Chapter 18 - What Dante Had Done
The next fight was not against Celeste.
It was against Dante's own reputation.
Charles's attorneys released documents to the press.
Within twenty-four hours, reporters were asking why Dante had signed broad financial authorizations that enabled Victor's fraud.
Then another story appeared.
A construction settlement from three years earlier.
One Dante had approved.
A worker had suffered serious injuries at a Moretti Meridian renovation site.
The company had settled privately for $3.8 million.
The agreement included confidentiality provisions.
The headline was brutal:
MORETTI CEO WHO ACCUSES FAMILY OF COVER-UP SIGNED HIS OWN SECRET WORKER SETTLEMENT
Dante stared at it.
Nora read beside him.
"Was there wrongdoing?"
"Safety failures."
"Did you know before the accident?"
"No."
"Did you hide evidence?"
"No."
"Then this isn't Lorenzo's case."
"But I approved confidentiality."
"Which was legal."
"It also protected the company from bad press."
Nora folded the paper.
"Do you regret it?"
Dante considered the question.
"Yes."
"Then say that."
His advisers begged him not to.
Dante ignored them.
At a press conference, he did something Moretti executives almost never did.
He admitted failure without pretending it was somebody else's.
"I approved a lawful settlement that included confidentiality," he said. "At the time, I believed protecting the company also protected employees and shareholders. I understand now that secrecy can become a habit long before it becomes a crime."
Reporters shouted questions.
"Did you authorize the Bellaforte loan?"
"No."
"Did you authorize Northstar payments?"
"I approved payment batches without adequate review. That was negligent."
"Will you return as CEO?"
Dante paused.
"I don't know."
That answer shocked everyone.
Including Celeste.
She was watching from an interview room while negotiating cooperation through counsel.
Later she asked Reeves to pass Dante a message.
For the first time in your life, you sound like someone Dad couldn't control.
Dante did not know whether it was insult or praise.
The Bellaforte problem remained.
Delaney Private Bank's independent directors suspended Charles and opened an internal investigation.
Their lawyers still insisted the debt existed.
Dante's lawyers argued fraud.
A court could spend years deciding.
Priya found the solution in the numbers.
Bellaforte owned an adjacent parcel separately appraised at thirty-two million dollars.
Dante had refused to sell it for years because Isabel loved the gardens.
A third-party hotel investor offered a minority recapitalization.
Thirty-five million in fresh equity.
Enough, combined with company cash, to refinance the disputed loan without selling Bellaforte.
But there was a cost.
Moretti Meridian would dilute existing shareholders.
The children's eighteen percent would fall to roughly sixteen.
Dante personally would lose several percentage points.
The Moretti family would lose absolute control.
Bianca hated the idea.
"Lorenzo built this company."
Dante looked at her.
"And look what we did to keep control."
"It belongs to Leo and Mia."
"Part of it does."
"You're reducing their inheritance."
"I'm protecting what remains from becoming another weapon."
Bianca shook her head.
"You don't know what they'll need."
Dante looked toward Leo and Mia playing outside Nora's house.
"They need a father who doesn't sacrifice them for voting percentages."
That ended the argument.
Evelyn Park, the temporary co-trustee, reviewed the recapitalization independently.
She approved it as financially reasonable.
The board voted the following day.
Dante supported dilution of his own power.
The transaction passed.
Bellaforte was saved.
The Delaney loan was refinanced into escrow pending litigation.
Hawthorne's sale died.
For the first time, no single Moretti could control the company.
Bianca called it the end of an era.
Dante privately hoped she was right.
That evening, Detective Reeves came to Nora's house.
"The state's attorney is preparing charges related to Javier's assault plan."
Dante looked at her.
"Celeste?"
"Likely conspiracy, solicitation-related counts and obstruction issues. Federal prosecutors are handling the financial conduct separately."
"Charles?"
"Bank fraud and wire-fraud investigation is moving quickly. No promises on charges until prosecutors file."
"Grant?"
"His lawyers are talking."
"Victor?"
"Cooperating."
Dante leaned back.
After weeks of wanting arrests, consequences now felt strangely insufficient.
"Javier?"
"His cooperation will be considered. He's still responsible for what he did to Leo."
"Good."
Reeves studied him.
"You don't sound pleased."
"Should I?"
"No."
She stood.
"Justice isn't usually as satisfying as revenge stories make it."
Dante almost smiled.
After she left, Leo came downstairs.
"Is Aunt Celeste going to jail?"
"Maybe."
"For how long?"
"I don't know."
"Do you hate her?"
Dante looked at his son.
"I hate what she did."
"That's not what I asked."
Dante was quiet for a long time.
"No," he finally said. "I don't think I hate her."
Leo frowned.
"Why?"
"Because hating her would be easier."
Leo considered that.
Then asked the harder question.
"Will we see her again?"
Dante did not know.
And the answer, he realized, belonged partly to his children.
Not to the company.
Not to lawyers.
Not to the Moretti name.
May you like
To Leo and Mia.
That was a power Dante was finally learning not to take for himself.
