Chapter 10 - THE MAN LUCA TRUSTED MORE THAN FAMILY
Frank didn't run.
He didn't threaten anyone.
He simply sat down.
That somehow made it worse.
Luca stared at the man who'd known him since childhood.
The man who'd stood beside him at Sofia's funeral.
The man Leo called Uncle Frank.
"Tell me he's wrong."
Frank looked down.
"I can't."
The silence was brutal.
Matteo explained.
Years earlier, Frank had discovered Victor's theft.
Instead of reporting it, he helped conceal several transactions to protect the family from scandal.
He never ordered Matteo's disappearance.
He never wanted Sofia dead.
But his silence allowed Victor to keep operating.
Frank's voice broke.
"I thought I could contain him."
Luca laughed bitterly.
"Contain him?"
"I was trying to stop a war."
"You protected a criminal."
"I protected the family."
Luca's face hardened.
"My wife is dead."
Frank closed his eyes.
"My uncle lost twenty-eight years."
No answer.
"My cousin grew up without her father."
Frank's shoulders shook.
"I know."
Luca stood.
For one terrible second, I thought the old version of him might return.
The man everyone feared.
Instead, he turned toward Rebecca.
"Give everything to the investigators."
Frank looked up sharply.
"Luca."
"No."
His voice remained calm.
"You don't get family protection anymore."
Frank's eyes filled.
"You'll destroy the name."
Luca looked at him.
"Then maybe the name deserves to survive only if we change what it means."
I stared.
That was the moment I began believing Luca Moretti could become something different from the men who raised him.
Frank agreed to cooperate.
The investigation uncovered decades of fraud.
Victor had stolen distributions from Matteo's trust.
Manipulated company votes.
Threatened witnesses.
And used both families' reputations to silence people.
The legitimate Moretti businesses were placed under independent financial review.
Matteo's ownership was restored.
And mine became legally recognized as his heir.
I suddenly owned more money than I knew what to do with.
My first purchase?
A new transmission for my car.
Luca stared at me when I told him.
"That's it?"
"The left turn clicking was becoming ominous."
He laughed.
It was the first time I'd heard him laugh since Leo disappeared.
Then he became serious.
"Avery, there's something you should know."
"What?"
"Your manager called."
I groaned.
"Greg?"
"He wants to offer you your job back."
"Absolutely not."
One corner of Luca's mouth moved.
"I told him you'd probably say that."
I crossed my arms.
"You told him?"
"I did not decide for you."
"Good."
"I only told him to call you himself."
I smiled.
"Growth."
"Painful growth."
Leo crawled across the carpet toward me.
I picked him up.
Luca watched.
His expression softened.
"He's different with you."
"Maybe he's just weird."
"Also possible."
Then Leo said his first clear word.
Not Dada.
Not milk.
He looked directly at me.
"Ava."
The room went silent.
I stared.
Luca looked stunned.
May you like
Then Matteo whispered:
"That's what I used to call you before you were born."
