Chapter 10 - The Original Betrayal
Luca's father had been involved from the beginning.
He had worked with Jessi's father.
But he had secretly invested in Marcus's scheme.
When Jessi's father discovered the betrayal, he threatened to expose everyone.
The conflict became dangerous.
But there was no proof Luca's father had ordered the death.
Instead, he had covered up what happened afterward.
He had helped Marcus disappear.
And Wendy had inherited the lie.
Jessi realized something important.
Luca had grown up inside a story designed to make him believe Jessi's family was responsible.
He wasn't innocent.
His actions at the wedding were unforgivable.
But he hadn't created the original crime.
Marcus had.
Jessi returned to the ballroom.
The cake was gone.
The flowers had been removed.
But a single white pearl from her collar still lay beneath the table.
She picked it up.
Phoebe stood beside her.
“You okay?”
Jessi nodded.
“For the first time.”
“Why?”
“Because I finally know what happened.”
But she didn't.
Not completely.
The police found a final bank transfer.
It had been made one day before Jessi's father's death.
The recipient wasn't Marcus.
It wasn't Wendy.
It wasn't Luca's father.
It was an unknown account.
The account had been closed immediately.
But its final withdrawal was made in cash.
The person who withdrew it had signed one name.
J. Carter.
Jessi stared at the signature.
Her father had no brother named J.
Her mother had no brother.
And Jessi had never known anyone with that name.
Then Claire called.
“Jessi.”
“What?”
“I found something in Mom's old house.”
“What?”
“A birth certificate.”
Jessi waited.
Claire whispered:
May you like
“It says your father had a son.”
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