Chapter 5 - THE ROOM THAT WAS NEVER BOOKED|
The medical center had no record of a room reserved under Valentina's name on the date engraved inside the bracelet.
That was the first thing Marcus discovered.
The second was that Dr. Ferro had entered a private consultation suite that afternoon and remained there for almost two hours.
According to the official schedule, he had been attending a conference across town.
Adriano read the report in silence.
"Can we establish who else entered?"
Marcus nodded.
"The security system recorded a visitor using a contractor's access card. The name doesn't match anyone on the approved list."
"Find the person."
"We're trying."
Adriano leaned back.
For the first time in weeks, he felt clear-headed enough to study the problem without the familiar fog pressing behind his eyes.
He had refused every afternoon drink since Nina's warning. The headaches had begun to ease, though he still felt tired and occasionally struggled to remember details from the previous month.
The independent physician reviewing his case had warned him not to make assumptions. The laboratory had identified suspicious contamination, but the full medical investigation was still underway.
Adriano intended to wait for proof.
But he no longer intended to trust the people who had been managing his health.
A knock sounded at the office door.
Rosa entered with a tray of tea.
"Sir, Miss Rinaldi asked me to bring this."
Adriano looked at the cup.
"Did she prepare it?"
"No, sir. It came from the kitchen."
He motioned for Rosa to leave it untouched.
"Nina is at school?"
"Yes. She'll be home around three."
"Please tell her I'd like to speak with her after she finishes her homework."
Rosa hesitated.
"Sir, may I ask something?"
"Of course."
"Is my daughter in danger?"
Adriano looked at her carefully.
"I don't know yet. But I will not allow anyone to punish her for telling the truth."
Rosa's eyes filled.
"She's always been observant. Since her father died, she's noticed everything. I worry she sees too much."
Adriano softened.
"That may be what protects her."
Rosa shook her head.
"Or what makes people angry with her."
After she left, Marcus returned with a new discovery.
The contractor access card had been issued to a company that maintained the medical center's private archives. The company's owner was a former business partner of Anthony Castellano, Adriano's late father.
More importantly, the company had received regular payments from a trust that Adriano had inherited.
The trust was supposed to provide medical support for employees injured while working for the family.
Instead, several payments had been redirected to the same account used to reimburse Dr. Ferro.
Adriano stared at the records.
"Who manages this trust?"
"An independent administrator on paper," Marcus replied. "But the original authorization was signed by your father."
"And the administrator?"
"Simone Bellini."
Adriano's assistant.
The man who had promised to investigate the office access logs.
The man who had told Adriano to keep the inquiry confidential.
Adriano stood slowly.
"Don't confront him yet."
Marcus nodded.
"What do you want me to do?"
"Find the original trust agreement. Every page. Every amendment. And determine why my assistant is administering a medical trust without my knowledge."
That afternoon, Nina arrived at the estate carrying a school folder.
She found Adriano waiting in the garden.
"Did you find out what the numbers mean?"
He nodded.
"Yes. They led us to a medical center."
Nina considered that.
"Then the glass wasn't the whole problem."
May you like
Adriano looked at her notebook.
"No," he said quietly. "I think the glass was only where the problem started to show."
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