Chapter 2 - The Interrogation
Luca Moretti was thirty-five years old. He wore a perfectly tailored black suit, his dark hair swept back. He was the head of the city’s most powerful syndicate—the kind of man who never had to raise his voice to make a room full of powerful people hold their breath.
My name is Emily Carter. I was twenty-five, a housemaid at Luca’s sprawling Chicago mansion. I had spent the entire evening watching his beautiful fiancée mercilessly humiliate a woman who had done absolutely nothing wrong.
But I desperately needed this job. My mother had just returned home after a major hip surgery. The daytime nurse cost more than I could possibly afford. Vanessa knew exactly how badly I needed every single paycheck. She had reminded me of it just an hour earlier in the kitchen: “One more mistake tonight, Emily, and don't bother coming back on Monday.”
So, I had kept my head down. Until now.
Luca was watching us. His dark, calculating eyes missed nothing.
“Vanessa,” Luca’s voice was dead calm. “Why is Allison leaving?”
Before anyone else could speak, Vanessa let out a theatrical, breathy laugh. “Oh, darling. She’s had way too much champagne. I'm just trying to spare her any further embarrassment tonight.”
Luca didn't smile back. He looked at Allison. Then, he looked at the crystal glass resting beside her plate. It was completely full. The bubbles had gone flat.
He slowly turned his piercing gaze toward me. “Emily, have you been serving this section of the table?”
My mouth went completely dry. I could feel Vanessa glaring daggers at the side of my head. “Yes, sir.”
“How many drinks have you brought Mrs. Romano tonight?” Luca asked.
Vanessa immediately jumped in. “She was drinking heavily before dinner, Luca, it’s obvious—”
Luca didn't even blink. He didn't look at his fiancée. “Emily?”
I swallowed the massive lump in my throat. I thought about my mother. I thought about the overdue electric bill. Then, I looked at the tears in Allison's eyes.
“One glass of sparkling water, sir,” I said clearly.
“Anything else?” Luca asked.
“No, sir.”
“And the champagne?”
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“She declined it when I poured it, sir.”
👉 How will Vanessa react when her cruel lie is exposed in front of thirty elite guests?
