Chapter 7 - WHEN VIVIENNE TRIED TO BLAME SOFIA FOR THE STOLEN MONEY, I OPENED MY OWN BOOKS TO INVESTIGATORS
Vivienne’s defense strategy changed six weeks before trial.
First:
She never entered Cottage Three.
Destroyed by camera records and Renner.
Second:
The ring came from a dealer.
Destroyed.
Third:
Dr. Crane acted alone.
Destroyed by recording.
Fourth:
Sofia had been stealing foundation money and Vivienne was secretly investigating her.
That one enraged me most.
Not because it was plausible.
Because Sofia was dead and therefore could not answer.
Vivienne’s lawyers filed motion suggesting Blue Meridian transactions may have been initiated through domestic administration credentials Sofia used.
They produced printouts.
Some carried Sofia’s employee login.
Rebecca read them.
“Fabricated?”
“Maybe not.”
“What?”
She pointed.
“Sofia’s account was used.”
My chest tightened.
“But?”
“Account activity occurred while she was off duty.”
Exactly.
One login originated from Vivienne’s penthouse network.
Another from Julian’s office.
Credential theft.
Still, headlines did not care.
MURDERED HOUSEKEEPER MAY HAVE HANDLED QUESTIONED FUNDS, DEFENSE CLAIMS
I nearly called three editors.
Rebecca confiscated my phone metaphorically.
“Do not wage press war.”
“They’re smearing her.”
“Then produce facts in court.”
“Slow.”
“Yes.”
“Infuriating.”
“Yes.”
I called Nora.
She had seen article.
Rosie had not.
Good.
“Does Sofia have estate representative?”
“Yes.”
Nora had been appointed administrator for Sofia’s personal estate with court oversight.
“Can my foundation fund defamation counsel?”
“No.”
Nora answered before Rebecca.
“Why?”
“Because then it looks like Damian buys narrative.”
She was learning too.
Rebecca found independent pro bono counsel through whistleblower organization.
Better.
Then federal investigators came to me with request.
They wanted full access to foundation financial systems.
Not just Vivienne years.
Ten years.
My accountants objected.
Old donations.
Politically sensitive transfers.
Cash events.
Contracts.
Some of which could expose crimes unrelated to Vivienne.
There it was.
Choice.
Protect my reputation.
Or clear Sofia’s.
I asked:
“If I limit scope?”
Prosecutor said:
“Then defense will argue selective production.”
I looked at Rebecca.
She did not tell me.
Good.
My decision.
“What will you find?”
The prosecutor almost smiled.
“If we knew, we wouldn’t need records.”
I knew there were things.
Improper payments.
Aggressive political donations routed through consultants.
Cash security expenses.
Maybe tax issues.
Not Sofia’s.
Mine.
I had always assumed those were separate.
But if I invoked privacy now, Vivienne could hide behind uncertainty.
I signed.
“All foundation records.”
My CFO nearly fainted.
“Damian.”
“All.”
“Ten years?”
“Yes.”
“What about—”
“If something illegal is there, lawyers handle.”
He stared as if I had become someone else.
Maybe.
The audit lasted months.
It cleared Sofia completely.
Her credentials had been hijacked.
She never received funds.
Never authorized vendor.
Never benefited.
The audit also found $7.2 million in questionable political-consulting payments from my administration before Vivienne joined.
Not murder.
Not theft.
But potentially campaign-finance violations.
My lawyers negotiated disclosures.
Civil penalties.
One former executive indicted.
I paid $14 million in corporate penalties.
The newspapers enjoyed.
CRIME BOSS’S OWN RECORDS BURN HIM WHILE CLEARING DEAD EMPLOYEE
Fair.
Nora called.
“You okay?”
“Expensive week.”
She laughed.
“Good.”
“What?”
“Sofia used to say rich people understand lessons better if invoice attached.”
I smiled.
Then something more serious.
Rosie was having nightmares.
Blue dress.
Mommy sleeping.
The caseworker and therapist recommended reducing case-related contact.
I stopped video calls for two weeks after Nora asked.
That hurt.
Again.
Good.
Rosie’s safety before my comfort.
When calls resumed, we talked only about:
Pickles.
Snow.
Senator.
Crayons.
No ring.
No trial.
Then Vivienne’s attorneys subpoenaed Rosie.
Nora called me furious.
“She’s three.”
“Four now.”
“Not better.”
Rebecca said prosecutors would move to quash or allow only preserved forensic interview.
Child-witness protections applied.
Vivienne’s defense argued Sixth Amendment rights.
The judge reviewed.
Ultimately Rosie would not testify live unless absolutely necessary.
Her original forensic interview could support limited non-hearsay context? Legal details complex. Let's keep court ruled her statements admissible for identification context under specific exceptions and corroboration, no live testimony due trauma and alternative evidence. Fiction okay.
Ring fingerprint evidence.
Vivienne’s DNA.
Sofia’s skin cells inside? The ring carried Sofia’s long-term wear traces, proving ownership.
Cottage evidence.
Crane.
Renner.
Recording.
Rosie did not need courtroom.
Good.
Then Vivienne requested plea negotiation.
For first time.
She would plead to manslaughter and financial fraud if prosecutors dropped murder.
Sofia’s estate was consulted.
Nora said no.
Not her final legal say, but prosecutors listened.
Why?
“The doctor says she planned.”
Nora’s voice shook.
“She went there with a drug.”
Another.
“She threatened Rosie.”
Another.
“Then she wore Sofia’s ring.”
She cried.
“No.”
I agreed.
Prosecutors rejected.
Trial proceeded.
But before jury selection, Vivienne sent me a letter through counsel.
Rebecca handed it.
“You don’t have to read.”
I did.
Damian, none of what happened changes what I felt for you.
I stopped.
Almost burned.
Continued.
You were going to destroy everything because you were incapable of understanding that power must be preserved by people willing to make hard choices.
Victor philosophy? Different story. But fitting.
Sofia was going to expose transactions that would have triggered audits across your companies. She would have damaged you as much as me.
There.
She believed murder protected me too.
Julian wanted your assets. I wanted us.
I laughed.
Then:
The ring was a mistake.
Not murder.
Ring.
I wore it because I wanted to know whether Sofia had made herself important to you before she died. You didn’t recognize it. I thought that meant she hadn’t.
The cruelty.
Then:
The child should never have been at dinner.
I stopped.
Rebecca asked:
“What?”
“She blames Rosie for existing in room.”
“Of course.”
I folded.
At bottom:
If Rosie had stayed asleep, you and I would be married in three weeks. Think about that before you pretend this story is simple.
I did think.
She was right.
If Rosie slept.
If she did not wander.
If she did not recognize ring.
I might have married murderer.
But the story was not about chance.
Sofia had created backups.
Crane was weak.
Renner was running.
The financial fraud would eventually surface.
Truth had more than one path.
Rosie was not responsible for saving me.
That mattered.
I handed letter to Rebecca.
“Use if admissible.”
She smiled faintly.
“Look at you.”
“What?”
“Evidence.”
I hated that word less now.
The night before trial, I video-called Rosie.
Nora had approved.
Rosie held Pickles, who was uglier than expected.
“Mr. Damian.”
“Yes?”
“Mom says you go court.”
“Nora?”
“No. Mommy.”
My throat tightened.
“How?”
“In dream.”
I did not argue.
“What did she say?”
Rosie shrugged.
“She said don’t yell.”
I laughed.
“Good advice.”
“You yell?”
“Sometimes.”
“Don’t.”
“I’ll try.”
Then she held up picture.
A woman in pink.
A rabbit.
A star.
“Mommy ring comes to me?”
“Eventually.”
“Okay.”
Then:
“You keep safe?”
“Yes.”
“Promise?”
“Yes.”
Unlike Vivienne’s promises, mine would be supervised by a probate court.
Healthy.
Trial began Monday.
Vivienne entered wearing cream.
No sapphire.
No ring.
She looked directly at me.
I felt nothing that resembled love.
That scared me less than I expected.
Because across the aisle sat Nora carrying Sofia’s photograph.
And in Vermont, Rosie was probably feeding a ridiculous dog under the table.
May you like
The dead had people speaking for them now.
Vivienne no longer controlled the story.
Related Stories
