Chapter 7 - THE MOTHER WHO STOLE SEVENTY MILLION
Elena Moretti did not steal the money for herself.
That almost made it worse.
She transferred it into trusts for Sophia’s twins.
Matteo and Luca.
Dante’s sons.
The Moretti bloodline.
Legacy again.
Alexander laughed bitterly when he learned.
“She really cannot stop.”
Dante wanted his sons protected.
But not with stolen money.
Not money tied to Robert Bennett’s death.
Sophia agreed.
That surprised me.
“I don’t want it,” she said.
“Then return it,” I answered.
“We’re trying.”
Elena had structured the transfer through offshore entities.
Reversing it required exposing old Moretti crimes.
Alexander made a decision.
He would cooperate.
Marco warned him.
“This could destroy the company.”
Alexander nodded.
“Then destroy it.”
I looked at him.
Three months earlier, power mattered more than almost everything.
Now he was willing to surrender the empire his father built.
Not for me.
Not exactly.
For truth.
That distinction mattered.
Federal investigators opened a sealed case.
Dante agreed to testify.
Alexander turned over ledgers.
Sophia surrendered contracts.
I gave Robert’s files.
Elena remained missing.
Then my company called.
The Frankfurt promotion was becoming permanent.
A board seat.
Europe-wide operations.
Exactly the career I had once dreamed about.
I accepted.
Alexander heard through my attorney.
He sent one sentence:
Congratulations. You earned it.
No request to return.
No argument.
I stared at the message longer than I should have.
Months passed.
The divorce became final.
Really final.
I kept Bennett.
Alexander moved out of the mansion.
Sophia moved into a private home with the twins.
Dante stayed hidden until indictments were filed.
Then he returned publicly.
Chicago exploded with rumors.
A dead Moretti alive.
Salvatore’s crimes reopened.
Elena accused of obstruction and financial crimes.
Alexander’s legitimate businesses lost contracts.
His enemies celebrated.
He did not retaliate.
That was new.
One evening, I received a call from Sophia.
“Claire.”
“What?”
“Elena contacted me.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
“What did she want?”
“The boys.”
My stomach tightened.
“She said they belong with the Morettis.”
“They belong with their parents.”
“I know.”
Sophia sounded terrified.
Then she added:
“She knows where you live.”
I went still.
“Why would she care?”
“Because she thinks you made Alexander betray the family.”
That was ridiculous.
He had chosen.
But controlling people rarely believe anyone else truly chooses.
That night, someone left a box outside my Frankfurt apartment.
Inside was my wedding ring.
I had left it in Chicago.
Beneath it:
Come home, Claire.
Or Alexander loses another brother.
May you like
Dante had disappeared.
Again.
