Chapter 2 - The Envelope Is Gone
“Don’t touch your purse.”
Alessia’s voice stopped Evelyn instantly.
Every guest remaining in the ballroom looked toward her.
Evelyn’s hand hovered above the clasp.
“This is absurd.”
“Then put it on the table.”
“You have no right to search me.”
Alessia looked at Marcus Bell, head of estate security.
“Lock the exterior gates.”
Garrett snapped, “You can’t imprison people here.”
“I’m not imprisoning anyone. Anyone who wants to leave can leave.”
She looked directly at Evelyn.
“After security documents what they’re carrying.”
Garrett laughed bitterly.
“This is exactly why nobody can live with you.”
Alessia ignored him.
Her marriage had been deteriorating for months.
Garrett called her controlling.
Cold.
Obsessed with the family business.
He complained that Alessia treated Moretti House—the mansion inherited from her late father—as if it mattered more than their marriage.
Until that moment, Alessia had wondered whether some of it was true.
Then Miriam whispered:
“He asked me where Carlo kept the original.”
Carlo Moretti.
Alessia’s father.
Dead for fourteen months.
The man who built Moretti Hospitality from one neighborhood restaurant into a luxury hotel company worth hundreds of millions.
Alessia helped Miriam into a chair.
“What original?”
Miriam looked toward Garrett.
“He followed me into your father’s study.”
“When?”
“Twenty minutes before the party.”
Garrett shook his head.
“She’s lying.”
Miriam continued.
“He asked what your father changed before he died.”
Evelyn stepped forward.
“Miriam, you’re upset. You fell.”
Alessia turned so sharply Evelyn stopped.
“My husband kicked her in front of thirty witnesses.”
Evelyn’s lips tightened.
Garrett finally stood.
“You want the truth? Your mother has spent a year poisoning you against me.”
Miriam stared at him.
“I defended you.”
“And I wish you hadn’t,” Alessia said.
Garrett’s face hardened.
Marcus approached.
“Mrs. Moretti?”
Alessia had kept her maiden name professionally.
Garrett always hated that.
Marcus held up his phone.
“We checked the hallway camera outside Mr. Moretti’s study.”
“And?”
“Garrett entered at 6:42.”
Garrett said nothing.
“Mrs. Vale entered at 6:47.”
Miriam nodded.
Marcus continued.
“At 6:54, they both came out.”
Alessia looked at Garrett.
“You told me you were downstairs greeting investors.”
He shrugged.
“I went upstairs for five minutes.”
“Why?”
Garrett’s silence answered.
Marcus looked uncomfortable.
“There’s something else.”
He turned the phone toward Alessia.
The video showed Miriam leaving the study with a cream envelope held tightly against her chest.
Garrett followed behind her.
The next camera captured them entering the ballroom corridor.
Miriam still had the envelope.
Then Garrett moved between her and the camera.
Nine seconds later, Miriam emerged without it.
Alessia watched again.
And again.
“Search him.”
Garrett exploded.
“Touch me and I’ll sue every person in this room.”
Alessia stepped closer.
“Good.”
She looked at Marcus.
“Then we’ll have excellent documentation for court.”
Garrett’s confidence finally cracked.
But Marcus did not need to search him.
One of the servers raised her hand.
“Mrs. Moretti?”
Everyone turned.
May you like
“I saw Mr. Hale give something to his mother.”
Evelyn went perfectly still.
