Chapter 9 - THE LETTER ADRIAN NEVER SENT
The secure deposit facility was located in a quiet commercial building outside Stamford.
Rebecca accompanied Samuel and Emma.
Luca remained at his office while investigators reviewed the clinic records connected to Adrian.
The archive was opened under legal supervision.
Inside were three metal cases.
The first contained Whitmore family trust agreements.
The second held financial records.
The third was marked with a single name.
ADRIAN MORETTI.
When Rebecca called Luca, her voice was tense.
"We found something."
Luca stood.
"What?"
"Letters."
"From whom?"
"Your brother."
Luca stopped breathing.
Rebecca continued.
"They're dated over the past five years."
Luca felt sick.
"Adrian wrote letters?"
"Yes."
"To whom?"
Rebecca hesitated.
"To you."
For five years, Adrian had been alive.
For five years, Luca had mourned him.
And for five years, someone had prevented his letters from reaching home.
Luca sat slowly.
"What do they say?"
Rebecca opened the first letter.
Luca,
I don't know whether you'll ever read this.
They keep telling me my memory is unreliable.
They say I agreed to stay here.
But I remember the crash.
Luca gripped the desk.
Rebecca continued.
I remember Martin Bell arguing with me before I got into the car.
I remember him saying the family business would collapse if I refused to sign.
Luca closed his eyes.
Then the letter described the night of the crash.
Adrian had been driving to meet a lawyer.
He intended to report suspicious transactions connected to the Bennett companies.
Someone interfered with his vehicle.
The crash was staged to look accidental.
Adrian survived but suffered a serious brain injury.
Martin Bell arranged for him to be transferred to a private clinic under a false name.
The letters described confusion, isolation, and repeated attempts to contact Luca.
None succeeded.
Luca felt grief rise like a wave.
His brother had been alive.
Waiting.
Calling for help.
And Luca had never known.
Rebecca's voice softened.
"There's more."
Luca took a breath.
"Go on."
"The final letter is dated last month."
She read.
Luca,
I remember everything now.
Martin Bell took money from the Whitmore trusts.
Bianca knows.
Sophia knows.
And someone inside your company helped them.
Luca stood.
"Who?"
Rebecca hesitated.
Then continued reading.
The person you trust most is not who he seems.
Luca felt cold.
His right-hand man was Daniel Russo.
Daniel had been with him for nineteen years.
He knew every business account, every security code, and every private meeting.
He had helped arrange Luca's engagement celebration.
He had also been the person who first recommended the Bennett acquisition.
Luca stared at the wall.
Then Rebecca read the final sentence.
May you like
Daniel Russo is working for Martin Bell.
The man Luca trusted more than anyone was helping the people who had stolen his brother's life.
