Chapter 13 - THE TRIAL THAT DIVIDED BOSTON
Arthur's trial became national news.
Not because he was famous.
Because the evidence opened thirty years of waterfront corruption.
Sadi testified for two days.
Arthur's defense tried to destroy her.
Failed law student.
Waitress.
Moretti associate.
Potential romantic relationship with Roman.
They implied she was manipulating evidence to protect him.
Sadi stayed calm.
“You were romantically involved with Mr. Moretti?”
“No.”
“Interested?”
The prosecutor objected.
Sustained.
Arthur's lawyer changed direction.
“You owe Mr. Moretti for protecting you.”
Sadi looked at the jury.
“No.”
“His foundation paid your law-school tuition.”
“Without either of us knowing.”
“He protected your mother.”
“His father did.”
“His family paid her hospital bills.”
“After his uncle's crimes helped put her in danger.”
Silence.
Then:
“So you hate the Morettis?”
Sadi answered:
“I don't believe love or hate changes documents.”
That line made every newspaper.
The contract said what it said.
The transfers said what they said.
Arthur's messages said what they said.
Facts didn't care about family mythology.
He was convicted.
Murder.
Conspiracy.
Fraud.
Obstruction.
Carlo later pleaded guilty to multiple federal charges under a medical sentencing agreement.
Lorenzo and Isabella received reduced sentences after cooperation and admissions.
They lost positions.
Assets.
Reputations.
Roman visited them.
Sadi did not.
Boundaries.
Then Roman faced his own hearing.
No criminal charges.
But corporate forfeiture.
Federal counsel argued several Moretti properties traced to old illegal funds.
Roman could fight.
Years of litigation.
He didn't.
He surrendered contaminated assets voluntarily in exchange for preserving verified legitimate operations and employee pensions.
Hundreds of workers kept jobs.
He lost prestige.
Gained something else.
Sadi attended the final hearing.
Outside, reporters shouted.
“Roman! Do you still consider yourself head of the Moretti family?”
He stopped.
Looked at Sadi.
Then back at the cameras.
“No.”
“What are you?”
Roman thought.
“A man who owns fewer buildings than last year.”
Reporters laughed.
He didn't.
Then:
“And sleeps better.”
That night, he asked Sadi to dinner.
Not diner coffee.
Actual dinner.
She raised an eyebrow.
“Date?”
“Yes.”
“You're asking a federal witness who helped dismantle your family?”
“Apparently I enjoy difficulty.”
She considered.
“Yes.”
Then added:
“One date.”
Roman smiled.
Before they could leave, Sadi received a call.
Her mother had collapsed.
At the hospital, doctors discovered something unexpected.
Sadira's original medical crisis years earlier may not have been natural.
Toxicology from archived samples showed exposure to a rare anticoagulant.
Someone had poisoned her.
And Arthur's records contained a payment from the same week.
May you like
Authorized by:
Lorenzo Moretti.
