Chapter 7 - THE RECORDING THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
Olivia listened to the recording once.
She never wanted to hear it again.
Her father's voice was younger than she remembered.
Tired.
Angry.
But unmistakably his.
“I have the records, Arthur. I know what Edward did.”
Then Bellini's voice.
Smooth.
Patient.
Almost bored.
“You're making this difficult, Thomas.”
“Families lost their homes.”
“Families lose homes every day.”
“Not because men like you manufacture defaults.”
A pause.
Then Bellini spoke again.
“Think about your daughters.”
Olivia felt cold.
Her father answered immediately.
“Don't bring my children into this.”
“You have two beautiful girls. Olivia and Claire.”
The recording crackled.
“Leave them alone.”
“Then stop digging.”
Olivia closed her eyes.
Her father had known.
He'd known they were threatening his family.
And he'd kept fighting anyway.
The recording ended with Thomas saying, “I'm going to the authorities.”
Three days later, he was dead.
Detective Ruiz explained that the recording was significant evidence of threats but did not, by itself, establish who caused the fatal crash.
The investigation would require corroboration.
Olivia understood.
She hated it.
But she understood.
Gabriel remained beside her through the meeting.
When they left the station, the sun was setting.
Chicago's streets glowed gold beneath the evening light.
Olivia stopped beside his car.
“Did your father know about the threat?”
Gabriel looked at her.
“I don't know.”
“Can you find out?”
“I'll try.”
She studied him.
“You keep saying that.”
“What?”
“I'll try. I don't know. I can't promise.”
Gabriel smiled faintly.
“Would you prefer false certainty?”
“No.”
She looked down.
“Richard always promised things.”
Gabriel waited.
“He promised he'd never hurt me. Promised we'd build a life together. Promised he believed in my company.”
Her voice tightened.
“Then he spent years making me feel stupid for trusting him.”
Gabriel said nothing.
Olivia looked up.
“I'm tired of promises.”
“Then I won't make any I can't keep.”
For a moment, neither moved.
Then Olivia asked, “What happened to you?”
Gabriel looked surprised.
“What do you mean?”
“You don't become this careful with words by accident.”
He leaned against the car.
“My father believed a Moretti should never admit uncertainty.”
“And you?”
“I learned uncertainty is sometimes the only honest answer.”
Olivia smiled sadly.
“Was he cruel?”
Gabriel considered the question.
“He loved us.”
“That wasn't what I asked.”
His eyes met hers.
“No.”
She waited.
He exhaled.
“He could be generous. He could also be ruthless. When he believed someone threatened the family, he stopped seeing them as human.”
Olivia looked toward the street.
“Richard was like that.”
Gabriel's expression softened.
“He made you feel responsible for his anger?”
She nodded.
“Every day.”
“I'm sorry.”
The words were simple.
No pity.
No grand speech.
Just acknowledgment.
Olivia felt tears rise again.
She looked away.
“I hate crying.”
“Why?”
“Because it makes me feel weak.”
Gabriel shook his head.
“Your father recorded a threat against his life. He was frightened, Olivia. That didn't make him weak.”
She swallowed.
Gabriel continued.
“You've spent years being told that your emotions make you unreliable. Perhaps you should stop accepting that judgment from people who benefited from your silence.”
Olivia stared at him.
Then she laughed through her tears.
“You really are emotionally intelligent.”
“Don't spread that around.”
She smiled.
For a moment, the city felt less frightening.
Then Gabriel's phone rang.
He answered.
Listened.
His expression changed.
“What?”
A pause.
“Where?”
Another pause.
“Is anyone hurt?”
Olivia felt cold.
Gabriel ended the call.
“Arthur Bellini's office was broken into.”
Her stomach tightened.
“What happened?”
“Someone took several old files.”
“Which files?”
Gabriel looked at her.
“The ones concerning your father.”
Olivia stared.
“Richard?”
“Possibly.”
Then another call came.
This time from Detective Ruiz.
Olivia answered.
“Ms. Hayes, we need to speak with you immediately.”
“Why?”
“We've found evidence that someone has been using your company's financial records to conceal transfers.”
Olivia closed her eyes.
“How much?”
The detective hesitated.
“More than two million dollars.”
Olivia nearly dropped the phone.
Two million.
Her company barely had enough money to survive the month.
“That's impossible.”
“We believe the documents may have been fabricated.”
“By Richard?”
“We're investigating.”
Olivia looked at Gabriel.
He was watching her carefully.
And suddenly she understood.
Richard wasn't merely trying to bankrupt her.
He was trying to make her look guilty.
If investigators believed Hayes Events had laundered money, Olivia could lose everything.
Her company.
Her reputation.
Her freedom.
She gripped the phone.
“Detective?”
“Yes?”
“I want to cooperate fully.”
Gabriel nodded.
Olivia looked at him.
May you like
“And I want my attorney present.”
For the first time in years, she wasn't going to apologize for protecting herself.
