Chapter 5 - The Man Behind the Caruso Name
Vincent Caruso was sixty-four.
Elegant.
Silver-haired.
Respected.
To Diana, he had always been the charming older gentleman who visited the office twice a month and brought pastries for the staff.
To Dominic, he had been family.
More than family.
After Dominic’s father died, Vincent had advised him through every major business transition.
And now he stood outside a storage unit containing sixteen years of secrets.
Dominic stared at him.
“How did you know we were here?”
Vincent smiled sadly.
“You’re predictable when you’re frightened.”
“I’m not frightened.”
“Of course you are.”
His eyes moved to Diana.
“Anthony’s daughter.”
Diana felt Dominic shift subtly in front of her.
Protective.
Vincent noticed.
“So that’s why you’ve been distracted lately.”
Dominic ignored the remark.
“Were you following her?”
Vincent sighed.
“I was trying to determine what she knew.”
“By photographing her?”
“I needed information.”
Marcus stepped forward.
“The messages?”
Vincent nodded.
“Some.”
“Why use Adrian’s initials?”
“To make you pay attention.”
Marcus looked disgusted.
“You used a dead man.”
“I used a name that still frightened both of you.”
Diana held the recorder.
“Did you kill my father?”
Vincent looked at her.
For several seconds, his expression revealed nothing.
Then he said:
“No.”
Diana almost laughed.
“You expect me to believe you?”
“No. I expect you to listen.”
Vincent pointed toward the recorder.
“Your father discovered the theft, but he misunderstood its purpose.”
“What purpose?”
“To protect Dominic.”
Dominic frowned.
“From what?”
“Your father.”
The words landed like stones.
Vincent continued.
“Your father, Dominic, had debts nobody knew about. Dangerous debts. Anthony discovered money being moved and assumed someone was stealing. In reality, I was covering your father’s losses.”
Dominic looked sick.
“You never told me.”
“Your father made me promise.”
Diana shook her head.
“That doesn’t explain my father’s death.”
“No.”
Vincent’s confidence weakened.
“Because I didn’t arrange it.”
“Who did?”
Vincent looked toward Marcus.
“Salvatore knew.”
Marcus stepped forward.
“You said my father helped Anthony.”
“He did.”
“Then tell me.”
Vincent’s voice softened.
“Adrian Vitelli.”
Silence.
Dominic frowned.
“Adrian was nineteen.”
“And ambitious.”
Vincent explained.
Adrian had discovered Anthony’s investigation.
He believed exposing the financial chaos would destroy both organizations and give the Vitellis an opportunity to take control of crucial shipping contracts.
Anthony became an obstacle.
Salvatore discovered Adrian’s involvement too late.
He helped hide Diana and her mother from anyone who might believe Anthony had passed evidence to his family.
Seven years later, Adrian died.
“Because somebody killed him?” Diana asked.
Vincent shook his head.
“Because guilt destroyed him.”
Dominic looked unconvinced.
“Then who is sending messages from his number?”
Vincent looked toward the old boxes.
“I don’t know.”
Diana studied him.
“You’re lying.”
Vincent smiled faintly.
“Your father had that talent too.”
“How do you know?”
“Your left eyebrow.”
Diana blinked.
“What?”
“It rises slightly when you know someone is lying.”
Her father had once told her the same thing.
Diana stared at Vincent.
“You knew him well.”
“Yes.”
“How well?”
Vincent looked down.
“Well enough to know he would never leave his daughter completely unprotected.”
He pointed toward the metal case.
“There should be another compartment.”
Diana searched.
Her fingers found a hidden latch.
The bottom lifted.
Inside was an envelope.
Her name was written across it.
DIANA.
Her hands shook.
She opened it.
Inside was a letter from her father.
My little girl,
If you are reading this, then I wasn’t able to come home.
Diana stopped.
Dominic stood beside her.
Not touching.
Just there.
She continued.
Her father explained that he had discovered secrets involving powerful people.
He had made mistakes.
Trusted the wrong people.
But everything he did at the end had been intended to protect his wife and daughter.
Then came one final instruction.
Trust the person who tells you the truth even when the truth makes you hate him.
Diana looked at Dominic.
He looked away.
The letter ended with another sentence.
There is one person who knows the entire story.
Your mother.
Diana’s breath caught.
“My mother knew everything.”
Dominic nodded.
“She knew enough.”
Diana stared at him.
“You said you spoke to her last year.”
“Yes.”
“What did she tell you?”
Dominic hesitated.
Then answered.
“She told me to fire you.”
Diana froze.
“What?”
“She begged me to send you away from Caruso Holdings.”
“Why didn’t you?”
Dominic’s eyes held hers.
For once, there was no armor.
“Because by then I couldn’t.”
“Why?”
He didn’t answer.
He didn’t need to.
Marcus saw it.
Vincent saw it.
And finally, Diana saw it too.
Dominic Caruso had not kept her because she was useful.
He had kept her because somewhere during eighteen months of impossible schedules, midnight reports, arguments, coffee orders and silent mornings—
he had fallen in love with her.
Diana’s phone buzzed.
A final message appeared from A.V.
VINCENT IS LYING. ASK HIM WHERE YOUR MOTHER IS.
Diana looked up.
May you like
Vincent’s face had gone pale.
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