Chapter 7 - The Name in the Trust
Carlo’s recorded answer came after a long silence.
“Noah.”
Valeria closed her eyes.
She had never known Noah’s trust controlled sixty-one percent of Romano Holdings.
Luca’s voice came through the recorder again.
“He’s seven.”
“Then the shares stay frozen until he’s eighteen.”
“And the trustee?”
Carlo answered, “Maya Torres.”
Everybody in the archive room turned toward Maya.
She looked more shocked than anyone.
“I didn’t know.”
Valeria believed her.
That was almost worse.
Carlo had bypassed the family and made the longtime house manager temporary trustee.
Tomas exhaled slowly. “That gives half this family a motive.”
Valeria stopped the recording. “Gregory wanted control through marriage. Luca thought he was next in line.”
Maya shook her head. “There’s more.”
At the bottom of the file box was a sealed envelope addressed to Noah.
Valeria opened it because waiting suddenly felt dangerous.
Inside was a single photograph.
Carlo stood outside a courthouse with a younger Gregory. Between them was a woman Valeria had never seen.
On the back, Carlo had written:
GREGORY VALE. AGE 24. DO NOT LET HIM ERASE THIS NAME.
Vale.
Not Romano.
Valeria stared at Gregory’s younger face.
Tomas said, “Maybe it was his legal name before marriage.”
“No. Gregory told me he was born Gregory Romano. Distant branch of the family.”
Maya whispered, “He lied about his bloodline.”
A knock sounded at the archive door.
Three sharp taps.
Tomas raised his gun.
“Who is it?”
A voice answered from the hall.
“Me.”
Luca.
Valeria opened the door herself.
Her brother stood there with bruises around his throat and blood on his collar.
He raised both hands.
“I know what you found.”
“Then start talking.”
Luca looked at the photograph.
May you like
His face went blank.
“Val, Gregory Vale is supposed to be dead.”
