Chapter 6 - THE HOSPITAL ROOM THAT WAS NEVER AN ACCIDENT
Sophia stared at the hospital authorization like she had never seen it.
“I didn’t do this.”
Vincent’s face remained unreadable.
“You accessed Claire’s maternity records.”
“No.”
“Your credentials did.”
“I had access to the family medical portal because Lucas was born there.”
“Same excuse Claire could have made when her credentials were used tonight.”
Sophia flinched.
I looked at her.
“Did Anthony ever ask you for paperwork after Lucas was born?”
She hesitated.
“That week was chaos.”
“Think.”
Sophia closed her eyes.
“He brought forms.”
Vincent’s expression sharpened.
“What forms?”
“He said they were insurance documents.”
“For Lucas?”
“Yes.”
“Did you sign anything?”
“Yes.”
“Did Claire?”
Sophia looked toward me.
“No.”
Then her face changed.
“Wait.”
My stomach tightened.
“What?”
“When Claire was still in labor, your mother came upstairs.”
I looked at Mom.
She went pale.
Sophia continued.
“She brought a folder.”
“What folder?”
“She said Claire had already signed hospital authorizations before delivery.”
Mom shook her head.
“I don’t remember.”
“You remember,” I said.
My voice was very quiet.
She looked at me.
Seven years of betrayal sat between us.
Finally, she whispered:
“Anthony told us the Moretti attorneys needed Claire’s consent forms.”
Vincent stepped forward.
“My attorneys?”
“He said there were security concerns.”
“Why didn’t you ask me?”
“You were with Sophia.”
That sentence hit all of us.
Because there it was again.
The single decision that had opened every door.
Vincent had left me.
Anthony had known exactly where his attention would be.
Sophia upstairs.
Lucas.
The heir.
The chaos.
I looked at Vincent.
“Your uncle knew.”
He understood.
“He knew I would abandon your room.”
“And he used it.”
Vincent’s face twisted with disgust.
“At me.”
“No.”
I stopped him.
“He used what you chose to do.”
He met my eyes.
I continued.
“Don’t turn this into something Anthony made you do.”
Silence.
“You chose Sophia.”
“Yes.”
“You chose Lucas.”
“Yes.”
“You walked away from Emily.”
His voice broke slightly.
“Yes.”
I had waited seven years to hear him say it without explanations.
Strangely, it hurt less than I expected.
Maybe because truth was cleaner than excuses.
Matteo entered.
“We found Anthony’s accountant.”
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“Milwaukee.”
Vincent grabbed his jacket.
I stood.
“I’m coming.”
“No.”
He looked at me.
I folded my arms.
“Try again.”
His mouth tightened.
“Claire.”
“My daughter’s money is involved.”
“This could be dangerous.”
“You don’t get to put me behind a curtain again.”
That landed.
He nodded once.
“Fine.”
The accountant, Harold Voss, had been hiding inside a motel under a false name.
He surrendered immediately.
“I didn’t steal anything.”
Vincent stood across from him.
“You moved money.”
“Anthony ordered transfers.”
“From Emily’s trust?”
Voss looked at me.
“I didn’t know the child.”
“You know her now.”
He swallowed.
“Yes.”
“What did Anthony want?”
Voss looked toward the door nervously.
“He needed control of the holding company before Giovanni’s succession audit.”
“When?”
“Next month.”
Vincent frowned.
“What succession audit?”
Voss almost laughed.
“You really don’t know?”
“Know what?”
“Giovanni never intended you to inherit absolute control.”
Vincent went still.
Voss continued.
“He created a bloodline governance clause.”
My stomach tightened.
“Meaning?”
“If any direct descendant was intentionally abandoned, concealed, or denied legal recognition…”
He looked at Emily’s documents.
“…control of the foundation and thirty percent of Moretti Holdings automatically transfers to that child at age eighteen.”
Vincent stared at him.
“Emily.”
“Yes.”
Anthony had not simply erased my daughter to steal a trust.
He had erased her because one day she could take control away from him.
Then Voss spoke again.
“But there’s one more reason Anthony needed Emily gone.”
Vincent’s voice dropped.
“What?”
Voss looked genuinely afraid.
“Because Giovanni left a sealed letter for her.”
“Where?”
“Inside the family vault.”
“What does it say?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then why is Anthony afraid of it?”
Voss swallowed.
“Because Giovanni told him that when Emily reads that letter…”
May you like
He looked at Vincent.
“…she’ll know who really ordered the hit that killed your father.”
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