Chapter 9 - JAKE’S SENTENCE
Jake pleaded guilty.
Fraud.
Identity theft-related charges.
Conspiracy connected to the trust scheme.
His cooperation reduced his sentence.
I did not attend sentencing.
Emma was not a symbol for his redemption.
She was a child.
Custody court came separately.
Jake’s parental rights were restricted.
Supervised contact could potentially occur later based on court review and Emma’s wellbeing.
I hated the uncertainty.
Rachel reminded me:
“You don't need to solve her entire childhood today.”
Useful.
Vincent’s case was larger.
Fraud.
Conspiracy.
Corporate corruption.
Property scheme.
Forged documents.
He eventually took a deal after two other executives cooperated.
Castellano Holdings survived.
Changed.
Luca commissioned independent reviews.
Sold several businesses that depended too heavily on informal arrangements he could no longer defend.
Installed controls.
Dante called him “corporate.”
Luca threatened to fire him.
Dante reminded him HR now existed.
I enjoyed that story for weeks.
Then one afternoon Emma asked:
“Where’s Daddy?”
First time in months.
I froze.
Luca happened to be sitting nearby.
He stood.
“I can go.”
Good instinct.
“Stay.”
He did.
I told Emma:
“Your dad made some choices that were not safe.”
She frowned.
“Bad choices?”
“Yes.”
“Does he love me?”
The hardest question.
I refused to lie.
“I think he does.”
Then:
“But loving someone doesn't always mean a person knows how to treat them safely.”
Emma considered this with the grave seriousness only small children and judges possess.
“Is Luca my daddy?”
Luca nearly inhaled his coffee.
I almost laughed.
“No.”
“Oh.”
She looked at him.
“You can be Luca.”
His face softened.
“I can do that.”
That was enough.
No replacement father.
No forced family.
May you like
Just Luca.
For now.
