Chapter 13 - Lucinda Lost Her Brother Before She Lost Her Job
The Moretti Resorts board removed Lucinda from operational authority immediately.
Not because Silvio ordered a family purge.
Because no company could allow an executive under criminal investigation for endangering children and interfering with an internal audit to remain in control.
Grant was terminated from every consulting relationship.
The vendor contracts were independently reviewed.
Some payments were legitimate.
Others resulted in restitution claims and fraud referrals.
The resort survived.
Projects continued.
Employees kept their jobs.
No empire collapsed.
What disappeared was the assumption that family loyalty could replace oversight.
Silvio changed governance after that.
No relative could approve a related-party vendor without independent review.
No spouse of an executive received informal access to confidential meetings.
Internal audit reported directly to an outside committee.
Boring reforms.
Necessary ones.
But the personal consequence was simpler.
Lucinda wrote Silvio from her attorney’s office.
I’m still your sister.
He read the message.
Then deleted it.
Blood described the relationship.
It did not guarantee access.
Not to him.
Not to Ethan.
May you like
Not to Mia.
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