Chapter 2 - THE TRUST HIS WIFE NEVER MENTIONED
Clare Bennett Duca wasn't simply the wife of a wealthy mafia boss.
She was the legal trustee of something Adrienne's family desperately wanted.
And until that night, Adrienne hadn't understood how much power his wife actually held.
He sat inside his study while his attorney, Rebecca Sloan, reviewed the documents Marco had recovered.
"The Duca Family Legacy Trust," Rebecca explained, "was established by your grandfather thirty-eight years ago."
Adrienne frowned.
"I know."
"Then you know the trust controls several properties, investment accounts, and corporate voting rights."
"Of course."
Rebecca looked directly at him.
"Do you know who currently has final approval over distributions?"
Adrienne hesitated.
"My uncle appointed the trustees."
Rebecca shook her head.
"No. Your grandfather amended the trust before his death."
She placed a document on the desk.
"The current independent trustee is Clare Bennett Duca."
Adrienne stared.
"Clare?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Rebecca took a slow breath.
"Because your grandfather wanted someone outside the Duca family to prevent conflicts of interest."
Adrienne leaned back.
His grandfather had met Clare shortly before their wedding.
The old man had adored her.
He used to call her the only honest person brave enough to marry into the Duca family.
Adrienne had assumed it was affection.
Now he realized it might have been something more.
Rebecca continued.
"Clare discovered irregularities in the trust's financial statements three months ago."
Adrienne's expression changed.
"What irregularities?"
"Unauthorized transfers. Inflated property valuations. Payments to companies connected to Victoria."
His stomach tightened.
"Why didn't Clare tell me?"
Rebecca looked at him carefully.
"She tried."
Adrienne went still.
"What?"
"She requested a meeting with you six weeks ago."
He remembered.
Clare had come into his office carrying a blue folder.
He'd been distracted by a shipping dispute.
He told her he'd review it later.
Then Victoria called.
And the folder disappeared beneath a stack of contracts.
Rebecca placed a copy of an email on the desk.
Adrienne, I need you to review the trust accounts. Something is wrong with the distributions. Please don't ask Victoria about this until we verify the records.
The email was dated eighteen days earlier.
Adrienne remembered seeing it.
He had never answered.
His chest tightened.
Rebecca continued.
"Clare also scheduled a meeting with the trust administrator yesterday."
"The meeting she mentioned during the search."
"Yes."
"But the administrator denied it."
Rebecca nodded.
"His office calendar was altered."
Adrienne stared at her.
"By whom?"
"Someone with administrative access."
He thought of Victoria.
Her carefully performed sadness.
Her accusations.
Her certainty that Clare had stolen the diamonds.
Then he remembered something else.
Clare hadn't looked surprised when Victoria accused her.
She had looked heartbroken.
As though she'd known exactly what would happen.
Adrienne reached for his phone again.
No response from Clare.
He stared at her photograph on the screen.
Then Rebecca placed one final document before him.
"This was recovered from Victoria's private office."
Adrienne opened it.
A draft petition requesting Clare's removal as trustee.
The grounds?
Suspected theft.
Financial misconduct.
Breach of fiduciary duty.
At the bottom was a handwritten note.
Once Adrienne signs the complaint, Clare loses control.
Adrienne slowly looked up.
"Victoria wasn't trying to steal four million dollars in diamonds."
Rebecca shook her head.
"No."
"She was trying to destroy Clare's credibility."
"Exactly."
Adrienne's voice turned hollow.
"And I helped her."
Rebecca didn't answer.
She didn't need to.
Then his phone vibrated.
A message appeared from an unfamiliar number.
Stop looking for Clare. If you want her alive, leave the trust alone.
Attached was a photograph.
May you like
Clare stood beneath a streetlight, soaked from the rain.
And behind her, a black sedan waited with its headlights off.
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