Chapter 4 - The Night Luca Costello Lost His Legs
There were four members of my family at the charity dinner twelve years earlier.
My uncle Dominic.
My cousin Anthony.
My younger sister Sofia.
And me.
Sofia had been twenty-one.
Anthony had been thirty-two.
Dominic had practically raised us after our father died.
I trusted him more than anyone.
Which was exactly why the truth hurt.
Marco reconstructed the evening through old hotel records and security footage.
At 9:42 p.m., I argued with Vivian.
At 10:03, I became dizzy.
At 10:19, an ambulance was called.
At 11:06, Dr. Vale prepared the compound.
At 11:14, Vale left the medication room.
At 11:16—
Dominic Costello entered.
I watched the grainy footage twice.
Then a third time.
Marco stood behind me.
“You want me to call him?”
“No.”
“Luca.”
“I'll call him.”
Dominic arrived that evening.
Seventy now, silver-haired and still perfectly dressed.
He kissed my cheek.
“You look terrible.”
“So do you.”
He laughed.
Then he saw the frozen security image on my computer.
His smile disappeared.
I watched his face.
“Sit down, Uncle.”
He didn't.
“Where did you get that?”
“Sit.”
Dominic slowly lowered himself into a chair.
“Did you poison me?”
“No.”
“Did you change the dosage?”
“No.”
“Then why were you in that room?”
His eyes hardened.
“Because I knew Vivian was planning something.”
My anger flared.
“And you said nothing?”
“I didn't know what.”
“You followed Vale.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I saw Vivian give him an envelope.”
Dominic leaned forward.
“I went into that room looking for evidence.”
“Did you touch the vial?”
“No.”
“Who did?”
“I don't know.”
I stared at him.
He stared back.
Then he said, “But I know who came out before I went in.”
“Who?”
“Anthony.”
My cousin.
The man who became acting head of the family while I was hospitalized.
The man who had spent twelve years telling everyone he never wanted my chair.
Marco quietly said, “He's arriving in Chicago tomorrow.”
I looked at him.
“Why?”
“For the annual foundation dinner.”
Of course.
Anthony walked into my estate the next night with his wife and the same relaxed smile he'd worn for years.
Maya was in the hallway.
She ran toward me.
“Luca! Look.”
She held up a baseball glove.
“Tommy gave it to me.”
Anthony stopped.
“Who's this?”
“Maya.”
She looked at him.
“You look angry.”
Anthony laughed.
“Apparently children aren't afraid of anyone anymore.”
Maya whispered to me, “I don't like him.”
Anthony heard her.
His smile tightened.
“Charming.”
Elena appeared.
Then froze.
Anthony froze too.
I saw it.
Recognition.
“Elena,” I said, “take Maya upstairs.”
Anthony's eyes followed them.
“Where did you find her?”
That question was enough.
I turned toward him.
“You know Elena?”
“No.”
“You looked like you did.”
“Don't be ridiculous.”
I wheeled into the study.
“Come with me.”
Anthony entered.
Dominic was waiting.
So was Vale.
Anthony stopped.
“What is this?”
I placed the toxicology report on the desk.
“An overdue family meeting.”
Anthony read the first page.
His face remained calm.
Too calm.
I said, “Vale admitted falsifying my diagnosis.”
Anthony looked at him.
“Then he should be prosecuted.”
“He probably will be.”
Vale spoke.
“I saw you.”
Anthony turned.
“Excuse me?”
“In the medication room.”
“You're confused.”
“I wasn't confused.”
Dominic stood.
“Neither was I.”
Anthony looked at me.
“You believe these people?”
“I believe evidence.”
Anthony smiled coldly.
“Then find some.”
I did.
Marco entered carrying a plastic evidence sleeve.
Inside was an old handwritten hospital log.
Elena had kept it.
Her personal copy.
One entry recorded the vial number.
Another recorded the original dosage.
But beneath it was something far more important.
A signature authorizing an emergency amendment.
A. Costello.
Anthony stared at it.
“That proves nothing.”
Then Elena entered.
“It proves you lied.”
Anthony turned sharply.
“You.”
“Yes. Me.”
“You should have stayed quiet twelve years ago.”
The room went still.
Anthony realized his mistake immediately.
I stared at him.
“You knew she tried to report it.”
He said nothing.
“You knew someone threatened her.”
Silence.
My voice dropped.
“Was it you?”
Anthony's composure finally cracked.
“You were going to destroy everything.”
“By attending a board meeting?”
“By cutting me out!”
“You poisoned me because you wanted contracts?”
“I changed the dosage!”
His shout echoed through the study.
Everyone froze.
Anthony breathed heavily.
Then he realized what he had admitted.
I looked at the recording device on my desk.
Its red light was blinking.
Anthony followed my eyes.
“You son of a—”
Marco stepped between us.
I raised one hand.
“No.”
Anthony stared at me.
For twelve years, I had imagined what I would do if I ever found the person responsible.
I expected rage.
Instead, I felt something colder.
“You took twelve years.”
Anthony's jaw tightened.
“I took your legs. You kept everything else.”
“No.”
I looked toward the hallway where Maya had disappeared.
“You took a life I might have had.”
May you like
Then I picked up my phone.
“And now you answer for it.”
