Chapter 5 - THE MAN WHO PLANNED TO DISAPPEAR
Luca had always been a planner.
That was one of the reasons I had trusted him.
He planned developments three years in advance.
He planned acquisitions months ahead.
He knew exactly which investors to call, which politicians to charm, which contractors to pressure, and which employees to flatter.
I had always mistaken planning for responsibility.
Now I understood.
Luca had been planning our destruction for months.
The Swiss flight was scheduled for Friday morning.
His passport was current.
A private aviation company had received a wire transfer.
And according to Rachel, Luca had reserved a suite at a luxury hotel in Geneva for thirty days.
“Does he know about the injunction?” I asked.
“Not yet.”
“Then we have a small window.”
“What are you going to do?”
I looked out at the lake.
“Let him think everything is normal.”
Rachel paused.
“You want to confront him?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
“I want him to talk.”
The next morning, I called Luca.
He answered on the fourth ring.
“Jessi.”
His voice was cautious.
“Can we talk?”
There was a long pause.
“About what?”
“Us.”
He exhaled.
“I thought you were done.”
“I was angry.”
“You had every right to be.”
I almost smiled.
Luca was suddenly apologizing.
That alone told me how frightened he was.
“I want to meet.”
“Where?”
“The house.”
Silence.
“You want me to come back?”
“Yes.”
He agreed.
Two hours later, he arrived alone.
No Chloe.
No folder.
No lawyers.
He walked into the living room and looked around.
For the first time in fourteen years, I saw him look at the house like a stranger.
“You changed the furniture.”
“I didn't.”
He frowned.
Then realized.
He had simply never paid attention.
I gestured toward the sofa.
“Sit.”
He did.
I sat opposite him.
“Tell me why.”
He looked at me.
“Why what?”
“Why did you do all of this?”
He rubbed his hands together.
“I made mistakes.”
“That isn't what I asked.”
He looked down.
“You wouldn't understand.”
“Try me.”
He stared at the lake.
“When we started, you were the one with money.”
I said nothing.
“I hated that.”
That surprised me.
“You were better at everything.”
“No.”
“You were.”
He looked at me.
“You understood numbers. Contracts. People.”
“I trusted you.”
“That was the problem.”
He laughed bitterly.
“I wanted to be the man everyone thought I was.”
“And you thought stealing from me would accomplish that?”
“I wasn't stealing.”
“You forged my signature.”
“I was going to replace everything.”
“When?”
“When the projects paid out.”
“They didn't.”
“No.”
His voice became quieter.
“They didn't.”
I watched him.
“Was Chloe part of the plan?”
His jaw tightened.
“I loved her.”
I felt nothing.
“Do you?”
He looked away.
“I thought I did.”
“What about the money?”
“She knew some.”
“Some?”
“She knew the company was paying for things.”
“Did she know about the account?”
“No.”
“Did she know about the seven million?”
“No.”
“Did she know about Switzerland?”
He looked at me sharply.
“How do you know that?”
I smiled.
“Answer me.”
“No.”
That was the first completely honest answer he had given me in months.
I stood.
“Thank you.”
He frowned.
“For what?”
“For confirming everything.”
His face changed.
“What?”
I picked up my phone.
Rachel had been listening.
Not recording him illegally.
The conversation was being documented through counsel in accordance with the agreement we had discussed.
Luca stood.
“You set me up.”
“No.”
“You lied.”
“I asked questions.”
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
He stared at me.
Then his expression became cold.
“You think you've won.”
“I don't think.”
I looked him directly in the eyes.
“I know.”
He laughed.
“You don't understand what happens when you destroy a man like me.”
I stepped closer.
“You're not being destroyed.”
His face hardened.
“You're finally being held responsible.”
He stared at me.
Then he said the sentence I would remember forever.
“You'll regret this.”
I shook my head.
“No.”
He walked toward the door.
“I think I already regret something.”
He turned.
“What?”
“Fourteen years.”
He left.
Ten minutes later, Rachel called.
“The injunction was approved.”
I closed my eyes.
“And the Swiss account?”
“Frozen.”
“What about the seven million?”
“Frozen.”
“What about the house?”
“Protected.”
I exhaled.
For the first time in days, I felt my shoulders relax.
Then Rachel said,
“There is still one problem.”
“What?”
“Luca filed a counterclaim.”
I frowned.
“For what?”
“Financial misconduct.”
I laughed.
“He's accusing me?”
“Yes.”
“Of what?”
“He claims you diverted company assets.”
My smile disappeared.
“That's impossible.”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe?”
“Jessi, someone moved money from one of your personal investment accounts.”
My stomach dropped.
“When?”
“Two years ago.”
“How much?”
“Four hundred thousand.”
I sat down.
“I didn't do that.”
“I know.”
“Then who did?”
Rachel's voice became quiet.
“We're checking.”
I looked toward the lake.
The case was bigger than I had thought.
Someone had been inside my finances for years.
Someone who knew my passwords.
Someone who knew my accounts.
Someone who knew enough about my life to make the theft look like something I had done myself.
Then Rachel said,
“We found the device used to authorize the transfer.”
“What device?”
“Luca's old laptop.”
I closed my eyes.
May you like
There was only one problem.
That laptop had disappeared six months ago.
