Chapter 8 - THE ROSARY
The master bedroom was silent except for the distant wail of police sirens approaching the estate.
Luca stood perfectly still, holding the broken wooden rosary in his bruised hand. The dim moonlight caught the splintered edge of the cross, a violent contrast to the sacred object.
“He dropped it,” Luca repeated, his voice devoid of all warmth. “For four years, Marco sat at my dinner table, drank my scotch, and helped me hunt down the men we thought killed my wife. And he was carrying the other half of this rosary in his pocket the entire time.”
Answer one: The rosary was the definitive proof that Marco hadn't just orchestrated the crash from afar; he had been inside Elena’s car, physically struggling with her before he ran it off the road.
Vanessa stood up from the armchair, wrapping her arms tightly around herself. “He was obsessed with her, Luca. When she told him she wouldn't leave you, he snapped. He decided if he couldn't have her, nobody would.”
Open two: If Marco’s men were eliminated and the police were arriving, the immediate danger was over. But how could Luca explain the carnage in his house to the police without going to prison himself, taking Lily’s father away forever?
“Mr. Moretti,” I said urgently, stepping forward. “The police are at the front gate. If they find Marco here, they’re going to arrest you for attempted murder. You’ll lose Lily.”
Luca looked at me, the coldness in his eyes softening slightly. He glanced down at his daughter, who was clinging to his leg, her small face buried in his trousers.
A reversal suddenly shifted Luca’s entire demeanor. He didn't look like a cornered mafia boss. He looked like a man who had already planned his exit strategy.
“They aren't coming to arrest me, Claire,” Luca said calmly.
He walked over to Marco’s unconscious body, pulled a pair of heavy zip-ties from his pocket, and bound the underboss’s wrists tightly behind his back.
“I called them,” Luca said.
I stared at him in shock. “You called the police on your own syndicate?”
“I called the FBI,” Luca corrected, pulling a small flash drive from his inner jacket pocket. “This drive contains every ledger, every bribe, and every extortion racket Marco has run for the last decade. I’ve been quietly compiling it for two years. I was waiting for the right moment to burn his faction of the family to the ground.”
Luca looked at the broken rosary in his hand.
“Tonight, he gave me the perfect reason.”
The bedroom door opened wider, and three men in tactical gear stepped inside, their weapons lowered but ready. They weren't Luca’s security. They wore FBI windbreakers.
“Mr. Moretti,” the lead agent said, stepping forward. He looked at Marco on the floor, then at the flash drive in Luca’s hand. “We received your signal. Is this the package?”
“It is,” Luca said, tossing the drive to the agent. “Marco Vance is all yours. For racketeering, extortion, and the attempted murder of my wife.”
The agents hauled Marco up from the floor, dragging him out of the room.
I watched in disbelief. Luca Moretti hadn't just survived a coup; he had legally dismantled his own criminal empire to protect his family.
Luca turned to Vanessa.
“You lied to me for a year,” Luca said, his voice hard. “You terrorized my staff. You manipulated my daughter. You made me believe I was marrying a monster.”
Vanessa didn't flinch. She stood tall, the torn red silk of her gown doing nothing to diminish her sudden dignity.
“I had to,” Vanessa said, her voice steady. “If I showed any affection for Lily, Marco would have used her against me. If I told you Elena was alive, Marco would have killed her before you could reach her. I played the wicked stepmother so Marco would think I was just another greedy socialite. It was the only way to keep Lily safe until I could get her to Oakwood.”
Luca stared at her for a long time. The anger slowly drained from his face, replaced by a profound, weary respect.
“You protected my daughter,” Luca finally said softly. “You gave up your own life to keep them safe.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, velvet jewelry box.
“I bought this for you yesterday,” Luca said, holding the box out to Vanessa. “It was supposed to be a wedding gift. But I think it serves better as a severance package.”
Vanessa took the box and opened it. Inside was a stunning, flawless diamond tennis bracelet, worth enough to start a new life anywhere in the world.
“The engagement is over, Vanessa,” Luca said gently. “Take the money. Go to Oakwood. Tell Elena it is finally safe to come home.”
Vanessa closed the box, a tear slipping down her cheek. She didn't say a word. She just nodded, turned, and walked out of the room.
Luca let out a long, heavy breath, leaning against the doorframe.
He looked down at Lily, then up at me.
“It’s over,” he whispered.
Lily looked up at him, her dark eyes wide. “Daddy? Is Mommy really coming home?”
Luca smiled, dropping to his knees and pulling her into a massive hug. “Yes, baby. Mommy is coming home.”
I stood near the bathroom door, my heart swelling with an overwhelming sense of relief and joy. The nightmare was over.
But as I watched them, a sudden realization hit me. My job here was done. The family was whole again. There was no place for a desperate little maid in a happily-ever-after.
I quietly slipped out of the bedroom, intending to pack my things and go back to my mother’s house.
May you like
But before I reached the stairs, a heavy hand gently caught my wrist.
“Where do you think you’re going, Claire?” Luca asked softly.
