Chapter 8
Raffaele made the most expensive decision of the investigation on a Wednesday morning.
He suspended all family members, including himself, from direct approval authority over Montoro Event Services until the audit finished.
His cousin Anthony called it insane.
“You own the company.”
“Exactly.”
“You’re giving accountants control of your house.”
“I’m giving them control of invoices.”
Marcus’s attorneys immediately argued that the move damaged vendors and employees.
It did.
Several events were canceled.
A long-planned anniversary dinner moved to a hotel.
Temporary workers lost shifts.
Raffaele authorized direct assistance for employees affected by canceled events, but it did not erase the disruption.
He also gave Claire permission to respond truthfully if law enforcement contacted them regarding the gala assault.
No special handling.
No pressure on witnesses.
Marcus had thrown the first punch.
Delia had assaulted Sofia first.
That mattered.
So did Raffaele’s own choices afterward.
Sofia learned about the instruction from Claire.
She called him that night.
“You told them not to protect you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m tired of asking everybody else for the truth while editing mine.”
There was a long pause.
“That’s new.”
“I know.”
Sofia almost sounded amused.
Almost.
Then her voice changed.
“Raff, Marcus came to Emily’s building.”
Raffaele stood.
“When?”
“This afternoon.”
“Did he touch you?”
“No.”
“Threaten you?”
“No.”
That stopped him from turning the moment into something it was not.
“What did he want?”
“My notebook.”
Raffaele looked toward the dark windows of the penthouse.
Marcus had not asked Sofia to forgive Delia.
He had not asked her to change her account of the assault.
He wanted staffing records.
“Did you give it to him?”
“No.”
“What did he say?”
Sofia repeated it exactly.
“You have no idea what Delia did for you.”
Raffaele frowned.
“For Sofia?”
“That’s what I asked.”
“And?”
“He said, ‘Not her. You.’”
Marcus had finally revealed his priority.
May you like
Whatever the fraud was hiding, he believed it was connected to something Delia had done for Raffaele.
And for the first time, Raffaele wondered whether the money was only part of it.
