Chapter 4 - Why Luca Chose Jessi
Jessi spent the night reading old documents.
By morning, she understood one thing.
Luca had not fallen in love with her by accident.
He had researched her.
Her father had owned a successful construction company.
After his death, Jessi inherited several commercial properties and a substantial investment portfolio.
She had kept her wealth private.
But someone had discovered it.
Phoebe found the connection first.
A former Carter employee had accessed Jessi's financial records eighteen months before Luca proposed.
The employee was dead now.
But his old email account remained.
Inside were messages from Wendy.
One sentence appeared repeatedly:
She must marry Luca before she realizes what she owns.
Jessi stared at the screen.
Her hands trembled.
She had thought Luca's arrogance came from entitlement.
Now she understood.
It had been strategy.
Then she found something worse.
An email from Luca himself.
Once the marriage is final, the property can be consolidated.
Jessi looked at Phoebe.
“He knew.”
Phoebe nodded.
“But there's more.”
She opened another file.
A photograph appeared.
It showed Luca and Wendy meeting a man Jessi had never seen before.
The meeting had taken place two years earlier.
The man's name was Adrian Vale.
He was an attorney specializing in asset transfers.
Jessi recognized his firm.
It had handled her father's estate.
“How did he get involved?”
Phoebe shook her head.
“I don't know.”
Jessi stared at the photograph.
Her father had trusted Adrian.
If Adrian had helped Wendy access the inheritance, then the scheme had started long before Luca entered her life.
That evening, Jessi called Adrian.
He answered immediately.
“Jessi.”
“I know about the Carter trust.”
Silence.
Then:
“Where did you hear that name?”
Jessi smiled coldly.
“That's not the answer I expected from my father's attorney.”
Adrian's breathing changed.
“You shouldn't investigate this yourself.”
“Why?”
“Because your father didn't lose his fortune.”
Jessi froze.
“What?”
Adrian whispered:
May you like
“He hid it.”
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