Chapter 24
Luca turned seventeen before he attended his first Rinaldi shareholder education session.
Matteo had expected him to start earlier.
He never said so.
Mostly.
Elena noticed anyway.
“You’re doing the succession face.”
“I do not have a succession face.”
“You absolutely do.”
Luca heard.
“I’m not running company.”
Matteo looked at him.
“You haven’t attended one session.”
“I know.”
“Then how do you know?”
“I don’t want your job.”
That was direct.
Matteo disliked how much that hurt.
He also knew the hurt belonged to him.
“What do you want?”
“Architecture.”
Elena smiled.
Matteo stared.
“Buildings?”
Luca looked offended.
“That is generally involved.”
“I know what architecture is.”
“Your face didn’t.”
Elena laughed.
The shareholder education session happened anyway.
Not succession training.
Ownership education.
Luca would eventually receive economic interests through the trust.
Understanding them mattered whether he joined management or never entered the headquarters again.
The first session covered related-party transactions.
Luca recognized the Carlo case immediately.
“This is him.”
The compliance officer nodded.
“Yes.”
“No fake names?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Matteo looked at Elena.
Apparently honesty had become family tradition through embarrassment.
During the second session, Luca asked why Elena remained co-trustee now that independent administration was fully mature.
The trustee explained.
Her role gave a parent perspective while Luca was young.
Once Luca reached the transition age, governance would change.
Luca looked at Elena.
“Do you want stay?”
She considered.
“Not if the structure says I shouldn’t.”
“That’s weird.”
“Why?”
“You’re my mom.”
“Yes.”
“So?”
Elena smiled.
“That is exactly why your finances shouldn’t require me forever.”
Matteo felt unexpectedly proud.
Then Luca asked:
“Dad gets nothing?”
“Correct,” the trustee said.
Matteo frowned.
“Your enthusiasm is unnecessary.”
Luca laughed.
At eighteen, the trust would begin giving Luca broader information and participation rights.
Not full control.
Not automatic company authority.
No emergency proxy created because he had the surname.
The arrangement Carlo had once treated as destruction of his future had become ordinary paperwork.
That was probably the most complete defeat of the old system.
Not prison.
Not financial loss.
Normality.
Luca completed the program.
Then applied to architecture schools.
Matteo offered to call one donor.
Elena stared.
He stopped.
“I was joking.”
“No, you weren’t.”
“No.”
Luca smiled.
“Growth.”
May you like
Matteo looked at both of them.
“This word has ruined my house.”
