Chapter 16 - Blood Is Not Loyalty
Vincent Bellandi arrived at Massimo’s house before sunrise.
He looked offended, which was always how Vincent looked when he was frightened.
“You believe Grant?”
“I believe records.”
Vincent threw a folder onto the table. “Carlo used my name.”
Torres sat quietly near the window.
Massimo opened the folder.
Vincent had brought emails showing he questioned several suspicious transfers.
For ten minutes, hope returned.
Then Torres asked one question.
“Why didn’t you report them?”
Vincent looked at Massimo.
That was the answer.
“I went to Carlo.”
“Not compliance?”
“No.”
“Not Massimo?”
Vincent hesitated.
“I thought Carlo was handling it.”
Massimo laughed bitterly.
The whole family had been living on the same disease.
Don’t ask too much.
Don’t embarrass the family.
Let powerful men handle it quietly.
Grant did not invent that culture.
He learned how to hide inside it.
Vincent admitted he approved one transfer after Carlo told him Massimo wanted it done off-book.
Massimo had never given that order.
“That signature may make you criminally exposed,” Torres said.
Vincent went pale.
Massimo did not rescue him.
“Get a lawyer,” he said.
His brother stared. “That’s it?”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Fix it.”
Massimo looked toward the staircase, where Isabella was sleeping with Noah nearby.
“I’m done fixing consequences by hiding causes.”
Vincent left without hugging him.
By noon, Massimo called an emergency board meeting.
He disclosed the investigation, froze executive authority, and appointed outside counsel to cooperate with prosecutors.
Bellandi Freight stock dropped eighteen percent in one day.
Dante called it suicide.
Massimo called it sunlight.
Then the district attorney requested a private meeting.
Grant’s hard drive contained evidence tied not only to Carlo’s current fraud, but to old Bellandi operations from Massimo’s earlier life.
Some allegations were beyond limitation periods.
Some were not.
The prosecutor looked at him.
“If you cooperate fully, this may cost you your position, licenses, contracts, maybe more.”
Massimo nodded.
“What do you want in return?”
“Nothing for me.”
The prosecutor raised an eyebrow.
Massimo slid a folder across the desk.
“For Isabella and Noah, I want the truth on record.”
May you like
He had finally reached the place Grant never believed he would go.
Massimo was willing to lose his empire if that was the price of removing the shadow it cast over his daughter.
