Chapter 7
The forensic accountants confirmed part of Valeria’s story.
Lucian’s failed Miami venture existed.
So did the debt.
Payments to companies linked to Luca began after the nightclub’s lenders demanded accelerated repayment.
But the numbers still did not balance.
Knox Executive Logistics had overbilled Maison Caradonna by approximately $1.1 million.
Only $460,000 could be traced toward Luca-connected companies.
Where was the rest?
Lucian refused to answer.
Valeria claimed she did not know.
Dominic no longer accepted ignorance as trust.
The investigators widened the review.
At the atelier, Helen provided another clue.
For months, certain expensive raw materials had been arriving in quantities smaller than ordered.
Nobody noticed immediately because natural materials varied by lot and yield.
“Who checked receiving?”
“Usually my team.”
“Usually?”
Helen hesitated.
“During launch preparation, Lucian’s people sometimes brought sealed cases directly upstairs.”
The security logs showed that.
Knox guards bypassed ordinary receiving on nine occasions.
The material value missing across those shipments was nearly $300,000.
Dominic initially thought Lucian had been selling perfume ingredients.
The truth was more ordinary.
Some shipments never contained the billed quantity at all.
Lucian’s company worked with a broker who issued inflated purchase documents.
Maison Caradonna paid for materials that did not exist.
The difference was split.
Paul traced one share to Lucian.
The rest disappeared through additional vendors.
Dominic called Rebecca.
“We have fraud.”
“We have evidence consistent with fraud.”
“Lawyers.”
“You pay me to be one.”
The scandal widened.
The atelier’s insurer requested notice.
Its bank asked questions about vendor controls.
Paul admitted the company’s approval structure had been too informal because everybody treated Lucian as “family.”
Margaret heard that and laughed bitterly.
“Family. The most expensive accounting category on earth.”
Ava’s world changed too.
Valeria stopped calling.
Dominic had blocked direct contact while the investigation continued.
One night Ava asked Margaret, “Did Valeria go because she kissed the man?”
Margaret glanced toward Dominic.
He answered.
“She went because grown-ups made choices that hurt people.”
“Is kissing bad?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
Dominic crouched beside her.
“Because she promised one thing and did another.”
Ava accepted that more easily than he did.
Later Margaret asked whether he regretted letting Valeria into Ava’s life.
“Yes.”
“Don’t turn that into deciding nobody gets in again.”
Dominic looked at his mother.
She had spent months warning herself not to interfere.
May you like
Now she was warning him not to become colder.
He did not know which advice frightened him more.
