Chapter 5 - FOUR DAYS BECAME THREE
Vivian disappeared before sunrise.
Victor Hale disappeared with her.
The wedding was three days away.
Adrian didn't cancel it.
That surprised everyone.
Especially me.
“Why?”
We were in the hospital cafeteria.
He hadn't slept.
Neither had I.
“If I cancel now, they know exactly what we have.”
“They already ran.”
“Victor ran. Vivian hasn't officially gone anywhere.”
“What does that mean?”
“She texted me.”
He showed me.
I need space after what your mother has done. I'm staying at the Drake. Don't contact me until you're ready to apologize.
I stared.
“She thinks you don't know.”
“Exactly.”
Victor had left the estate separately.
Vivian believed the pill switch remained undiscovered.
“So you're pretending the wedding is happening.”
“Yes.”
“That's insane.”
“Probably.”
“Your mother almost died.”
His expression changed.
“You think I don't know that?”
I regretted it immediately.
“I'm sorry.”
He rubbed his face.
“No. You're right.”
For the first time, Adrian looked tired rather than dangerous.
“I spent years building systems to protect this family from enemies.”
He laughed without humor.
“And none of them protected my mother from someone eating breakfast at our table.”
Eleanor regained consciousness that afternoon.
Adrian went in alone.
He remained with her for nearly an hour.
When he came out, his eyes were red.
I pretended not to notice.
Then Eleanor asked for me.
“You opened the box.”
“Yes.”
“Is he angry?”
“Yes.”
“With me?”
“Yes.”
She closed her eyes.
“Good.”
I almost laughed.
“Good?”
“Anger means he's thinking.”
“You nearly died.”
“I'm aware.”
“Mrs. Valenti, Vivian had someone switch your medicine.”
“I suspected Victor.”
“You knew?”
“I suspected.”
“Why didn't you tell Adrian?”
“Because suspicion isn't proof.”
I sat beside her.
“You could have died waiting for proof.”
She looked at me.
“You're angry too.”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
Apparently this family enjoyed angry people.
Then she took my hand.
“Sophie, I owe you an apology.”
“For what?”
“You were injured because I waited too long.”
“You didn't push me into that table.”
“No.”
“But I knew Vivian was becoming dangerous.”
“Why keep her close?”
“Because Marcus and I couldn't find where the money ended.”
She explained.
Cross Meridian was only a transfer point.
The final recipient remained hidden.
Someone else was financing Vivian.
Someone with enough money to purchase board members' debts.
“Who?”
“We don't know.”
That evening, Adrian's forensic accountant found a clue.
The shell companies all shared one historical banking relationship.
Valenti Private Capital.
A division supposedly dissolved seven years earlier.
Adrian stared at the name.
“That was my father's company.”
Lorenzo.
The man who had raised him.
Dead eight years.
Except one trust associated with Valenti Private Capital remained active.
Its beneficiary was unknown.
Adrian opened old corporate archives.
A name appeared on the original trust documents.
Camilla Valenti.
Adrian's aunt.
Lorenzo's younger sister.
The elegant woman currently organizing his wedding.
The woman who had introduced him to Vivian Cross three years earlier.
Adrian whispered:
“No.”
I understood then.
Vivian wasn't trying to enter the Valenti family.
May you like
Someone inside the Valenti family had brought her in.
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