Chapter 19 - Checkmate|
Luca picked up the legal document, his eyes scanning the official state seals. His mother had outsmarted both her husband and the New York syndicate twenty-six years ago, placing the entire empire into a hidden trust that Vance's contract couldn't legally touch.
"The contract Vance has is completely void," Luca realized, a breathless laugh escaping his lips. "It applies to my father's assets—not my mother's trust!"
"Your mother was a brilliant woman, Luca," Rosa said softly, patting his hand. "She knew the men in this business would try to sell her legacy for power. She made sure it could only be saved by love."
The next morning at nine o'clock, Antonio Vance returned to the mansion, accompanied by two high-priced corporate attorneys, expecting Luca to sign over the estate.
Instead, he found Luca standing in the foyer beside me, flanked by three state prosecutors and Marco holding the certified trust documents.
Luca threw the state trust papers onto the marble table in front of Vance.
"Your contract is worthless, Vance," Luca announced coldly. "My father didn't own this estate or the docks. My mother's trust owns them. And the trust manager just rejected your claim."
Vance's attorney picked up the papers, scanned them quickly, and turned pale. He leaned over and whispered frantically into Vance's ear.
Vance's face turned from smug confidence to sheer, furious shock. His silver cane trembled in his grip.
"You..." Vance gasped, glaring violently at Rosa and me. "This is impossible!"
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"Get out of my city," Luca commanded, his deep voice resounding off the marble walls like thunder. "If I ever see a Vance vehicle in Chicago again, I won't use lawyers to deal with you."
Vance stared at Luca, realized he had been completely defeated, and turned around, walking out of the mansion without saying another word.
