Chapter 7 - THE SISTER WHO TRIED TO TELL ME
Patricia was nine years younger than me.
Family lawyer.
Quiet.
The only Moretti who could insult our uncle during Sunday dinner and somehow leave with dessert.
She arrived furious.
“Finally.”
That was her greeting.
“You filed paternity papers?”
“I tried.”
“Why withdraw them?”
“Because Mom threatened Elena.”
Elena stared.
“You knew me?”
“Not personally.”
Patricia discovered the anonymous medical payments my father authorized.
She followed them.
Found Elena.
Found four newborn boys.
Then she submitted a paternity acknowledgment using an old signature authorization I'd given the family law office.
Not legal.
Not ethical.
But intended to trigger notice to me.
Before notice went out, Caterina discovered it.
“She told me if I continued, Elena would lose every anonymous protection Dad had put in place.”
Elena looked horrified.
“Medical coverage?”
“Yes.”
Patricia withdrew the filing.
Then tried another way.
Letters.
The letters Elena sent me?
Patricia intercepted them before my mother could destroy them.
She had kept copies.
My hands shook reading the first one.
Dominic,
I don't know whether you want this child. I don't even know whether you believe me. But I need you to hear it from me, not your family.
Then later:
There are four.
I laughed when the doctor told me because crying seemed too frightening.
Four.
She had written their names.
Luca Anthony.
Matteo James.
Enzo Daniel.
Nico Dominic.
The youngest carried my name.
I had to stop reading.
“Why didn't you come directly to me?” I asked Patricia.
“I tried.”
“When?”
“The night after Dad's surgery.”
I remembered.
She came into my hospital room.
I shouted at everyone.
Told her family problems could wait.
She left.
God.
Every path to the truth existed.
I simply kept closing doors.
Patricia then revealed why she'd stayed silent afterward.
Victor had evidence that could put her husband in prison for financial violations he didn't knowingly commit.
Blackmail.
“I spent six years gathering enough proof to break his leverage.”
“Do you have it now?”
“Yes.”
She placed a drive on the table.
Records tying Victor to offshore transfers, bribed port officials, and the attack on Dad.
Not merely suspicion.
Proof.
Then one file stopped me.
Life insurance.
Four policies.
Beneficiaries:
The Moretti Harbor Trust.
Insured individuals:
Luca Carter.
Matteo Carter.
Enzo Carter.
Nico Carter.
My sons.
Policies had been purchased when they were infants.
Someone had insured four babies for ten million dollars each.
The application was authorized by Victor.
Elena's face went white.
“Why would anyone insure my children?”
Patricia answered quietly.
“Because the trust paid more if they died before legal recognition.”
May you like
The financial incentive wasn't just to hide my sons.
Someone could profit from losing them.
