Chapter 9
The scandal reached beyond the family before anyone intended it to.
A fragrance trade publication learned the launch had been delayed because of vendor concerns.
The article did not mention organized crime.
It did not mention Luca.
It did mention supply-chain irregularities.
Two retailers withdrew.
Three stayed.
One asked for an independent quality certification before signing anything new.
Helen called that humiliating.
Dominic called it reasonable.
The atelier staff divided emotionally.
Some blamed Lucian.
Some blamed Valeria.
A few quietly blamed Dominic.
Paul was the first to say it aloud.
“We all knew family vendors got less scrutiny.”
Dominic looked at him.
“You too?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you say something?”
Paul hesitated.
“You’re not easy to bring bad news to.”
The answer followed Dominic home.
Margaret was in the kitchen making tea.
He told her what Paul said.
She smiled without amusement.
“Would you like the alphabetical list or chronological?”
Dominic sat down.
“You could’ve told me.”
“I tried telling you about Valeria.”
“I told you that was different.”
“To you.”
That hurt because it was accurate.
The wider review produced another problem.
Some suspicious payments had been approved through Dominic’s own executive account.
He had not personally authorized them.
But years earlier, he had permitted senior staff to process routine payments under delegated credentials.
That included Lucian.
Rebecca explained the problem.
“Your control failures matter even if you didn’t steal.”
Dominic rubbed his forehead.
“I sound like every idiot who says he didn’t know what happened inside his own company.”
Rebecca did not rescue him.
“Yes.”
Meanwhile, Valeria provided access to an old joint expense account she had shared with Lucian for family matters.
Transfers connected to Luca appeared.
So did something else.
Monthly payments from Valeria personally to a Manhattan medical practice.
Dominic almost ignored them.
Rebecca did not.
“Do you know what these are?”
“No.”
Valeria’s attorney provided the explanation voluntarily.
Therapy.
For Lucian.
Not physical medicine.
Addiction treatment.
Dominic stared at the statement.
Lucian’s financial collapse had coincided with a gambling problem nobody in the Caradonna family knew about.
May you like
The Miami nightclub was not the whole story.
Valeria had been protecting far more than debt.
