Chapter 8 - THE NAME MATEO GOT BACK
Dominic's case took months.
Financial conspiracy.
Attempted murder.
Fraud.
Evidence tampering.
Charges connected to Mateo's death.
Dr. Kessler lost his medical license pending criminal proceedings.
Several security employees cooperated.
Others were cleared.
That mattered too.
Not everyone near corruption was corrupt.
Vantage Automotive issued its own report.
Mateo Reyes had properly documented the counterfeit modules.
His supervisors forwarded the reports.
Moretti security buried them.
My husband had done his job.
He had done everything right except one thing.
He tried carrying the danger alone.
I understood that mistake.
I had done the same after he died.
Lorenzo established an independent compensation process for affected workers and families.
I hired my own attorney.
The Moretti lawyers did not choose her.
Lorenzo did not negotiate with me personally.
Good.
The settlement covered Mateo's lost wages, wrongful death damages, and the debt I had accumulated surviving afterward.
It changed our lives.
But it did not buy forgiveness.
One afternoon Lorenzo asked:
“Are you staying at the estate?”
“No.”
He looked surprised.
“My employment contract ends Friday.”
“Because of me?”
“Partly.”
He said nothing.
“I don't want to be your employee.”
Understanding appeared.
Not disappointment first.
Understanding.
Good.
“What will you do?”
“Nursing school.”
His eyebrows rose.
“I finished two years before Mia.”
“Why stop?”
“Mateo died.”
Bills.
Childcare.
Life.
“I applied again.”
“And?”
“Accepted.”
Lorenzo smiled.
“Congratulations.”
“No tuition checks.”
His smile disappeared.
“I didn't say anything.”
“You were thinking loudly.”
He almost laughed.
The compensation money paid my tuition.
Not Lorenzo.
Not charity.
Accountability.
Difference.
On my last day, Isabella gave me an envelope.
Inside was no money.
A photograph.
Mateo at the Moretti vehicle facility.
Holding a diagnostic tablet.
Smiling at whoever stood behind the camera.
On the back, in another mechanic's handwriting:
REYES SAYS THIS CAR IS TRYING TO KILL SOMEBODY.
I cried.
Isabella waited.
Then I hugged her.
May you like
She stiffened.
Apparently I wasn't the only person in that house who struggled with unexpected affection.
