Chapter 6
Dante looked at her.
She did not flinch.
“She asked me in front of thirty people.”
“She asked whether the man she loved believed her.”
“I had evidence in front of me.”
“You had Isabella in front of you.”
His jaw tightened.
Katarina stepped closer.
“You know what your problem is?”
“I suspect you’re going to tell me.”
“You think being fair means treating everyone equally.”
“Usually.”
“No. Sometimes being fair means acknowledging what you already know.”
She pointed toward the necklace.
“You knew Isabella would never steal that.”
Dante said nothing.
“You knew it.”
His voice was quiet.
“Yes.”
Katarina stared at him.
“Then why didn’t you say it?”
Dante looked at the ring.
“Because if I defended her immediately, the family would say I was blinded by her.”
Katarina’s expression softened slightly.
“So you sacrificed her dignity to protect your authority.”
The words landed hard.
Dante closed his eyes.
Marco entered.
“Boss.”
Dante turned.
Marco’s expression told him everything had changed.
“We found the reason.”
Carlo was still drinking cognac when Dante entered the library.
Sophia sat rigidly beside the fireplace.
Several relatives were talking quietly.
Dante walked in.
Marco followed.
Katarina came behind them.
Dante closed the doors.
“Carlo.”
Carlo looked up.
“What?”
“Stand.”
The room went silent.
Carlo smiled.
“What is this?”
“Stand.”
Something in Dante’s voice erased the smile.
Carlo stood.
Dante placed three printed invoices on the table.
Carlo looked down.
His face barely changed.
Barely.
“Recognize them?”
“Foundation expenses.”
“For restorations that never happened.”
Carlo looked at Dante.
“According to whom?”
“According to the museum conservators who inspected the paintings.”
Carlo’s eyes narrowed.
Dante continued.
“The company receiving the payments connects through two holding companies to your brother-in-law.”
Sophia slowly stood.
“Carlo?”
“This is ridiculous.”
Marco placed a tablet on the table.
“The salon security system was manually disabled at 8:57.”
Carlo’s face changed.
“Lots of people have access.”
“Four.”
Marco looked directly at him.
“Dante was at dinner. I was at dinner. Both security supervisors were on exterior detail.”
Carlo laughed nervously.
“So?”
“So you entered the dining corridor at 8:59.”
“You’re accusing me because I walked through a hallway?”
Dante stepped closer.
“No.”
His voice became frighteningly calm.
“I’m accusing you because you stole from this family for almost two years.”
Carlo’s eyes flashed.
“You have no proof.”
“We’ll find it.”
“And the necklace?”
Dante stared at him.
“We’ll find that too.”