Chapter 9 - THE JUSTICE MY HUSBAND DESERVED
The words hung in the air like a death sentence.
"He told me his uncle, Silvio, held the knife."
Chaos erupted in the private dining room. The six elders of the commission shouted all at once, slamming their fists on the oak table. Don Carmine’s face was purple with rage as he turned toward Silvio.
"You stole from the family?" Carmine roared. "You murdered your own blood to cover it up?"
Silvio backed away from the table, his chest heaving. The smug, untouchable aura he had worn for three years was completely shattered. He looked like a trapped animal.
"The priest is lying!" Silvio screamed, pointing a trembling finger at Father Thomas. "Luca paid him! It's a setup!"
But nobody was listening to him anymore. The ledger on the table, the bloody coat, the priest’s unwavering testimony—the truth was undeniable. The puzzle pieces had locked perfectly into place.
Silvio realized he had lost everything. The power. The money. The respect.
In a desperate, frantic move, Silvio reached into his overcoat and pulled out a silver handgun.
He didn't aim at Luca. He aimed directly at me.
"If I go down, the maid dies first!" Silvio snarled.
A gunshot deafened the room.
But it wasn't Silvio who fired.
Luca had drawn his weapon with terrifying speed. He fired a single, precise shot.
Silvio cried out, dropping his gun as his shoulder exploded in a spray of crimson. He collapsed to the floor, clutching his bleeding arm, writhing in pain.
The commission's guards instantly swarmed him, pinning him to the carpet and kicking his weapon away.
Luca didn't even look at his uncle. He immediately turned to me, his hands gripping my shoulders, his dark eyes scanning my face frantically.
"Are you hurt? Claire, did he hit you?"
"No," I gasped, the adrenaline making my knees weak. "No, I'm okay. I'm okay."
Luca pulled me against his chest, wrapping his arms around me so tightly I could hear his heart pounding against my ear. It was a fierce, protective embrace that told me, without a single word, that the nightmare was finally over.
Don Carmine stood up, leaning heavily on his cane. He looked down at Silvio with utter disgust.
"Silvio Moretti," Carmine said, his voice cold and final. "You are stripped of your name, your rank, and your wealth. You will be handed over to the police for the murder of Matteo, and this family will ensure you rot in a cell until the day you die."
They dragged Silvio out of the room, leaving a trail of blood on the carpet.
Carmine turned to Luca. The old don bowed his head slightly.
"The money is returned. The traitor is exposed. Luca, you are the undisputed head of this family. We apologize for doubting you."
Luca nodded once. He didn't care about their apologies. He only cared about one thing.
He took my hand, lacing his fingers through mine, and faced the commission.
"Matteo died a hero," Luca declared, his voice echoing with absolute authority. "He died protecting his family. And from this day forward, his wife, Claire, and his son, Oliver, are under my absolute protection. Anyone who disrespects them, disrespects me."
The elders nodded respectfully, lowering their eyes.
Two hours later, we walked back through the massive front doors of the Moretti mansion.
The shattered glass in the foyer had already been swept away. The staff was lining the hallway, looking nervous and uncertain.
Luca stopped in the center of the room. He let go of my hand and turned to face the household staff.
"Listen to me carefully," Luca announced. "Vanessa Bellini is gone. She will never return to this house."
A collective, silent breath of relief swept through the staff.
"Furthermore," Luca continued, turning to look at me. "Claire is no longer an employee here. She is Claire Moretti. She is my sister-in-law. This is her home."
The household manager, a stern woman who had reprimanded me just yesterday for being late, immediately stepped forward and bowed her head. "Welcome home, Mrs. Moretti."
Tears spilled over my eyelashes. For three years, I had scrubbed floors, swallowed my pride, and lived in constant fear of eviction. I had been stripped of my dignity and my identity. And in one sentence, Luca had given it all back.
I ran upstairs to the guest suite where Oliver was waiting with Miller’s officers.
When I opened the door, Oliver launched himself into my arms. "Mommy! You came back!"
"I'm right here, baby," I sobbed, burying my face in his soft hair. "I'm right here. The bad men are gone. They're all gone."
Luca stood in the doorway, watching us with a soft, unguarded expression.
That evening, dinner was served in the grand dining room. It wasn't a party of twenty-four pretentious strangers. It was just the three of us.
The room was warm and quiet.
Luca stood at the head of the long mahogany table. He didn't sit down. Instead, he walked over to the chair right beside him. The chair Vanessa had violently pulled away from my son twenty-four hours ago.
Luca pulled the chair out. He looked at my five-year-old boy.
May you like
"Oliver," Luca said, a gentle smile breaking through his serious features. "This chair belongs to you. It will always belong to you."
Oliver beamed. He climbed up into the large chair, sitting proudly, the silver watch gleaming on his little wrist. He looked safe. He felt safe. He was finally home.
