Chapter 6 - GIOVANNI LOST HIS COMPANY BEFORE HE COULD SAVE IT
When Giovanni read Marco’s email, his face did not change.
That frightened me more than anger.
“What happens now?”
I asked.
He placed the page down.
“Board meeting.”
“When?”
“Two hours.”
“You’re going to confront him?”
“No.”
“What?”
“I’m going to disclose the evidence to the independent directors and recuse myself from any decision where Jessica Hale’s involvement could be portrayed as personal influence.”
I stared.
“That’s annoyingly ethical.”
“Thank you.”
Then he smiled faintly.
“Also, Marco will hate it.”
Better.
The board meeting lasted six hours.
I was not there.
Good.
I had patients.
Actual job.
St. Catherine’s had placed all H-12 pumps from identified batches out of service pending review.
My nurse manager apologized.
Not dramatically.
“I should have pushed harder when your report disappeared.”
I appreciated that.
Then the hospital CEO came.
I expected intimidation.
Instead:
“Your report should never have been deleted.”
Good.
No hero speech.
Systems failed.
Systems needed repair.
By evening, news broke.
Fierro Health announced:
Independent investigation.
Suspension of Hartwell acquisition.
External review of incident-report access.
Marco Fierro temporarily removed from transaction oversight.
Hartwell stock plunged.
Fierro private debt prices moved.
Business media exploded.
Then another announcement:
Giovanni Fierro was stepping aside as executive chairman during the investigation.
I called him immediately.
“Why?”
“Because Marco is family.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“He used Fierro systems.”
“You didn’t know.”
“No.”
“But?”
“I spent years believing family governance meant trust.”
I understood.
He continued:
“And because if I stay in control while dating—”
“We are not dating.”
Pause.
“While fake-married to a nurse whose report triggered the investigation…”
I laughed despite everything.
“Good correction.”
“…every decision becomes easier to attack.”
“So you leave.”
“Temporarily.”
“What happens to your family?”
“Chaos.”
“You sound pleased.”
“A little.”
Then:
“How is Lily?”
The question caught me.
“Fine.”
“Did you tell her about the wedding?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“She asked if you’re a prince.”
I heard him laugh for real.
“What did you say?”
“That princes don’t usually run hospital holding companies.”
“Accurate.”
Lily met Giovanni a week later.
Not because he demanded.
Because she asked.
We chose pizza.
Public.
She stared at his scar.
“What happened?”
“Car accident.”
“Cool.”
“It was not.”
“Did you get stitches?”
“Yes.”
“How many?”
“Seven.”
She approved.
Then:
“Are you Mom’s fake husband?”
I almost died.
Giovanni nodded solemnly.
“Retired fake husband.”
“Why?”
“Your mom fired me.”
“I did not.”
Lily looked at me.
“You should.”
Giovanni smiled.
“I like her.”
“Careful.”
Then Lily asked:
“Are you rich?”
I closed my eyes.
Giovanni said:
“Yes.”
“How rich?”
“Enough that your mother finds it irritating.”
Correct.
Then:
“Can you buy me a horse?”
“No.”
I looked at him.
He shrugged.
“Her mother said no.”
I had not.
But good instinct.
Lily leaned toward me.
“Can he?”
“No.”
“See?”
Giovanni said.
She accepted defeat.
That evening, after Lily fell asleep, Giovanni and I walked outside my apartment building.
“Thank you.”
“For pizza?”
“For not buying the horse.”
“Low bar.”
“You’d be surprised.”
Then his expression became serious.
“Marco’s counsel claims Tyler acted independently.”
“Do you believe that?”
“No.”
“Can you prove otherwise?”
“Some.”
Not enough yet.
Then:
“Robert Hartwell wants to meet you.”
“Why?”
“He says the deleted reports began before Tyler had system access.”
My stomach tightened.
“So Tyler didn’t start it.”
“No.”
“Who did?”
Giovanni looked toward the street.
May you like
“That is what Robert says he can prove.”
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