Chapter 5 - THE WEDDING THAT WAS NEVER ABOUT LOVE
Vivien's father was named Lorenzo Rossi.
He owned a private equity firm with offices in Manhattan and Miami.
He was charming.
Polished.
And dangerous in the way wealthy men can be when they believe money makes consequences optional.
For years, Lorenzo had wanted access to my shipping terminals.
I had refused.
The terminals were profitable.
Strategically important.
And tied to family agreements I had no intention of surrendering.
When I became engaged to Vivien, Lorenzo had been delighted.
Too delighted.
I remembered the way he'd embraced me.
“Welcome to the family, Roman.”
Now those words sounded different.
Daniel uncovered a series of meetings between Vivien, Lorenzo, and a corporate attorney named Stephen Cross.
The meetings had taken place in private offices across Manhattan.
The subject was a proposed restructuring of my companies.
A restructuring I had never authorized.
The blue folder contained information they needed to pursue that plan.
But they needed something else.
My signature.
On Friday afternoon, Vivien entered my office carrying a leather folder.
“Darling.”
I looked up.
“Yes?”
“Stephen sent over a few documents for the wedding.”
I smiled faintly.
“Wedding documents?”
“Just routine paperwork.”
She placed the folder on my desk.
I opened it.
Inside was a stack of legal agreements.
One was a proposed marital property arrangement.
Another concerned management authority over certain holding companies.
A third contained language that could grant Vivien and her father extraordinary control if I became incapacitated.
I looked at her.
“Did you read these?”
She laughed.
“Of course not. That's what lawyers are for.”
I nodded.
“Then I'll have my lawyer review them.”
Her smile tightened.
“Roman, Stephen is one of the best attorneys in New York.”
“I have my own.”
She stared at me.
Then smiled again.
“Of course, darling.”
May you like
But her fingers were trembling.
And I knew she understood that her plan was beginning to unravel.
