Chapter 9 - TALIA’S SECRET

Paolo stared at his sister.

“You met Renato?”

Talia nodded.

“When?”

“Tonight.”

“Before Ava was taken?”

“Yes.”

Paolo walked toward her.

“Why?”

“He called me.”

“And you went.”

“He said he wanted out.”

Paolo laughed in disbelief.

“You believed him?”

“No.”

“Then why?”

“Because he said he had Luca.”

The room went still.

Paolo’s eyes narrowed.

“What?”

Talia wiped her face.

“He sent me a picture. Luca was tied to a chair.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because Renato said he’d kill him.”

Paolo stepped closer.

“You risked my daughter to save Luca?”

“I didn’t know he would take Ava!”

“That seems to be the sentence everybody in this family keeps using.”

Talia flinched.

Paolo continued.

“Where did you meet him?”

“A parking garage downtown.”

“What did he want?”

“He wanted me to sign a statement.”

“What statement?”

Talia reached into her coat.

Marco immediately raised his weapon.

“Slow.”

She removed a folded document.

Paolo took it.

It was a sworn declaration.

It accused Paolo of financial crimes.

Violence.

Threats.

Mental instability.

It claimed he was unfit to manage Ventresca Holdings.

Paolo looked up.

“You signed this?”

“No.”

At the bottom, the signature line was blank.

“He wanted enough family testimony to challenge your control.”

“Who else signed?”

Talia looked at Carmela.

Carmela shook her head.

“I didn’t.”

“Victor did,” Talia said. “Three board members did. Maybe more.”

Paolo handed the document to Marco.

“Then Renato isn’t just trying to steal shares.”

Elise understood.

“He wants to make your return disappear legally.”

Paolo nodded.

“If he proves I’m unstable, the board can move against me.”

Carmela laughed bitterly.

“That’s what I taught him.”

Paolo looked at her.

“What?”

She stared at nothing.

“When your father was alive, he worried Renato might challenge him. I designed the family trust so a mentally incapacitated executive could be removed.”

Paolo’s eyes hardened.

“And now Renato is using it against me.”

“Yes.”

“Great work, Mom.”

She accepted the insult.

Talia stepped forward.

“Paolo, I can fix this.”

“No.”

“I can go back to Renato.”

“No.”

“He thinks I’m scared of you.”

“You should be.”

“He thinks I’ll turn.”

Paolo stared at her.

She continued.

“Let him think it.”

Marco shook his head.

“Too dangerous.”

Talia snapped.

“He has Ava!”

Paolo looked at his sister.

For years he had seen Talia as spoiled.

Impulsive.

Protected from consequences.

But right now she looked different.

Terrified, yes.

But determined.

“What did he say about Luca?”

“He’s alive.”

“Where?”

“He wouldn’t say.”

Paolo looked at the cannery map.

“What if he’s there too?”

Talia nodded.

“Then we can get both.”

Carmela stepped forward.

“I’m coming.”

Paolo laughed.

“No.”

“He’s my brother-in-law.”

“He’s my uncle.”

“He trusted me once.”

“That’s exactly the problem.”

Carmela looked him in the eyes.

“You don’t understand Renato.”

“No. I understand him perfectly.”

“No.”

Her voice became quiet.

“He doesn’t want the company.”

Paolo frowned.

“What?”

“He wants revenge.”

“For what?”

Carmela looked down.

“Your father didn’t retire Renato.”

Paolo waited.

“He had him arrested.”

Paolo’s expression changed.

“That never happened.”

“It did.”

Carmela’s voice trembled.

“Twenty years ago. Quietly.”

“For what?”

She took a breath.

“For trying to have you killed when you were nineteen.”

Silence.

Paolo felt something cold move through his body.

“What?”

“He saw you as the future. He knew your father would choose you over him.”

“And Dad covered it up?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because prison would expose too much.”

“So he sent Renato away.”

“Yes.”

Paolo laughed once.

No humor.

“My whole life is built on people hiding things ‘for the family.’”

Elise moved closer.

Paolo looked at her.

She touched his arm.

“Then break the pattern.”

He looked at Talia.

“You want to help?”

“Yes.”

“Then you do exactly what I say.”

His phone rang.

Renato.

Paolo answered.

“You have forty minutes.”

Paolo said, “Talia wants to sign.”

Silence.

Then Renato laughed.

“Does she?”

“She finally understood which side is winning.”

Talia stared at Paolo.

Renato said, “Bring her.”

“Where?”

“Cannery.”

Paolo’s eyes locked on Talia.

Renato added, “And Paolo?”

“What?”

“Come alone.”

The call ended.

Paolo looked at Marco.

“Now we know where he is.”

Marco nodded.

Talia asked, “What’s the plan?”

Paolo picked up the unsigned statement.

“We give him exactly what he thinks he wants.”

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“And we make sure he never gets to ask for anything again.”