.”
“So you used her.”
“Yes.”
“And me.”
“Yes.”
Luca stepped closer.
Matteo looked up.
For a second, I thought brothers might fight.
I stepped between them.
It was probably stupid.
Given their size, extremely stupid.
But I did.
“No.”
Both stopped.
I pointed at Luca.
“You don’t get to hit him because everyone has lied.”
Then Matteo:
“And you don’t get to stand there like suffering made manipulation noble.”
His jaw tightened.
Then Elena.
“And you absolutely do not get to explain this as saving us.”
She lowered her eyes.
Good.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown Italian number.
I answered.
An older man’s voice.
“Sophia Bennett?”
“Yes.”
“This is Vittorio Moretti.”
Everyone froze.
Luca’s father.
He said:
“My children have told you enough truth to make themselves look innocent.”
Nobody looked innocent.
Then:
“Ask them what happened to bride number two.”
Luca went still.
Bride number two.
Her name?
Camille Laurent.
Luca had told me she left after one dinner.
Vittorio continued:
“She didn’t leave.”
My stomach tightened.
“What happened?”
“She disappeared.”
May you like
Then:
“And Matteo was the last person seen with her.”
