Chapter 5 - THE LEDGER BENEATH THE SILVERWARE
The household investigation uncovered more than neglect.
It uncovered money.
A great deal of it.
The estate's financial controller, Rebecca Lin, discovered irregular payments made through household expense accounts.
Luxury purchases.
Unexplained vendor charges.
Cash withdrawals.
And invoices for medical services Giovanni had never received.
Beatrice had apparently been submitting expenses under Giovanni's name.
The total exceeded two hundred thousand dollars.
Alessandro stared at the report.
“Where did the money go?”
Rebecca shook her head.
“We're still tracing it.”
Then she showed him something else.
Several payments had been authorized using an electronic signature assigned to Giovanni.
But Giovanni had not used that system since his stroke.
Alessandro called his father into the office.
“Dad, did you authorize these payments?”
Giovanni examined the documents.
His expression darkened.
“No.”
The investigation expanded.
Beatrice's attorney denied wrongdoing.
The estate preserved records and referred suspected financial misconduct to the appropriate authorities.
Meline learned about the missing money only when Giovanni told her.
They were sitting in the garden.
He looked troubled.
“I trusted her.”
Meline touched his hand.
“You trusted someone who was supposed to help you.”
He sighed.
“I should have noticed.”
She shook her head.
“People who exploit trust depend on making the victim feel foolish.”
Giovanni looked at her.
“You sound like you know.”
Meline smiled sadly.
“I've met a few people like that.”
That evening, Alessandro asked Meline about her grandfather.
She told him about Arthur.
His terrible singing.
His stubborn refusal to throw away broken appliances.
His habit of leaving little notes in her lunchbox.
Alessandro listened.
Then asked:
“Did he know how much you loved him?”
Meline's eyes filled.
“I hope so.”
Alessandro looked toward the library.
“I don't think my father knows.”
She studied him.
“Then tell him.”
The next morning, Alessandro entered Giovanni's room carrying breakfast.
The toast was slightly burned.
Giovanni stared.
May you like
Then laughed.
And for the first time in years, father and son cried together.
Related Stories
