Chapter 2 – THE TICKET TO NOWHERE

“A train ticket?” Luca whispered, unfolding the small piece of paper.

He stared at it, the color draining from his face.

The destination printed on the ticket was Montreal, Canada.

“Michael hated trains,” Teresa said, her voice shaking. “He always flew. And he would never leave without telling Lily.”

Vanessa’s chest heaved. She smoothed her red dress, desperately trying to maintain her elegant facade.

“People have secrets, Luca,” Vanessa said smoothly. “Maybe Michael was running away. He was under a lot of pressure at the company.”

Luca looked up from the ticket.

“This ticket is dated October 14th.”

Vanessa nodded. “The night he died.”

“Yes,” Luca said quietly. “But the time of departure is 11:30 PM.”

He held the ticket up.

“Michael’s car crashed at 9:00 PM. Two and a half hours before this train was supposed to leave.”

The dining room went dead silent.

“If Michael bought this ticket,” Luca continued, walking slowly toward Vanessa, “it would have burned in the car with him. Or it would have been found in his pocket by the coroner.”

Frank swallowed hard, sweat beading on his forehead.

“Luca, the police report was very clear. It was an accident.”

“Then why was this ticket hidden inside his watch?” Luca demanded. “And why did Vanessa have it?”

Vanessa crossed her arms, her diamond engagement ring catching the chandelier’s light.

“I found it in his office after he passed,” she lied smoothly. “I didn’t want to upset you. Or Rebecca.”

I couldn’t stay quiet.

“That’s not true.”

Vanessa whipped her head toward me. “Shut your mouth, Hannah!”

I looked at Luca. My hands were trembling, but I thought of Lily, the little girl who had cried on the phone yesterday.

“Mr. Moretti,” I said, stepping forward. “Two days ago, I was dusting the library. I found a receipt in the trash can under Mrs. Bellini’s desk.”

Vanessa’s eyes widened in sheer panic.

“It was a receipt for a private investigator,” I explained. “Paid in cash. The date on the receipt was October 10th. Four days before your brother died.”

Luca turned to his fiancé.

“You hired a private investigator to follow my brother?”

Vanessa let out a sharp laugh.

“Don’t be ridiculous! I was investigating a corporate leak! I was protecting the company!”

“No,” Teresa interrupted, her voice suddenly strong. “You were looking for the will.”

Vanessa froze.

“What will?” Luca asked, looking at his mother.

Teresa gripped the silver key with the rosary.

“Michael knew something was wrong,” the old woman said. “A week before he died, he came to my room. He was terrified. He told me someone was draining the company’s offshore accounts.”

Frank suddenly bolted for the door.

He didn’t make it three steps.

Luca’s head of security, a massive man named Marcus, stepped in front of the doors, blocking Frank’s path.

“Sit down, Frank,” Marcus rumbled.

Frank backed away, trembling.

Luca looked at his lawyer. “You were draining the accounts?”

“It wasn’t just him,” Teresa said.

She pointed a shaking finger at Vanessa.

“Michael found out Vanessa was signing the transfers. He drafted a new will, leaving all his shares directly to Lily in a trust, completely bypassing the corporate board.”

Luca stared at Vanessa. The woman he was supposed to marry in three weeks.

“You stole from my family?”

Vanessa’s polite mask finally cracked.

“I saved this family!” she screamed. “Michael was weak! He was going to sell his shares and give the money to Rebecca! I wasn’t going to let that pathetic widow ruin everything we built!”

The absolute cruelty in her voice made the guests gasp.

“So you coerced Rebecca into dropping our name,” Luca realized, the puzzle pieces clicking together. “You told her if she fought for Michael’s shares, you would ruin her.”

“I told her if she ever set foot in this house again, I would make sure Lily was taken by Child Protective Services,” Vanessa spat. “I have judges on my payroll, Luca. Rebecca knew I could do it.”

I felt sick to my stomach.

A woman had threatened a grieving mother and a twelve-year-old girl, just to keep control of a company.

Luca looked at Vanessa as if he were seeing a monster wearing human skin.

“Where is the new will, Vanessa?”

Vanessa smiled. A cold, victorious smile.

“It doesn’t matter. It’s gone. It burned in the car.”

“No, it didn’t,” a quiet voice said.

Everyone turned toward the grand entrance.

Standing in the doorway, dripping wet from the evening rain, was a woman in a faded trench coat.

Beside her was a twelve-year-old girl holding a damp cardboard box.

It was Rebecca and Lily.

And Lily was holding a child’s drawing in her free hand.

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