Chapter 4
The next problem had nothing to do with pregnancy.
It involved money.
Ethan’s company, Cole Marine Holdings, had been bidding for a major museum contract.
The Boston Marine Museum planned to renovate its deep-water exhibit and relocate several large aquatic systems during construction.
The contract was worth more than eight million dollars over three years.
Ethan wanted it.
Julian had been pushing for him.
Cesare had resisted.
Not because Ethan was an outsider.
Because Cole Marine Holdings had lost two major clients and carried more debt than Cesare liked.
Three months earlier, Julian made the argument personal.
“He’s going to be family.”
Cesare remembered it clearly now.
Vanessa was supposedly pregnant.
Julian had said:
“Her brother will be my child’s uncle. Maybe stop treating him like a stranger.”
Cesare had still refused to approve the contract without an independent financial review.
Julian became furious.
At the time Cesare thought his son was defending Vanessa.
Now the timing looked different.
The fake pregnancy had made Ethan’s company feel closer to the Lombardis.
Family.
Obligation.
Loyalty.
Exactly the language people used when they wanted Cesare to ignore numbers.
The museum’s finance director handed him another file.
Julian had requested the contract vote be moved forward twice.
Both times he referenced “family considerations.”
Cesare leaned back.
“Did Julian disclose any financial relationship with Ethan?”
The director shook her head.
“Not to us.”
That sentence mattered.
Cesare ordered an independent conflict-of-interest review before the contract moved another inch.
When Julian learned, he called immediately.
“You're investigating me now?”
“I’m reviewing a foundation contract.”
“Because Vanessa lied?”
“Because you advocated for eight million dollars going to her brother.”
Julian laughed bitterly.
“You think I’m stealing?”
“I think I don't know what you're doing.”
Silence.
Then Julian said something strange.
“If you destroy Ethan’s company, you destroy more than him.”
Cesare waited.
“What does that mean?”
Julian disconnected.
Cesare stared at the phone.
The pregnancy was fake.
May you like
The financial pressure was real.
And his son was protecting something he still refused to name.
