Chapter 10 - Luca Learns His Fiancée Had Help
Marco’s cooperation revealed a second employee.
Vanessa had persuaded Luca’s private-office coordinator, Elise Grant, to
route documents through late-night signature sessions.
Elise believed Vanessa was helping Luca manage his health.
She noticed he sometimes appeared disoriented.
She still placed documents in front of him.
“Did you know what was in them?” Dominic asked.
“Some.”
The voting authorization?
“Yes.”
“Did Luca ask for it?”
“No.”
Elise cried.
Vanessa told her Luca wanted continuity planning but was too proud to
discuss incapacity openly.
Elise believed her.
Again, no single accomplice seemed to possess the whole picture.
Vanessa compartmentalized.
Marco handled cameras.
Elise handled documents.
Her driver bought the prepaid device.
Northstar handled merger drafts.
Each person saw one piece.
Emma understood why Vanessa had been so confident at dinner.
She did not think of herself as standing alone.
She had built a system where other people’s assumptions did the work.
Then Dominic found an email draft on Elise’s archived server.
Vanessa had written:
ONCE HE HAS ANOTHER EPISODE, WE NEED THE DOCTOR TO DOCUMENT THAT HE
CANNOT HANDLE THE MEETING.
That sentence did not prove Vanessa caused the episodes.
But paired with toxicology, pantry footage, and the altered food, it
became central evidence.
Luca read it once.
Then closed the file.
May you like
He removed his engagement ring and placed it on the desk.
The wedding was over.
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