Chapter 19 - WHY VINCENT TERRIFIED DEREKThere was one connection I did not know.
Derek had once approached a financing firm rumored to have Moretti-linked investors.
Not Vincent directly.
A legitimate commercial lender called Bellmont Capital.
One minority owner was Anthony Bell’s brother.
Derek sought rescue financing for his failing development.
Bellmont declined.
Derek had mentioned my family connection during negotiations.
Without asking me.
Email:
My wife is Anna Moretti’s daughter. Vincent and I are effectively family.
I stared at that sentence.
We had not spoken to Vincent in fourteen years.
Derek had used a relationship I rejected as business credibility.
Bellmont did not fund him.
But Derek knew Vincent’s world was closer than he had admitted.
So when Vincent appeared in our hallway, Derek was not merely seeing a famous criminal figure.
He was seeing the man whose name he had already borrowed.
That explained the instant fear.
It also created another boundary.
I told Vincent:
“You do not collect this as a debt.”
His eyes narrowed.
“Collect what?”
“He used your name. I don’t care.”
Vincent nodded.
May you like
No argument.
For once.
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