Chapter 13 - Colin chooses his mother)
The answer was hidden in a clause.
Catherine Moretti had built the trust carefully.
If Alessandra died before her children reached adulthood, the trust would not automatically pass under Colin’s control.
A professional trustee and Giorgio would oversee it.
Colin had discovered that three years earlier.
The private investigator was not investigating Catherine’s death.
He was searching for weaknesses in her estate plan.
Ways to challenge restrictions.
Ways to increase spousal control.
Ways to reach assets Colin had never been promised.
Alessandra sat in Rebecca’s office reading the report.
She expected rage.
Instead, she felt relief.
The last illusion was gone.
No unanswered question remained.
Colin had not suddenly become desperate when Northline failed.
He had been thinking about her money years before Theo existed.
Perhaps he had loved her.
Perhaps some mornings had been real.
Some vacations.
Some laughter.
Some nights when he held her and whispered that he could not imagine life without her.
But love had lived beside envy.
Then envy had grown.
Eventually it became more important.
Marcia requested a private mediation.
Rebecca advised attending.
“No agreements without review.”
“I know.”
“Do not let her provoke you.”
“I know.”
“Do not threaten.”
“I know.”
Giorgio asked, “Can I come?”
Both women answered, “No.”
The mediation room contained a long table.
Marcia sat on one side with counsel.
Alessandra sat opposite Rebecca.
Marcia looked smaller without the dining room, the perfect house, and Colin beside her.
But she still looked proud.
“I never wanted to hurt Theo.”
Alessandra said nothing.
“I love my grandson.”
Still nothing.
Marcia continued.
“Colin told me Northline needed temporary help.”
“You woke my baby deliberately.”
Marcia’s face tightened.
“I was trying to establish a schedule.”
“At three in the morning?”
“You were refusing advice.”
“So you woke him.”
“I did not harm him.”
“You harmed me.”
Marcia looked away.
Alessandra leaned forward.
“Say it.”
“What?”
“Say you knew what you were doing.”
Marcia’s attorney whispered something.
Marcia ignored him.
“I knew you were exhausted.”
“And you made it worse.”
“I needed Colin to have leverage.”
There it was.
Plain.
Rebecca remained silent.
Everything was being transcribed.
“Leverage for what?”
“To protect his company.”
“With my money.”
“He is your husband.”
“Was.”
Marcia flinched.
“You could have saved Northline with one signature.”
“I could have chosen to.”
“You would have said no.”
“Yes.”
“Exactly.”
Alessandra stared at her.
The logic was astonishing.
Because Alessandra might refuse, they believed taking the choice away was justified.
Marcia pushed a folder across the table.
“I will give you everything.”
“What do you want?”
“Civil release.”
“No.”
“Alessandra.”
“No.”
“Then Colin takes the blame.”
Alessandra almost smiled.
“You think I care which one of you blames the other?”
Marcia’s face cracked.
“For thirty four years I have protected my son.”
“And look what you taught him.”
Silence.
The door opened.
Colin entered with his attorney.
Apparently both sides had agreed he could join the final phase.
Marcia looked relieved.
That relief lasted less than a minute.
Colin sat.
His lawyer spoke first.
“Mr. Moretti is prepared to cooperate.”
Marcia turned toward him.
“With what?”
Colin did not meet her eyes.
His attorney continued.
“He will provide evidence establishing that certain financial documents were prepared at Marcia Moretti’s direction.”
Marcia stared at her son.
“What?”
Colin finally looked at her.
“Mom.”
“No.”
“You handled the documents.”
“For you.”
“I didn’t ask you to forge them.”
Marcia stood.
“You coward.”
Her attorney tried to calm her.
She shoved his hand away.
“You knew everything.”
Colin’s voice sharpened.
“I knew we needed options.”
“You knew.”
“You were the one recording her.”
“Because you asked me to document everything.”
Alessandra sat completely still.
Rebecca glanced at her.
Neither interrupted.
Colin stood.
“You took it too far.”
Marcia laughed.
The sound was raw.
“I took it too far?”
“Yes.”
“I mortgaged my house for your company.”
“That was your choice.”
“I moved in with your wife because you said she needed to be broken down enough to sign.”
Colin’s face went white.
The room became completely silent.
Marcia realized what she had said.
Too late.
Alessandra felt no triumph.
Only emptiness.
Broken down enough to sign.
That was the entire marriage reduced to six words.
Rebecca quietly said,
“I believe this mediation is over.”
Alessandra stood.
Colin stepped toward her.
“Alessandra, listen.”
She looked at him.
He stopped.
“You know I didn’t mean it like that.”
“What other meaning is there?”
“I was desperate.”
“So was I.”
His eyes filled.
“I was going to lose everything.”
Alessandra looked at him for a long time.
Then she finally understood the difference between them.
When she thought she was losing everything, she had begged for help.
When Colin thought he was losing everything, he decided to take what belonged to someone else.
“You already did.”
His face collapsed.
“What?”
“You lost everything.”
She turned toward the door.
“Not when my father froze the accounts.”
She looked back once.
May you like
“You lost it when you decided my trust was worth more than my trust in you.”
Then she left Colin with the mother he had finally tried to betray.
