Chapter 16 - THE PRICE OF TELLING THE TRUTH|
The investigation moved faster after the gala.
Police recovered financial records from the maintenance contractor, authenticated the recordings from Pier 14, and traced several suspicious payments to accounts controlled by Claudia Ferrara and Anthony Rossi.
Vanessa was released pending further investigation, but her movements were restricted while detectives reviewed evidence of fraud, witness intimidation, and possible involvement in the attempted destruction of the archive.
Claudia disappeared.
Her attorneys claimed she had traveled abroad for medical treatment. The airline records showed no departure under her legal name, and her private security team refused to disclose her location.
Roman knew she was hiding.
He also knew the temptation to find her himself would be dangerous.
Margaret reminded him that the evidence needed to stand on its own.
“If you interfere with the investigation, you'll give Claudia exactly what she wants,” she said. “She'll turn this into a feud between rival factions and argue that every witness has been threatened.”
Roman listened.
He authorized a complete audit of Ferrara Holdings, surrendered company records, and met with investigators to explain the questionable transactions he had previously ignored.
The disclosures damaged the company's reputation. Several business partners withdrew. News outlets published photographs of Roman entering the courthouse. Former associates began offering interviews about his family's history.
For the first time, Roman faced consequences he could not silence with money or influence.
Evelyn watched the coverage from her hospital room.
“Are you afraid?” she asked when he visited that evening.
Roman sat beside her.
“Yes.”
She seemed surprised by the answer.
“Of losing the company?”
“Of discovering how much damage I've done without admitting it.”
He looked at her.
“I thought I was protecting my family by keeping everyone at a distance. I convinced myself that if I never needed anyone, nobody could hurt me.”
“And did it work?”
“No.”
She smiled sadly.
“Then perhaps you should try something else.”
He reached for her hand, but stopped before touching it.
“May I?”
Evelyn looked at him for a moment before nodding.
He held her hand gently.
They talked about things they had avoided for years. Evelyn told him how she had learned to hide her pain because she was tired of being accused of seeking attention. Roman admitted that he had used his father's reputation and the fear surrounding the Ferrara name to avoid difficult conversations.
He didn't ask her to forgive him.
He didn't promise that everything would be different overnight.
He simply listened.
Later, Lily arrived with a bag of books and a homemade card for her sister. She hugged Roman unexpectedly.
“Evelyn says you're trying,” she told him.
“I am.”
“Don't make her regret believing you.”
Roman nodded.
“I won't ask her to believe me until I've earned it.”
Lily considered this, then handed him the card.
Inside was a photograph of the sisters with their father at the workshop. Thomas was laughing, his arm wrapped around both girls.
On the back, Lily had written:
Dad believed people could change. He just didn't believe they could change without telling the truth first.
Roman kept the card in his wallet.
That night, Margaret called with an update.
A witness had come forward from the company that maintained Pier 14. He claimed that Claudia had personally ordered the removal of the ventilation equipment and had threatened to ruin anyone who questioned the invoices.
More importantly, the witness had records showing that a payment was made to a private security account the night Roman's father died.
The account belonged to a company that no longer existed.
But the money had eventually reached a man who was still alive.
Adrian Vale.
Roman stared at the report.
“Where is he?”
“Under police protection,” Margaret said. “He's agreed to testify, but he wants immunity from prosecution.”
Roman's jaw tightened.
“He helped cover up the fire.”
“He also preserved evidence that may establish who ordered it.”
Roman considered the decision.
Then he said, “Let the prosecutors decide what immunity he deserves.”
After the call ended, Evelyn stirred in her sleep.
Roman pulled a chair closer to the bed and watched her breathe.
For the first time, he understood that love wasn't a promise to prevent every tragedy.
It was a commitment to stand beside someone when the truth became painful, when consequences arrived, and when the easy choice would be to run.
He intended to keep that commitment.
But before dawn, the hospital received a call from an unknown man.
May you like
He claimed to know where Claudia Ferrara was hiding.
And he demanded to speak to Evelyn.
