Chapter 5 - The Gift
Adrian Bellini stood in the grand foyer, holding the silver gift box, completely oblivious to the fact that his death warrant had just been signed upstairs.
"Where is everyone?" Adrian asked, his smile faltering slightly as he noticed my terrified expression. "Claire, right? Is my sister holding court in the dining room?"
Before I could answer, a voice echoed from the top of the grand marble staircase.
"They're up here, Adrian."
Adrian looked up.
Luca was standing at the top of the stairs. His hands were casually resting in the pockets of his dark trousers. He looked entirely calm. It was the most terrifying thing I had ever seen.
"Luca!" Adrian beamed, taking a step toward the stairs. "Congratulations, brother. I brought a little something for Vanessa. A pre-wedding gift. Is she around?"
"Bring it up," Luca said smoothly.
Marco stepped aside. I pressed myself against the wall, my heart hammering wildly as Adrian walked past me, his expensive cologne lingering in the air.
Adrian climbed the stairs, his smile confident and bright. He reached the top landing and walked toward the master suite.
I couldn't stop myself. I crept up the stairs behind him, hiding in the shadows of the hallway archway. I had to know that Olivia and Emma were safe.
Adrian walked into the master suite dressing room.
He saw Vanessa crying on the floor.
He saw Eleanor Price holding a sleeping baby.
He saw Olivia Moretti, her eyes red and swollen, staring at him with pure, unadulterated hatred.
And then, he saw what Luca was holding in his right hand.
The silver pocket watch.
Adrian stopped dead. His charming smile vanished, replaced instantly by the pale, cold mask of a cornered animal.
"Where did you get that?" Adrian whispered.
"Your sister's safe," Luca replied.
Adrian slowly turned to look at Vanessa. "You stupid bitch. I told you to throw it in the river."
Vanessa sobbed, burying her face in her hands. "It was leverage, Adrian! If you ever tried to throw me under the bus, I needed proof you were at the hospital!"
"You killed my husband," Olivia said. Her voice wasn't shaking anymore. It was cold. Cold and heavy, just like her brother's.
Adrian took a step back toward the door, but Marco stepped into the frame, blocking his exit.
Adrian swallowed hard. He looked at Luca, raising his hands defensively. "Luca, listen to me. Matthew was out of his mind. He was paranoid. He was going to ruin the business!"
"He found out you were stealing from me," Luca said softly.
Adrian’s breath hitched. "Vanessa told you that? She’s lying! She’s the one who cooked the books! She was skimming the accounts to pay off her gambling debts!"
"Liar!" Vanessa screamed, scrambling to her feet. "It was you!"
"I didn't order the hit!" Adrian yelled, pointing frantically at his sister. "Luca, I swear on my life! I was just going to buy him out! Vanessa is the one who paid the truck driver! She ordered the hit from your own payroll!"
The room seemed to violently tilt.
Olivia let out a horrific gasp. "He was on Luca's payroll?"
Luca’s eyes darkened, a storm of fury brewing behind them. "You used my men. To kill my brother-in-law."
Vanessa backed against the wall. "I had to protect us, Luca! I was going to be your wife!"
Adrian was breathing heavily. He looked around the room, realizing there was no way out. The lies had collapsed. The money was gone. The murder was exposed.
Then, Adrian’s eyes landed on the silver gift box he was still holding.
He slowly lowered it.
"Well," Adrian said, his voice suddenly losing all its panic, settling into a chilling, deadpan calm. "I suppose the wedding is off."
He opened the silver box.
It didn't contain a bracelet for Vanessa.
It contained a thick stack of legal documents, stamped with the seal of the Illinois Family Court.
Adrian pulled them out and looked directly at Olivia.
"I didn't just come here for the dinner, Olivia," Adrian said smoothly. "I came to give you these."
"What is that?" Olivia demanded, stepping defensively in front of Eleanor and the baby.
"These," Adrian smiled, a sick, twisted expression on his face, "are temporary guardianship papers. Signed by a judge this morning."
Olivia froze. "What?"
"Vanessa gave me a sworn affidavit yesterday," Adrian said, his eyes glittering with malice. "She testified that you are severely depressed. That you are unfit to care for your child. That you haven't been feeding her, that you wander the house in a daze, and that you are a danger to baby Emma."
Eleanor let out a cry of horror. "You monsters!"
Adrian ignored her, holding the papers up. "Vanessa requested that, for the safety of the child, temporary custody be transferred to Emma’s godfather." He smiled. "Which, as Matthew’s business partner, happens to be me."
May you like
The room went deadly silent.
"You see, Luca," Adrian said softly. "Matthew might have left his restaurant shares to Emma. But if I am Emma’s legal guardian, I control those shares. I control the money. And there's nothing you can do to stop me."
