Chapter 7 - I TRY TO BUY THE SECURITY FOOTAGE
The hospital would not give me raw security video.
Police had it.
Hospital counsel had it.
My attorneys could request material through proper process.
I did not like that answer.
So I called the hospital foundation president.
“Release the footage.”
He said:
“I can’t.”
“You can.”
“I cannot override patient privacy and law enforcement preservation.”
“My child was switched in your hospital.”
“Possibly.”
I hated the word.
Then I said something stupid.
“Crescent Wing exists because my family paid for half of it.”
Silence.
He understood the threat.
So did I.
“If this hospital hides footage—”
He interrupted.
“We are not hiding it.”
I kept going.
“Every Bellante pledge is under review.”
There.
Money as a weapon.
Again.
Within an hour, hospital counsel called my lawyer.
They documented the conversation.
My leverage attempt became part of the hospital incident file.
Worse, the foundation paused a neonatal equipment purchase because staff were unsure whether pledged funds would arrive.
No patient care stopped.
But administrators had to find temporary budget coverage.
Gianna found out.
She was still in a hospital bed.
She looked at me.
“You threatened newborn equipment?”
“No.”
“You threatened the money paying for it.”
I said nothing.
“Because they wouldn’t give you video you weren’t entitled to?”
“I needed to know where Luca was.”
“We already know he’s probably here.”
“Probably.”
She closed her eyes.
“Massimo, you cannot punish the whole building because your mother got through one door.”
I knew.
Too late.
I called the foundation president back.
My family pledges would be honored.
No conditions.
My request for footage withdrawn.
I provided written confirmation.
Later, the hospital board used my call as evidence of why donor influence needed stronger separation from clinical operations.
Good.
Humiliating.
Good.
Lucia’s lawyer would also use it later:
The Bellante family solves fear with pressure.
May you like
That argument would not erase her conduct.
But I had given it credibility.
