Chapter 8
The discovery changed Elisa’s next move.
Until then, the situation could still be described as an undisclosed related-party business arrangement complicated by an affair.
Now there was a historical grievance tied directly to the publishing house.
Elisa voted with the board to notify D’Angelo House’s outside auditors, insurers, and legal counsel.
Marciano abstained from the vote involving his brother-in-law because counsel advised him to.
He hated it.
He did it anyway.
Harlan’s paid leave became a formal suspension pending investigation.
Meredith voluntarily stepped away from acquisition decisions connected to the disputed contracts.
Dorothea reacted publicly.
She called Elisa.
For the first time since the birthday reception.
“You’ve turned a marriage problem into an attack on my dead husband.”
Elisa was sitting inside a small rental apartment she had just signed for.
Boxes surrounded her.
“You used his books to justify taking money from my family’s company.”
“Your family’s company took money from mine first.”
“Then you should’ve sued.”
Dorothea laughed.
“With what? The records your brother controlled?”
“Elisa.”
“No. Listen to me.”
Her voice surprised even herself.
“You made me carry drinks to the woman sleeping with my husband. You made Luca carry plates because you wanted us to look small in our own home. Whatever happened to Thomas’s royalties, that was your choice.”
Silence.
Dorothea answered quietly.
“You have no idea what your family did.”
“Then show me.”
Dorothea hung up.
The wider consequences arrived quickly.
An industry newsletter reported that D’Angelo House was reviewing foreign-rights contracts involving a related party.
No names initially.
People guessed anyway.
Agents called.
Authors wanted explanations.
Editors worried about layoffs if foreign deals were frozen.
Elisa moved into the new apartment with Luca.
No mansion.
No townhouse.
Two bedrooms.
A kitchen barely large enough for three people.
Luca loved it.
He chose the room facing the street because he could see buses.
Harlan hated it.
During a scheduled conversation through the parenting app, he wrote:
You took my son out of his home to prove something.
Elisa answered:
I moved out of the house where your mother humiliated me and your girlfriend visited after bedtime.
Harlan did not respond for six hours.
Then:
May you like
Ask Marciano what happened to my father’s books.
That was the first time Harlan openly connected the marriage to the old royalty dispute.
