Chapter 6 - The Papers on Her Desk
The agreement was still inside Alessia’s desk.
Thirty-four pages.
Dense legal language.
Schedules.
Tax language.
Holding companies.
She had almost signed it.
That fact made her physically ill.
Samuel reviewed a scanned copy.
Then he called Alessia.
“Do not sign this.”
“I figured that out.”
“You don’t understand.”
His voice had lost every trace of calm.
“This is not normal marital planning.”
Buried on page twenty-seven was a provision giving a joint family entity temporary voting authority over certain assets.
Garrett controlled that entity.
If Alessia signed before the eighteen-month transfer, Garrett could potentially influence the shares the moment they vested.
Not own them outright.
But control enough voting power to force transactions.
Including sales.
Including refinancing.
Including removing Alessia from operational authority under certain emergency clauses.
“He could take the company?”
“Not cleanly.”
Samuel paused.
“But he could create enough chaos to force a settlement.”
Alessia looked around her father’s study.
Carlo’s books.
Carlo’s desk.
Carlo’s old fountain pen.
Her father had seen the trap.
She had defended Garrett against him.
“I called Dad paranoid.”
Samuel said nothing.
“I told him he was jealous because I trusted my husband.”
“Carlo never blamed you.”
“That makes it worse.”
“No.”
Samuel’s voice grew firm.
“Your father understood something you still need to understand. Trusting someone is not the crime. Betraying that trust is.”
Alessia closed the document.
Then Detective Reese called again.
Garrett had been released pending charges related to Miriam’s assault.
A temporary protective order prevented him from returning to Moretti House or approaching Miriam.
Alessia expected anger.
Instead, Garrett sent one message through his attorney.
I want to save our marriage.
She stared at it.
Then laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because he still thought he knew her.
She instructed her divorce attorney to file immediately.
Hours later, another problem surfaced.
Moretti Hospitality’s CFO called.
“Alessia, did you approve a $22 million credit facility?”
“No.”
Silence.
“Why?”
“Because Garrett’s investment firm submitted board materials this morning claiming you already consented.”
Alessia stood.
“What materials?”
A digital signature.
Her digital signature.
Attached to a consent form dated six days earlier.
The ballroom attack had not stopped the plan.
May you like
Garrett had already started executing it.
And somewhere inside Moretti Hospitality, someone was helping him.
