Chapter 3 - The Job Sophie Refused to Accept
Lorenzo’s face became unreadable.
“Marco was here?”
Isabella nodded.
“Angry.”
“Why?”
“I don’t remember.”
Lorenzo pulled out his phone.
Sophie caught his wrist.
“No.”
His eyes dropped to her hand.
“What?”
“Not in front of her.”
He looked at Isabella.
She was already trembling.
Lorenzo put the phone away.
“You’re right.”
Sophie released him.
“Again.”
“Don’t enjoy it too much.”
Later, Lorenzo took Sophie into his study.
“Marco is my father’s younger brother.”
“And?”
“He believes my mother controls assets that should belong to the family.”
“Does she?”
“Yes.”
“How much?”
“Approximately eighty million dollars.”
Sophie stared at him.
“Your mother has eighty million dollars?”
“More.”
“And someone is angry she’s still alive.”
Lorenzo’s eyes hardened.
“Careful.”
“Why? Because saying it makes it real?”
He walked toward the window.
“My mother’s dementia has progressed quickly.”
“How quickly?”
“Six months ago, she could manage most days alone.”
“And now?”
“You saw her.”
Sophie thought.
“Has her medication changed?”
Lorenzo turned.
“Several times.”
“Who manages it?”
“A private nurse.”
“Who hired her?”
“My uncle recommended the agency.”
Silence.
Sophie crossed her arms.
“That seems important.”
“It does now.”
“You didn’t notice?”
“I was working.”
“There’s that word again.”
Lorenzo looked at her.
“You dislike me.”
“I don’t know you.”
“You judge me confidently for someone who doesn’t know me.”
“You let your confused mother nearly hit the floor because you wanted to see who would help her.”
His expression darkened.
“I made a mistake.”
“Yes.”
“I admitted it.”
“That doesn’t erase it.”
“No.”
The answer disarmed her again.
Lorenzo opened a folder.
“This is the employment agreement.”
Sophie didn’t touch it.
“I’m not a nurse.”
“You wouldn’t provide medical care. You’d be my mother’s companion.”
“And spy?”
“If she remembers anything about Marco, tell me.”
“No.”
His expression sharpened.
“No?”
“I’ll keep her safe. I won’t interrogate her for you.”
“Sophie—”
“That’s the condition.”
He stared at her.
“You negotiate aggressively.”
“You should see me with my landlord.”
A knock interrupted them.
The door opened.
A nurse entered.
“Mr. Moretti, your mother needs her evening medication.”
Sophie looked at the pill cup.
“What’s that?”
The nurse frowned.
“Excuse me?”
“The blue tablet.”
“Prescribed medication.”
“What medication?”
“That is private.”
“She asked a question,” Lorenzo said.
The nurse stiffened.
“Haloperidol.”
Sophie looked at Lorenzo.
“Was she taking that before?”
“I don’t know.”
The nurse answered quickly.
“It was prescribed recently for agitation.”
“By whom?”
“Dr. Russo.”
Lorenzo’s eyes narrowed.
“My mother’s physician is Dr. Bennett.”
The room changed.
The nurse went pale.
“Dr. Russo was covering.”
“When?”
“I’d need to check.”
“Check.”
She left.
Sophie looked at Lorenzo.
“You need another doctor.”
“I need more than that.”
That night, an independent physician reviewed Isabella’s medication.
The conclusion was immediate.
“She’s heavily sedated,” the doctor said.
Lorenzo stood beside Isabella’s bed.
“Dangerously?”
“Potentially.”
“Could it worsen confusion?”
“Yes.”
“Could someone mistake the effects for rapidly progressing dementia?”
“Yes.”
Sophie watched Lorenzo’s hands close into fists.
“Lorenzo.”
He looked at her.
“Don’t do something stupid.”
“I rarely do.”
“You did one yesterday.”
His mother laughed softly from the bed.
Lorenzo looked at her.
Then his fists opened.
The next morning, Isabella was clearer.
She ate breakfast.
She recognized Toby when Sophie brought him by after school.
And at three seventeen, she looked at Lorenzo and said:
“Marco wants my signature.”
Lorenzo sat beside her.
“On what?”
“The company.”
“What company?”
“Your father’s.”
Lorenzo’s face changed.
“My company?”
Isabella nodded.
“He said if I sign, you lose everything.”
Sophie stared at Lorenzo.
“So this isn’t about her money.”
“No.”
Lorenzo stood.
“It’s about mine.”
May you like
Then every security alarm in the house went off.
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