Chapter 2 - THE RED FOLDER
Matteo closed the yellow-room door.
“Tell me everything.”
Bianca laughed once.
“You’re taking a maid’s word over mine?”
“I’m asking a question.”
“She was snooping.”
Elena looked at him.
“I brought tea. Mrs. Laurent was on the phone.”
Bianca snapped, “Don’t call me that.”
Matteo’s eyes narrowed.
It was strange. Bianca had spent months insisting the staff use her future married name.
Mrs. Bellandi.
Now she did not want Elena saying anything.
“What did you hear?”
Elena swallowed.
“She said the red folder had to be signed before midnight on the wedding night.”
Matteo looked at Bianca.
“What red folder?”
“No idea.”
Elena continued.
“She said your uncle had already arranged the board votes.”
“Which uncle?”
“Mr. Vittorio.”
Matteo felt the room cool.
Vittorio Bellandi was his father’s younger brother and vice chairman of Bellandi Global.
Bianca shook her head.
“This is insane.”
Elena’s voice trembled, but she kept going.
“She asked what would happen if you refused to sign.”
Matteo stared at her.
“And?”
“She was told you wouldn’t be in a condition to refuse.”
Bianca stepped forward.
“That is enough.”
Matteo blocked her path.
“No. It isn’t.”
Elena said, “There was something about the toast. Something about making you look sick.”
Bianca’s face went white.
Matteo noticed.
So did Elena.
“What was supposed to happen after I looked sick?”
Elena hesitated.
“I heard the words emergency proxy.”
Matteo knew that phrase.
His father had built an emergency voting provision into the company bylaws after a heart attack years earlier. If the chief executive became temporarily incapacitated, limited voting authority could shift to a named interim proxy.
Vittorio had lobbied for that clause.
Matteo had fought it.
The board adopted it anyway.
He looked at Bianca.
“Who were you talking to?”
“No one.”
Elena whispered, “I heard his voice.”
“Vittorio?”
“Yes.”
Bianca’s eyes filled with tears.
“Matteo, she wants money.”
Elena looked at her.
“No. I want my daughter safe.”
Then Mia knocked softly on the door.
“Mama?”
Elena moved toward her.
As she did, Matteo saw something half-hidden beneath the overturned cart.
A corner of red leather.
A folder.
May you like
Bianca lunged for it.
Matteo got there first.
