Chapter 7 - WHEN ISABELLA TESTIFIED, LORENZO SAT STILL EVEN WHEN VINCENT LOOKED STRAIGHT AT HIM
The courthouse had more security than some embassies.
Not because Lorenzo demanded.
Because prosecutors did.
Media had discovered story.
“DEAD WIFE FOUND ALIVE.”
“MAFIA-LINKED BUSINESS TYCOON’S WIFE TESTIFIES.”
“FALSE FUNERAL CONSPIRACY.”
Lorenzo hated headlines.
Isabella hated more.
She refused documentary offers.
No interviews before trial.
No exclusive photographs.
No retelling Emma’s role without Sophia’s permission.
Sophia said no.
Good.
Emma was a child.
She did not owe anyone content.
On testimony morning, Isabella wore dark blue suit.
Hair reached chin now.
Scar visible near temple.
No attempt hide.
Lorenzo waited outside courtroom until she asked him to sit in gallery.
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
“If I need leave?”
“Leave.”
No drama.
She testified.
Meeting Claire.
Invoices.
Vincent’s questions.
Warehouse.
Attack.
Drugging.
Farmhouse.
Threats.
Escape.
Bruno.
Shelters.
Why she did not call husband.
Defense attorney asked:
“Mrs. DeLuca, you had access to tremendous private resources through husband, correct?”
“Yes.”
“You could have contacted him after escape.”
“Yes.”
“You chose not to.”
“Yes.”
“Because you believed without independent verification that Mr. Moreau controlled your husband’s security.”
“I knew someone did.”
“Did you see Vincent personally monitoring Mr. DeLuca’s phones?”
“No.”
“Then why assume?”
“I did not assume Vincent specifically controlled phone.”
“I assumed network might be compromised.”
“Based on threats?”
“Based on the fact that I had been abducted after meeting confidential witness and later declared dead under another woman’s identity.”
Courtroom quiet.
Defense moved.
“Isn’t it true your husband has reputation for violent retaliation?”
Prosecutor objected.
Judge limited.
But question landed.
Isabella looked at Lorenzo.
Then:
“My husband has reputation for many things.”
“Did that affect your decision not to tell him about suspicions before meeting Claire?”
“Yes.”
Lorenzo felt chest tighten.
“Why?”
“Because I feared he might confront Vincent before I had proof.”
Defense saw opportunity.
“So you didn’t trust husband.”
“I trusted his loyalty.”
“Too much.”
A murmur.
Judge called order.
Isabella remained.
“I knew he loved Vincent like brother.”
“And I knew if I accused without evidence, he would force confrontation.”
“That could destroy evidence.”
Lorenzo looked down.
It hurt.
True.
After testimony, hallway.
He waited.
“Are you angry?”
“No.”
“You looked.”
“At myself.”
She touched arm.
“I was afraid you’d be angry at me.”
“No.”
Then caught.
“That’s not enough.”
He breathed.
“Thank you for telling truth.”
Better.
Vincent testified? Defendants often don't. Let's not.
Anthony did.
His cooperation attacked.
He admitted lying initially.
Admitted money.
Admitted participation.
Described orders.
Prosecutors corroborated.
Dr. Rusk admitted modifying dental records without proper authorization.
Claimed financial pressure.
No sympathy.
Claire’s forensic evidence.
Crash reconstruction.
Toxicology.
Vehicle manipulation.
Digital trail.
Long.
Boring.
Devastating.
Verdicts on several major charges eventually.
Kidnapping conspiracy.
Obstruction.
Financial fraud.
Falsification.
Charges tied Claire’s death depending legal theory. Let's say convictions on conspiracy and conduct resulting in death after jury finds involvement, without overstating murder label.
Vincent stood.
He looked at Lorenzo.
Twenty-two years.
Van.
Funeral.
Business.
Brother.
Nothing remained.
Lorenzo did not smile.
No victory.
Judge took.
Law.
Lorenzo attended sentencing? Maybe yes. Isabella asked.
He did.
Vincent addressed court.
Said sorry.
Not enough.
Megan spoke.
Isabella declined victim statement publicly? She submitted written.
Lorenzo none.
He did not make case about him.
After sentence, reporters shouted:
“Mr. DeLuca, do you consider this justice?”
He stopped.
For once, answered.
“Justice belongs to people harmed, especially Claire Donnelly’s family.”
Then left.
No threat.
No revenge.
That became news anyway.
Inside car, Isabella looked.
“You rehearsed?”
“No.”
“Good answer.”
“Accurate.”
She smiled.
Rachel’s influence everywhere.
Trial ended but recovery continued.
Lorenzo still dreamed funeral.
Isabella dreamed farmhouse.
Bruno whined in sleep.
They all carried.
But house changed.
No one treated fear as command.
When Lorenzo woke panic, Isabella asked:
“Do you want light?”
Sometimes yes.
When Isabella froze at SUV, Lorenzo asked:
“Leave?”
Sometimes yes.
They became mirror.
Trauma did not disappear.
It learned language.
Sophia decided to leave estate six months later.
Not because unhappy.
Because Emma needed life outside DeLuca headlines.
She told Lorenzo:
“I can’t raise her here forever.”
Old Lorenzo might offer money enough to make refusal difficult.
Instead:
“You can leave with full severance and relocation support.”
“No conditions?”
“No.”
“Confidentiality?”
“Only anything legally required around sealed active matters. You can tell truth.”
Sophia stared.
“You changed.”
“Don’t spread rumor.”
She laughed.
She moved near sister.
Managed housekeeping at boutique hotel.
Own apartment.
Emma preschool.
Lorenzo gave reference, severance package agreed through Sophia’s lawyer.
Nothing more.
No lifelong dependency.
No ownership.
Before leaving, Emma knocked study.
Actually knocked.
“Come in.”
She carried rabbit.
“Mr. DeLuca?”
“Yes?”
“Is Mrs. DeLuca still dead?”
Lorenzo nearly choked.
“No.”
Emma nodded.
“Okay.”
Then:
“Did I fix it?”
His chest tightened.
He crouched.
“No.”
She frowned.
“You told truth about what you saw.”
“Grown-ups did rest.”
“Did I help?”
“A lot.”
She smiled.
Then:
“Can Bruno have cookie?”
Isabella appeared doorway.
“Half.”
Emma broke.
Bruno got half.
Lorenzo watched wife alive, child safe, dog older but healthy.
May you like
For one brief minute, justice did not look like verdict.
It looked like ordinary room where nobody was missing.
