Chapter 4 - THE PRICE OF FIFTY YEARS
“Why would my wedding rings be sent to an estate buyer?”
Teresa looked from Celia to Vanessa.
Neither answered.
Luca placed the red leather folder on the dining table.
“Mrs. Bellini, I want an explanation.”
Celia took a slow breath.
“Eastgate deals in antique jewelry.”
“My mother's wedding bands aren't antiques for sale.”
“I understand that.”
“Then why are they there?”
Celia looked toward the windows.
“I was trying to recover some of the wedding expenses.”
Vanessa stared at her.
“What?”
Celia's voice tightened.
“The reception deposit. The private dining arrangements. The additional flowers.”
Vanessa shook her head.
“Those were supposed to be your contribution.”
“They were.”
“Then why did you need money?”
Celia lowered her eyes.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then she admitted, “Because I couldn't afford what I promised.”
Vanessa looked stunned.
“But you said—”
“I know what I said.”
Her mother's voice broke.
“I wanted my daughter to have a wedding she could be proud of.”
Luca stared at her.
“So you took my parents' wedding rings to cover expenses?”
Celia wiped her cheeks.
“I thought nobody would miss two old gold bands once the new ones were made.”
Teresa lowered her head.
I felt a wave of anger so strong that I had to grip the back of her chair.
Two old gold bands.
As though fifty years of marriage could be measured by what a dealer would pay.
Luca took a slow breath.
“How much did they give you?”
Celia hesitated.
“An advance of nine hundred dollars.”
Vanessa covered her mouth.
“Nine hundred?”
Celia nodded.
“The rings were worth more intact, but Eastgate needed time to find a buyer.”
Teresa made a small, wounded sound.
Luca turned immediately.
“Mom?”
She shook her head.
“Antonio saved six months for those rings.”
Her eyes filled.
“He was so proud when he bought them.”
Luca knelt beside her.
“Mom, look at me.”
She couldn't.
He gently lifted her chin.
“Those rings didn't become less valuable because somebody offered nine hundred dollars.”
Teresa began crying.
“I know, sweetheart.”
“We'll get them back.”
She nodded uncertainly.
Luca kissed her forehead.
Then stood.
“Daniel, please find out the terms of that transaction. I want to know whether the rings are still being held.”
Daniel examined the paperwork.
“Yes, sir.”
Celia quickly spoke.
“You can't simply take them.”
Luca turned.
“Why?”
“There was an agreement.”
“Between whom?”
“Eastgate and me.”
He looked at her.
“And what authority did you have to sell them?”
Celia didn't answer.
Luca's expression hardened.
“That's what I thought.”
Vanessa stepped closer to her mother.
“Why didn't you tell me you were having money problems?”
Celia gave a bitter laugh.
“Because you've spent your entire adult life trying not to be associated with money problems.”
Vanessa flinched.
“That isn't fair.”
“Isn't it?”
Celia looked at her daughter's expensive gown.
“You stopped inviting me to your friends' dinners because you thought my apartment was too small.”
Vanessa stared at her.
“You said you didn't want to come.”
“Because you were embarrassed when I did.”
The room fell silent.
I watched Vanessa's expression change.
She'd spent the evening treating Teresa's aging hands as something to hide.
Now she was hearing that her own mother had felt the same kind of shame.
Celia continued.
“I worked in department stores for thirty years. I knew how to dress beautifully without spending much.”
She looked down at her ivory jacket.
“But every time we went somewhere, you wanted people to think I was wealthy.”
Vanessa began crying.
“Mom.”
“I wanted to give you one wedding where you wouldn't have to pretend.”
Luca spoke quietly.
“So you decided to make another mother pay for it.”
Celia lowered her head.
“Yes.”
The admission seemed to age her.
For a moment, she looked nothing like the elegant woman who'd entered the mansion.
She looked frightened.
And deeply ashamed.
But Luca didn't soften the question.
“Are the rings still at Eastgate?”
Celia hesitated.
“They were yesterday.”
“What does that mean?”
“They're being offered to a private collector.”
Teresa gripped my wrist.
I immediately looked down.
“Mrs. Moretti?”
Her face was pale.
“Someone else might be wearing Antonio's ring?”
I knelt beside her.
“We don't know that.”
She looked at me.
“Hannah, I wore mine when Luca was born.”
“I know.”
“And Antonio wore his every day at the garage.”
Her lips trembled.
“He never took it off unless he was working with machinery.”
I squeezed her hand.
“Then we'll do everything we can to bring them home.”
Luca looked toward Celia.
“Who is the collector?”
“I don't know.”
“Does Eastgate have the rings?”
“I believe so.”
He stared at her.
“You've said 'I believe' several times tonight.”
Celia lowered her eyes.
“Because I don't know.”
Luca took a slow breath.
“Then tomorrow we'll find out.”
Vanessa stepped forward.
“Luca, I'll pay whatever it takes.”
He looked at her.
“This isn't something you can fix by offering money.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
She began crying.
“I made a terrible mistake.”
He shook his head.
“You made several decisions. You lied to my mother. You hurt her hands. You threatened Hannah's livelihood. And you let her jewelry leave this house without her consent.”
Vanessa couldn't meet his eyes.
“Those weren't accidents.”
“I know.”
Luca paused.
“And I need you to understand that an apology doesn't make those decisions disappear.”
Vanessa nodded.
“I understand.”
But Teresa suddenly spoke.
“Luca, please.”
He turned.
“Yes, Mom?”
“Don't let this become something terrible between our families.”
He knelt beside her again.
“Mom, I'm trying to make sure nobody ever does this to you again.”
She touched his cheek.
“I know, sweetheart.”
Then she looked toward Vanessa.
“I don't want revenge.”
Vanessa began crying harder.
“I just want my things back.”
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Mrs. Carter entered carrying a small wooden box.
She approached Teresa.
“Mrs. Moretti, I found this in your dressing table.”
It was the jewelry box Antonio had bought Teresa for their twenty-fifth anniversary.
Its dark wood was polished smooth.
A tiny brass clasp held it closed.
Teresa took it carefully.
“Oh, Helen.”
She opened the lid.
Inside were five empty velvet compartments.
Mrs. Carter looked uncomfortable.
“I thought you should have it.”
Teresa ran one finger along the empty space where her wedding ring had rested.
Then she touched another compartment.
Her expression changed.
“Wait.”
Luca leaned closer.
“What is it?”
Teresa looked toward Vanessa.
“The bracelet, necklace, and locket were kept in here.”
Vanessa nodded.
“Yes.”
“But Antonio's wedding band wasn't.”
Everyone turned.
Teresa lifted the little tray.
Beneath it was a shallow hidden compartment.
She reached inside.
Then stopped.
Her face went white.
Luca caught her elbow.
“Mom?”
She stared into the empty space.
“My husband's ring was supposed to be here.”
Vanessa swallowed.
Teresa looked up slowly.
“Vanessa, how did you know where Antonio's wedding band was hidden?”
Celia turned toward her daughter.
May you like
And Vanessa whispered something that made Luca's expression change completely.
“Because I was shown.”
