I borrowed money and caught up.
Still public.
Victoria continued.
“I thought if I contacted you saying a powerful family owed your former partner money, it might frighten you.”
“So instead you quietly let me clean your brother’s house?”
“Yes.”
“That sounds insane.”
“Yes.”
For the first time, Victoria almost laughed at herself.
“It was.”
Alessandro leaned forward.
“You could have given David’s compensation to counsel to hold.”
“We did.”
“How much?”
Victoria named the amount.
My breath caught.
One hundred eighty-six thousand dollars.
Back pay.
Wrongful-suspension settlement.
Interest.
I stared.
“Where is it?”
“In escrow.”
“For David.”
“Yes.”
“Not me.”
“No.”
“Then why am I here?”
Victoria’s expression changed.
“Because David later signed something.”
Another folder.
I did not want more folders.
“What?”
“A beneficiary designation.”
I stared.
“For what?”
“The settlement.”
“He knew?”
“He contacted our attorney about eleven months ago.”
That was during my pregnancy.
I went
