Chapter 14
The Arts Fund reopened under a new name.
The Grace Moretti Music Foundation.
Dante initially resisted using Grace’s name.
He did not want grief turned into branding.
Rebecca persuaded him only after the board imposed one condition.
Dante would not control it.
Independent directors would approve grants.
Outside auditors would review finances annually.
No Moretti relative could authorize payments alone.
Dante laughed when Rebecca explained.
“Grace would enjoy that.”
“Yes.”
“She hated when I controlled anything she cared about.”
Rebecca smiled.
“That may be why she married you.”
The recovered money funded programs Grace had originally intended to support.
Nothing erased the theft.
Restitution was not time travel.
But the money could still arrive where Grace wanted it to go.
Adrian eventually pleaded guilty to financial crimes connected to the fund and received a real prison sentence.
Victoria also pleaded guilty to her role and received a lesser but substantial sentence involving custody and supervised release afterward.
Neither was destroyed theatrically.
Neither walked away untouched.
The consequences matched what could actually be proven.
That mattered to Dante now.
He had lived too long in a world where punishment depended on who had the strongest men.
The piano remained at the estate.
Dante considered removing it.
Maria refused.
“That belongs to Lily.”
Dante looked at the instrument.
“I don’t play.”
“Then learn.”
He gave her a look.
Maria shrugged.
“Mrs. Moretti would’ve laughed at you too.”
So Dante hired a piano teacher.
His first lesson was humiliating.
Lily thought it was the funniest event of her young life.
For weeks, Dante avoided Grace’s melody.
Not because he hated it.
Because he was afraid of touching something that still felt entirely hers.
Then Lily began trying to find it herself.
One note.
Wrong note.
Another.
Dante finally sat beside her.
“I think it starts here.”
He pressed a key.
Lily smiled.
“No, Daddy.”
May you like
She corrected him.
For once, Dante Moretti was happy to be wrong.
